Sunday, January 7, 2007

Ted Dekker on Thr3e...







I picked this up from Ted Dekker's website...

THR3E MOVIE UPDATE FROM TED

Well, well, well, here we are on January 6th and Thr3e the movie has opened in roughly 450 screens across America. There’s been a lot of buzz in the Circle and all kinds of comments thrown about by some who know and many who don’t.

So here’s some information to help us all to put the release of Thr3e into perspective.

First the really good news: Audiences are supporting Thr3e at a rate of 4 to 1 over Fox Faith’s last release and the per screen average is more than double. This after an extremely limited campaign through Christian outlets due to lack of support and the Christmas season. It was booked very late in many theaters and only some bookstores promoted it, as far as we can tell. TV ads in the last week and YOU drove the traffic. Thank you.

Bottom line, I’ve always believed that there is a huge audience for meaningful thrillers and Thr3e is the first, albeit rather small, shot across the bow. The reporting is bearing that out.

It is critical that we continue to support this endeavor over the next week if we hope to see larger, better releases in the next few years. No one ever pretended that Thr3e was a big budget film set to rock the world, but that doesn’t mean the next one can’t be. It’s in your hands as much as mine at this point.

Now the bad news: If Thr3e drops dramatically over the next week, our options down the road will be limited. Everyone seems to think that Christians are only interested in Biblical set pieces, or remakes of Little House on the Prairie. This may be true among traditionalists, but I believe younger audiences deserve movies that examine our struggles using a more contemporary voice, and I am dedicated to pressing through whatever stands in the way to ultimately deliver that in most excellent fashion.

We currently have 3 more movies slated for release over the next two years (HOUSE, BLINK, SHOWDOWN) and all will raise the bar. IF they proceed as planned. That is up to all of us.

Finally the mixed news: The reviews across America are mixed for Thr3e. Most of the negative reviews have compared this film to Seven or Saw and regret the fact that Thr3e lacks the teeth of either movie. The fact that this is Fox Faith’s first theatrical release has received a huge amount of attention in these reviews.

But the news from many reviewers is encouraging. Here are a few:

Dallas Morning News – “Thr3e is a surprise of this new year in film.” 3 stars

Charlotte Observer – “..a triple-twist ending, highly appropriate..” 3 stars

Detroit Free Press – “Moves the action at a heart-pounding pace.” 3 stars

Crosswalk – “A cleverly written Psychological thriller.”

Buffalo News – “Thr3e" is a first-rate thriller based on the book by Ted Dekker."

Cedar Falls Courier -- " This is a thriller; be prepared to hover on the edge of your seat..”

Jacksonville Daily Progress – “A movie that makes you think.”

Newark Star Ledger – 3 out of 4 stars.

Philadelphia Daily News – 3 out of 4 stars.

Chattanooga Times – 3 out of 4 stars

Akron Beacon Journal – Three Stars

Lexington Herald Leader – Grade of B

Among Christian reviewers, Focus on the Family, Crosswalk, and Dove all gave it a nod. Surprisingly enough Christianity Today seemed to think it was “…tamer than most dramas on television.” Perhaps next time we should change that?

At any rate, this is our first time at bat. Let’s try to get around the bases. Please do what you can to support this film.

Cheers, Ted

So maybe you should go see the film. I still like the book better. (See my Thr3e review.)

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