FIELD OF LOST SHOES
An inspiring true story of courage, sacrifice, and honor.
Should You Watch It?
Field of Lost Shoes takes some time to get going because it introduces many characters. Once the story develops, though, it becomes a powerful and inspiring war drama based on a true story.
The film honors bravery, courage, honor, and selflessness. It also presents the Civil War with complexity, avoiding the easy choice of demonizing one side. Its Christian elements and strong biblical worldview give the story a moral center, while the battle violence and profanity keep it from being suitable for every family.
If you are choosing for teenagers or adults, this is worth seeing, with parental discernment for younger viewers.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESDuring the Civil War, Union and Confederate forces converge over Virginia’s Shenandoah County. As the Confederates face a shortage of soldiers, John C. Breckinridge calls upon the Virginia Military Institute, where seven young friends have been training together.
The boys are not the school’s most skilled cadets, but they are known for kindness and honor. Soon, their education gives way to a battle that will test their courage and leave a legacy for generations.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means this is a powerful and highly entertaining film with some noticeable flaws. The sets, costumes, cinematography, and performances by the more seasoned actors make the movie as engrossing as a major Hollywood war drama.
The production takes too long to develop because of its many characters. The battle sequence is not edited or choreographed particularly well, and some of the young actors overdramatize their roles. Still, the film’s emotional power and inspiring story carry it.
The Worldview
The film presents a strong biblical worldview with Christian elements. It exalts bravery, courage, honor, kindness, and selflessness. The boys show compassion even toward slaves, and one character opposes slavery while recognizing that victory should lead to change. The story also includes several mentions of God, prayer before battle, and a Jewish boy reading the New Testament to a dying soldier.
The film does not demonize either the Union or the Confederacy. Instead, it shows the complexity of the situation and honors not only the young men from the Virginia Military Institute but all who died during the war. That balance is important, especially in a story centered on Confederate soldiers.
The film’s central picture is sacrificial courage for the sake of others. Scripture says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Very strong biblical worldview with strong Christian elements, the boys exhibit kindness, courage, selflessness and bravery with several mentions of God, a prayer before battle, and Jewish boy reads the New Testament to a dying soldier; five light obscenities and five profanities (including two strong uses of God’s name); some battle violence with boys and men dying from shooting, stabbing, punching and canon fire, some blood seen, but not much, many dead bodies and injured men seen after battle, a woman is stuck under a cart; no sex, a young boy and girl kiss passionately a few times; upper male nudity, boy jokes by asking artist friend to draw a portrait of a women without clothes next time; light drinking; men smoking pipe; and, a slave auction is seen in a negative light and a mother is separated from her family, one boy wants vengeance on the Union.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The boys display courage and selflessness in a time of war. What does it mean to put the good of others before your own safety?
John 15:13 · Philippians 2:3–4One character opposes slavery and says that victory must lead to change. How should Christians respond when a society’s customs conflict with what is right?
Micah 6:8 · Isaiah 1:17The film honors people who died on both sides of the war. How can we remember suffering and loss without losing compassion for people who disagree with us?
Romans 12:15 · Matthew 5:44The story includes prayer before battle. What does it look like to trust God when the outcome is uncertain?
Psalm 46:1–3 · Philippians 4:6–7The Final Word
Field of Lost Shoes is an inspiring, morally serious war drama with strong Christian elements and some uneven filmmaking. Its violence and language call for discernment, but teenagers and adults can find much to honor here. WORTH THE TRIP — AGES 13 AND UP.
