Jesus

I have just recently rented "Jesus" and I have watched it about 3 times and I'll probably eventually buy it. I absolutely loved this interpretation of Jesus and feel that this movie has brought me closer to him. I now have a more lovable, happy, and caring picture of Jesus in my mind, not that I didn't think of him that way before, it's just that this movie puts across a side of Jesus that we have not often seen in other movies. Watching this movie has just brought him to life for me and (even though I undoubtedly knew that he was real before) makes him seem even more real to me now. I love the fact, like so many others, that this movie portrayed Jesus to be HUMAN, happy, laughing, crying, and all the other emotions that we all, as humans, go through. Only he was not just any human. My absolute favorite part in the movie is when Jesus is crucified. Even though it might not have been long enough, it still captured the pain and agony that Jesus felt. It made my heart break watching this scene, and made me love him and appreciate him even more for the price he paid for us.

I recently rented this version of the story of Jesus and find myself impressed with its message. This vision of Jesus focuses on his humanity and mission, rather than on his divinity. Jeremy Sisto captures a happy Jesus with the weight of salvation on his shoulders. Jacqueline Bisset and Debra Messing find a solid voice as two of the most important women in the story of Jesus. I believe the movie gives a unique and balanced viewpoint of Jesus, different from the too-divine vision of "The Greatest Story Ever Told" and the too-human vision of "The Last Temptation of Christ" and without the gore of "The Passion." Christians and fans of historical cinema would enjoy this movie, its message, and its style.

I thought I would like it more. But this long, far too long film left me mostly bored and tired. Even with 2 episodes, it is far too prolonged and doesn't strike some inner nerve, it doesn't move me and never touch me the way it should touch upon every believer's soul. What happened? Do actors play badly? No, the parts of Pontius Pilate, the devil and some of the 12 Apostles are all very good and fresh. The worst parts are the parts (no pun intended) of Jesus Himself and John The Baptist. They seem to be so insipid, so weak and so languid that one may ask - Are these people who ignited so many hearts? If that were a real Jesus, I'd never follow him. I follow Jesus who can ignite and comfort. The long, endless dialogs, some unnecessary additions to the Messiah's words, the ultimately bad Desert Temptation scene are among the worst here, as well as the very bad final sequence. I waited for more... but still, the Jesus film with Brian Deacon is still the best here.

I am glad that someone has finally portrayed Jesus as a man and not as an angelic Superman. This is a Jesus that I could follow. A Jesus that joked with his friends and yet they knew He was more than just a man. A Jesus who could fall into temptation and yet knew he had a higher calling. I'm sure that some will be upset with Sisto's Jesus as being TOO modern, but he portrayed Him as a Christ for all the ages. I wish that more biblical movies would have their characters as human beings and not cardboard cut-outs.

I saw the first part of this mini-series a few years back when it was on. My wife and I rented it a few weeks back because I remembered wanting to see the rest of it. What a wonderful movie! I have a Seminary Degree and am the pastor of the church and I have ordered a copy of the DVD to use with the Youth Group of the church I am serving. Finally, we see Jesus as he most likely was. He isn't the stiff character we have seen in other installments of the Gospel story. Those who call this movie blasphemy must not have read too many pages of the Gospel. Jesus was considered an undisciplined by many people including his mother (Matthew 12:46-50). Of course, we all know today that an undisciplined person would not have been able to bear the cross, not to mention sacrificing Himself for others.

Christ offers us new life, and this mini-series offers new life to a colorful, wonderful, and historical story about our Savior, Jesus Christ. Was there some creative license involved in this production? No doubt there was. But the basic story was the same. Christ was born, he lived and taught and healed. He faced execution for crimes He did not commit and He left the tomb three days later alive. That is the story we get here.

All of you critics of this mini-series relax. It could have been a whole lot worse.