This review contains spoilers.
Kudos to director James Barden for his ambitious -- albeit truncated -- retelling of the life of Jesus. The idea is immediately compelling: What would happen if Jesus came to earth NOW, for the first time, rather than 2000+ years ago? According to Mr. Barden, not much would change: Religious leaders would still despise Him, the masses would flock to Him, and, ultimately, scripture would be fulfilled.
There is a lot of talent involved here, both in front of and behind the camera. John O'Banion brings a true warmth and sincerity to the role of Jesse (Jesus), while Ramy Zada brings depth to his portrayal of the conflicted Jude (Judas). Jeff Corey and Richard Herd add gravitas.
As I mentioned earlier, The Judas Project is ambitious, which ultimately leads to some problems. Trying to fit three years of ministry, teaching and miracles into 90 minutes is tough. Many of the highlights of Jesus's life are merely touched on or glossed over. There just isn't enough time to fully develop all the characters and story lines. Still, the main three story points -- Jesus's relationship with the disciples, His relationship with the religious and world leaders, and His crucifixion -- are well realized. Be prepared, as the crucifixion is gruesome. (These scenes are what gave the movie its PG-13 rating.)
Forget the naysayers and simply enjoy the movie for what it is. This is low-budget film making done well.
Kudos to director James Barden for his ambitious -- albeit truncated -- retelling of the life of Jesus. The idea is immediately compelling: What would happen if Jesus came to earth NOW, for the first time, rather than 2000+ years ago? According to Mr. Barden, not much would change: Religious leaders would still despise Him, the masses would flock to Him, and, ultimately, scripture would be fulfilled.
There is a lot of talent involved here, both in front of and behind the camera. John O'Banion brings a true warmth and sincerity to the role of Jesse (Jesus), while Ramy Zada brings depth to his portrayal of the conflicted Jude (Judas). Jeff Corey and Richard Herd add gravitas.
As I mentioned earlier, The Judas Project is ambitious, which ultimately leads to some problems. Trying to fit three years of ministry, teaching and miracles into 90 minutes is tough. Many of the highlights of Jesus's life are merely touched on or glossed over. There just isn't enough time to fully develop all the characters and story lines. Still, the main three story points -- Jesus's relationship with the disciples, His relationship with the religious and world leaders, and His crucifixion -- are well realized. Be prepared, as the crucifixion is gruesome. (These scenes are what gave the movie its PG-13 rating.)
Forget the naysayers and simply enjoy the movie for what it is. This is low-budget film making done well.