RUN HIDE FIGHT: INFIDELS
A political thriller marred by excessive violence and language, as well as a subpar plot.
Should You Watch It?
No, this movie never finds its footing, despite a compelling premise that quickly gets buried beneath too many characters, competing storylines, and tonal missteps. The initial story of a student protest hijacked proves compelling, but things quickly devolve; too many characters and separate plots create confusion, some decisions by characters or groups don’t make sense, and many comedic moments fall flat because they feel out of place in a movie so full of graphic violence.
As the plot continues, it becomes less and less clear why no outside help arrives, muddying the movie’s message about America, the US government, and the police. The movie may carry a strong message about American courage, but its underdeveloped plot and characters, along with excessive violence and language, make it one to skip. For all its patriotic firepower, the movie ultimately misses its target.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESTensions run high on an American college campus. When a Pro-Palestine protest group’s demonstration gets hijacked by Islamist terrorists, things descend into chaos. People die, and hostages attempt to stay alive. Amid all this, two students and a security guard try to take back their campus. With no outside help coming, will this ragtag group of everyday heroes save their classmates?
Is It Any Good?
Two stars for this compelling storyline about a hijacked protest that quickly spirals out of control. The movie features a large cast, which can be confusing as the story unfolds. It becomes challenging to keep track of who is who, their relationships with one another, and their individual goals. Additionally, Jonathan Majors, who is promoted as the leading star, has a minimal presence in the movie, which may disappoint those who came to see his performance.
Many plot points in the story lack coherence. Although it is an action movie, a genre that does not always prioritize realism, several scenes and narratives feel illogical. For instance, the Islamic terrorists manage to hack every phone on campus but never fully utilize this advantage.
Furthermore, the absence of any outside government assistance during a violent terrorist attack raises questions. This specific plot element muddles the pro-American themes presented in the movie and appears to criticize the police, who are depicted as performing poorly.
The story also tries to inject comedic moments, which feel out of place given the serious themes and graphic violence. While this one may entertain hardcore action movie fans, its inconsistent plot ultimately fails to compensate for its excessive elements. For all its firepower, the story never quite hits the mark.
The Worldview
The movie carries a light moral and biblical worldview. Courage drives the characters. They fight for what they believe and stand ready to lay down their lives for it, and the story rewards that courage rather than punishing it.
Christian elements support that worldview throughout. Characters pray, and some refuse to pledge allegiance to Allah, the demand the terrorists make, because they follow Christ instead. Patriotic elements support it too. Veterans appear as men and women worthy of respect, and the villains alone voice extremist Islamic ideas. The story never endorses those views. It marks them as the mark of evil men, not a legitimate perspective.
That patriotic support runs into trouble elsewhere in the plot. The US government offers the characters almost no help, a choice that reads like a rebuke of American leaders. Police officers come across as fools more often than heroes, and that undercuts the movie's own patriotic thread rather than reinforcing it.
The movie also packs in scene after scene of brutal, graphic violence. Foul language litters the dialogue, including several F-words, alongside racist remarks from certain characters. Viewers will also find drinking, smoking, and dishonesty played out on screen, and two characters declare their homosexuality along the way. That's a lot of rough material to sit through for the sake of a story about courage and faith, so know what you're walking into before you press play.
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
A light moral worldview, with characters working to save others and fight for what they believe in. Christian elements, such as a character praying and another declaring she is a Christian, as well as Patriotic themes, like a positive portrayal of army veterans. However, these themes become muddled with a somewhat anti-government/police message, such as the government’s lack of help during the terrorist attack, and the police officers’ complete ineptitude;
Foul Language
Strong foul language with 27 obscenities, including nine “sh” words, four “d” words, eight “h” words, three “f” words, two “b*stards,” and one “p*ss,”as well as one “Jesus” profanity. There are also several racist remarks made by one of the movie’s heroes about a character who is from Egypt, as well as a “joke” made about Asian people;
Violence
Countless scenes of violence, with people being shot and killed, stabbed, blown up with bombs, burned alive, pushed off a roof, throat slashed, hung from a flagpole, and head smashed with a weight;
Sex
Two couples kiss, two characters identify as homosexual;
Nudity
Heavy upper male nudity, as hostages are forced by terrorists to take their shirts off, as well as scenes of female nudity; nothing is shown but their backs as they are in the shower;
Alcohol Use
College students have a still in their dorm room, partaking in underage drinking
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
A character smokes a vape and a cigar in different scenes; and,
Miscellaneous Immorality
Characters are rude to each other, one character admits he has been lying about his military service the entire time.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
When asked to denounce their beliefs and profess allegiance to an extreme form of Islam, some characters refuse, even as it puts their lives at stake. What does it mean to be a “living sacrifice,” as Paul encourages us to be? Romans 12:1
Even the good guys in the movie commit extreme acts of violence, done in service of helping others. How can we reconcile this violence with the messages of love shared in the Bible? Psalm 11:5
When the government offers almost no help and the police prove unable to stop the threat, the characters find themselves on their own. What does Scripture teach about trusting God’s protection rather than the power of earthly institutions? Psalm 146:3-5
Some characters choose to lie in the chaos of the attack, even as others hold to their faith under threat of death. How do we weigh the instinct to protect others through deception against the Bible’s call to truth? Proverbs 12:22
The Final Word
RUN HIDE FIGHT: INFIDELS drowns in violence and profanity, and it never gives its plot or characters room to grow. The premise grabs you early, but the movie squanders it fast, and viewers walk away with more questions than answers. A promising setup deserves a real payoff, and this one never delivers it.
