As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither did this man sin, nor his parents; but, that the works of God might be revealed in him.” —John 9:1-3

Just last month, a phenomenon hit movie theaters across the country. It was all over the Internet and it was hard to miss the promotion in selected theaters. Was it the premiere of the Sandra Bullock and George Clooney film? No. It was Kirk Cameron.

The movie? Unstoppable: Where Is God in the Midst of Tragedy and Suffering … a must see for any Christian.

Forty-two-year-old Kirk Cameron is probably best known for playing the role of Mike Seaver in the 1980s sitcom, “Growing Pains” with Alan Thicke, in which he played a cocky teenager who was the heart throb of many young female fans. 

Growing up in an un-churched home and convinced that he was an atheist during his teens, the TV star had a rude awakening during the last season or two of the show. He became a born-again Christian and without meaning to, started to build a reputation in Hollywood. 

It is said that he began insisting that story lines for the show be edited to line up with his new-found faith and he began distancing himself from fellow cast mates, except for his co-star sweetheart, Chelsea Noble, who he married in 1991. It wasn’t until 2000 when the cast reunited for a “Growing Pains” TV movie that the actor openly regretted some of his actions.

Cameron left Hollywood and all but disappeared except for appearances on TBN, acting in a few TV guest roles and starring in the straight-to-video Left Behind movies. However, he re-emerged in 2008 for the inspirational film, Fireproof, and then he narrated the documentary Monumental in 2012. Cameron was beginning to build another reputation in Hollywood.

Soon, it was announced that Cameron would be working on a new project called Unstoppable. The film met its first resistance when both Facebook and YouTube banned the trailer calling it “abusive,” “unsafe” and “spammy.” Cameron’s supporters immediately rallied together and the incidents were resolved.

For the record though, Facebook later explained to The Christian Post that “the address purchased for the movie was previously being used as a spam site and it hadn’t been refreshed in our system yet. We were in direct contact with Kirk’s team on this and reversed the block as soon as we confirmed that the address was no longer being used for spam.”

As the saying goes, there is no such thing as bad publicity. On September 24 and October 3 of 2013, Unstoppable: A Live Event with Kirk Cameron sold over 260,000 tickets and reached upwards of $3.2 million dollars. 

The live event, which featured the Unstoppable documentary, was broadcasted to about 700 theaters across the country through Fathom Events. If you missed it, don’t worry. Soon, you’ll be able to watch the spectacle from the comfort of your living room (available in DVD on January 28) or even sooner at your church sanctuary (church showings begin November 15).

Whether we want to admit it or not, just about everyone wonders why bad things happen to good people. That is the basis of this film and it’s built upon Cameron’s personal journey of losing a loved one to cancer. In Unstoppable, Cameron explores the origins of good and evil by delving into the Book of Genesis.

“It’s easy to get excited about your faith when things are going well in your life. But when your whole world comes crashing down on you, the questions start: ‘Where is God when I need Him most? Why do bad things happen to good people?’” said Cameron through a recent press release. “Unstoppable is a journey, based on a true story, that has become the most personal and transparent project I have ever made regarding my faith.”

As with the film’s initial releases, it is Cameron’s hope that people will discover that “life is stronger than death, good is stronger than evil and faith is stronger than doubt.” The film already has its share of accolades including these:

“This is a movie that families everywhere need to see! Who, after all, hasn’t been touched by tragedy or suffering? This film courageously tackles the difficult topic of suffering, and does a more than commendable job. We see that God is a God that we can trust. Don’t miss this one! This one has earned five Doves from us and that’s our highest rating.” —The Dove Foundation

“This is an old story. In fact, it’s 2,000 years old. You might have heard of it. It’s the Gospel. What makes this film unique is the beauty in which this story is told. The movie is visually striking.” —The Informed Evangelist

 

Provident Films, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, responsible for such faith-based hits as Courageous, October Baby, Fireproof and Facing the Giants brings the Unstoppable DVD to store shelves on January 28, 2014. You can also pre-order the film at the movie’s official website.