Midwest Book Review, January 2007

Vision Video is the premier producer of Christian videos. One of their newest DVD titles is particularly impressive and very highly recommended for the non-specialist general viewer. Overlord:A Mighty Host is a 58 minute, full color documentary focused on the events of June 6, 1944 during the greatest military operation in the history of recorded human warfare. This was the landing of more than 150,000 Allied troops on the beaches of northern France against the fierce opposition of the German military. Before the battle of Normandy was over in late August, these allied troops would have experienced heavy casualties as the Germans were experiencing the beginning of the end of their wars of conquest. The story is presented from the viewpoint of the soldiers, sailors and paratroopers who were involved in the invasion and the lives of these men who survived that extraordinarily lethal conflict undertaking against a foe that would be infamous for their determined and premeditated mass slaughter of Jews, Christians, Gays, Gypsies, and political opponents. This outstanding documentary is flawlessly produced, informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, and an important addition to personal and community library DVD collections.

Video Librarian, Mar/Apr 2007

As America finds itself in the midst of an increasingly unpopular war, it’s difficult for many to remember a war that the United States actually won. Vietnam and Korea were stalemates, the Persian Gulf War was an international affair, and the incursions into Panama, Grenada, Somalia, and Haiti hardly constituted our finest hours. But few could dispute the importance of "Operation Overlord," a.k.a D-Day, the largest military campaign in history, launched off the coast of France on June 6, 1944 by Supreme Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower. If D-Day had been a single battle, it would have been considered a defeat due to the huge numbers of military personnel killed in proportion to the relatively small amount of enemy territory captured. But as Overlord: A Mighty Host makes clear, the tired and battered soldiers who fought for every bloody inch of the Normandy beaches were united in their determination to usher in the end of Hitler’s evil reign (then approaching five years). Speaking today, the American veterans interviewed here – elderly, gray-haired, slightly bent gentlemen who still get tears in their eyes – unashamedly admit that the hand of God protected them in those faraway lands, and their deeply emotional stories are nicely complemented with interwoven footage of the D-Day landing in this powerful tribute. Highly recommend.

Eclectic Homeschool Online 2007

OVERLORD: A Mighty Host is a DVD that features interviews with veterans who all served during WWII and were participants in D-Day, June 6, 1944. Many of the veterans volunteer at the D-day museum, which focuses only on those things that document the events of D-Day. Most of the veterans interviewed were very young men on D-Day when they arrived at the coast of France. The number of troops was the largest force with 150,000 landing that day. The veterans remembrances of the events give the famous day during World War II a personal side. My son, who is a World War II history buff, loved this view and highly recommended it to others interested in WWII history. For the rest of us, it's a view into history via the memories of older gentlemen who served their country as they were asked, and carry the scars of war with them into old age. Reviewed By: Kate O'Mara

Tim Challies - blogger, author, and book reviewer

t has been almost sixty-three years since the British, American and Canadian armies stormed the beaches of Normandy, but the D-Day invasion and the weeks that followed continue to fascinate us. The events have provided fodder for countless books, movies, and video games. As time passes, fewer and fewer of the veterans of that day survive to give their first-hand testimonies. I am grateful that many people are now speaking to these men and recording their memories before they are lost to history.

Overlord: A Mighty Host is an hour-long documentary that was first shown on television and has recently become available on DVD. It provides reflections from veterans of D-Day with an emphasis on their religious beliefs. Because it is produced by the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, one might think that this would focus on Christian testimonies. Unfortunately, it focuses on testimonies from all faiths (Protestant, Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Jewish) and much of the talk about God is generic, treating Him as “the man upstairs” who honors the terror-stricken faith of those who have rarely acknowledged Him before or since.

Despite treating God as a somewhat generic deity, the documentary is still well-done and very moving as it traces the actions of a small group of heroes. It always stirs the emotions to hear these men, now old and fragile, who were once so young and healthy and who were willing to trade their lives for those of others. Whether from the mouths of Christians or non-, testimonies about the past are worth recording and worth listening to.

The DVD includes quite a long list of extra scenes that did not make the final cut. Some of these, interestingly enough, contain information that speaks of God in a less-generic way. It is a shame that some of these were left out of the film.

Overlord: A Mighty Host is a deeply moving film, but still somewhat disappointing because of the generic God these men speak about. http://www.challies.com/music-movies/dvd-review-overlord-a-mighty-host