Tag Archives: Easter

The Passion of the Christ

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This write up is of the TV-14 version. All thoughts below should be addressed as such as a review of the unedited version would be more negative

It’s time to look at one of the most famous adaptions of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. I would even go as far as to say it’s probably got the number 1 spot on lock there. It’s really nice to see a movie like this get so mainstream. It may not be my personal favorite adaption but it definitely does show what a massive burden he had to endure for humanity’s sins.

The movie starts with Jesus being betrayed by Judas and what follows is close to 2 hours of him being beaten and tortured until his eventual murder. There are quick flashbacks to his life and important moments mixed into this but make no mistake, the focus is really on his final hours. I can’t think of any film I’ve seen with this long length of nonstop violence. Films like Transformers are famous for very long action scene but to call this an action scene would definitely be misleading. This is a complete beatdown/torture for hours, not a string of different fight scenes so you definitely don’t want to get that mixed up.

Throughout the movie you know that Jesus has the power to save himself but is showing restraint because his death needed to happen here. It’s what makes all of the scenes that much more powerful since it would be one thing if he was completely helpless but putting up with all of this when he could end it all in an instant is really something. Along the way you naturally have Satan trying to tempt him and also showing up to mock as much as possible.

His demons also make quick work of Judas. One of the annoying things is always how Satan can freely use his abilities whenever he pleases while Jesus has to show restraint but that’s how it has to be for now. In the end Christians will get the final victory and it’s all about trying to survive until then. It isn’t easy and it will be a long road but at least there is a light at the end of the tunnel. That really should provide some comfort although it is often easier said than done.

The main thing to remember is your Earthly life is essentially a series of long trials. It’s a race with an unknown goal and so you have to not only survive the race but not lose your faith along the way. If you are able to do this then you will be in Heaven in the end. If you are not able to do this, then Hell awaits which is an unfathomable punishment even greater than the tribulations you see in this film. It is quite literally the highest stakes imaginable and so you have to really do your best to not let it overwhelm you. Just take it one day at a time and the Lord will be with you.

Now like I mentioned this isn’t my favorite adaption because to me the whole thing is a little too narrowly focused. Without the context from the Bible, it’s not as if this film is really going to be speaking to you all that much. In that sense it’s impressive that the film is releasing with a real specific target of reaching Christians and being a visual aid. On the other hand, there is no real goodness in almost any of the characters. The beatings and torture also go on for such an incredibly long amount of time that there is virtually no plot for most of the film.

It’s just like pulling up footage of someone being beaten and it goes on for a long time without the guy being able to fight back. It’s just going to be a hard watch and you question how effective it can really be. The movie also does add a lot of effects to make this almost like a horror film at times but then it jumps right back to the shock value violence. I understand that plenty of people have seen this film and enjoyed it so I suppose I can’t say it had no positive effect. Still, you get more out of the toned down versions that focus on the surrounding events as well like He is Risen. Or ultimately just reading your Bible is still and always will be the best resource since you are reading The Word directly.

Overall, The Passion of the Christ is a film showing a very important moment in history. The brutality that Jesus went through was absolutely extraordinary and he did not falter in his divine mission. Ultimately it is thanks to him that we have a path to Heaven through believing in him. I won’t fault anyone for skipping the film though due to the extreme levels of violence. At the end of the day this is a way to reach more people but as long as you read through your Bible and have a good understanding of the events then you are still all set. The ending is definitely handled really well, you can see how the sequel will pick things up from here.

The Miracle Maker

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It’s time for a film that I was really impressed with. The Miracle Maker is a solid film that chronicles the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It adapts a whole lot of events from this period in the Bible and does so in a relatively short time frame. It links all of the events very well too. While there are some creative liberties taken, there is nothing I saw that directly contradicts the source material or that seemed to be there for dishonest reasons. Mainly they seemed to be there in order to connect the events and foreshadow others ahead of time.

The film is mainly in stop motion animation which of course isn’t my favorite. I will admit that this one didn’t really change my view on that but hey it still tells the story it set out to tell so that’s what counts. When it comes time for the parables and dream sequences it does change to hand drawn though which tends to look really great. In particular Judas has a really intense nightmare that makes use of the hand drawn style extremely well. The stop motion itself is also done well so they’re not cutting corners or anything like that. The production is well done the whole time.

The voices are good and the writing is on point. In terms of the foreshadowing and extra detail, it’s really solid like I mentioned before. Seeing Judas start off for the wrong reasons in wanting to be on the right side of power and slowly descending into darkness was solid. Likewise having many of the people Jesus healed appearing before they got sick was a nice attention to detail. Mary getting hit with the demons and being a background character for a while before we actually get to her plot was also nice.

There are of course a lot of details and moments that can’t be squeezed in as well. The price for adding all of these extra details and using some more obscure moments is some of the big classic moments are also taken out. No walking on water, feeding the masses, the angel on top of the stone, etc. It’s a fair balance I would say because realistically you can’t adapt literally everything unless you were ready to make this a complete epic. Even then it is extremely difficult and you can usually expect some things not to get adapted.

You still have the sense of scale here and there is definitely a lot of drama. The film is also completely revolving around Jesus at the center which is the way to go. All of the characters have their own agency and moments but when it comes time for an event to happen it is always centered around him. I would say Jesus also gets more dialogue than in other films and while the exact wording can sometimes be things that weren’t in the Bible, again it doesn’t feel out of character.

This also helps to capture the fact that he would talk a lot. He was a teacher/pastor in addition to performing miracles. He would tell all of these stories to the Disciples and we do get to see many conversations among them so it’s reasonable to assume that he was fairly talkative. I couldn’t picture him ever being more on the quiet or aloof side and this film did a better job of really showing that compared to most.

We also get to see a bit more of him after the resurrection which is usually a portion that doesn’t get adapted as much. The films tend to mainly have him resurrect and then the movie ends real quick but technically he did stay on Earth for a little while after that. So this time we get to see one of the conversations he has with the Disciples in addition to appearing before them. It’s the little details like this that help to make the film really stand out and also shows that the creators were really invested and did their research.

Overall, The Miracle Maker is definitely a really good film and one that was really perfect to watch for Easter. I would definitely recommend checking this out, it does a good job of adapting most of the biggest moments from this part in the Bible and keeps you engaged the whole time. It tackles a lot of advanced subjects but never gets all that violent so it is a good watch for all ages as well. So if we need stop motion to get more titles like this then I’d say lets go for it!

Son of God

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I saw this film as part of the Easter batch to celebrate Resurrection Sunday. What better way to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God than by watching the film adaption by the same name? It’s always good to see movies adapting the Bible to keep the events fresh in everyone’s minds. There’s also so much to cover that each film can focus on something different. This one mainly focuses on adapting the events from when Jesus was an adult through to his death with a few scenes from after the resurrection. It’s always interesting seeing which scenes will get selected and which ones have to be left out.

If you’re familiar with your Bible reading then you are likely familiar with the story. The government grows concerned when they learn of Jesus Christ who is said to be the Messiah. He has accumulated a large following which frightens the local religious leaders in particular since he is effectively turning their society upside down. They try to convince the Romans to execute him but they will have to be the ones to make the first move. They convince one of Jesus’ 12 Disciples to sell him out so they can carry out their mission. Jesus is well aware of what they are doing but allows all of this happen so he can die for humanity’s sins as well as resurrect to further strengthen their belief in him.

It’s a very complete movie and they did a good job of getting the setting to feel like how things would have looked back then. The film can certainly get a little on the violent side although I’ve heard it isn’t nearly as much so as in other adaptions so that’s something to note. The Passion of the Christ is typically known as the most intense version to be sure. The casting was also on point and you can tell a lot of thought was put into this one. It follows the Bible carefully which is important.

I imagine there’s probably always a temptation to add new elements in or try to flesh out details that weren’t recorded but it’s always best to just go by what is actually recorded as historical fact than trying to add something extra. Then you run the risk of going completely off the boat like in the Noah film that had rock golems and such that just felt too out there. Why make assumptions on things that were not recorded right?

The event of the resurrection is still one of the most important events to this day because it proves that Jesus actually had the power and position he claimed. If he had not resurrected then it would have appeared that he really was just performing some kind of trick. After all, in the Bible we do see that Lucifer is able to give his followers a degree of power as seen in Moses when they were able to turn their staffs into snakes as well. They just weren’t as powerful because ultimately Lucifer’s power will never be in the same ballpark as God’s.

It’s always important to reflect on this each year on Easter since it is the true meaning for the event. It’s fun to enjoy the eggs and the fun little festivities as well but you can’t let it distract from the true meaning of the day. Easter is much like Christmas in that respect. You may have a good time with the cookies in the oven and seeing Santa Claus running around but the only reason the day is so huge is because it’s when Jesus was born and the future finally started. It’s the day that gives meaning to each of our lives and the promise of Heaven upon our departure is the prize at the end of the journey. Above all else you have to always remember the goal since it will help to push you through any tough days and further brighten the happy ones.

Overall, Son of God is certainly a solid adaption and one that is worth checking out. It’s a faithful representation of the events and covers a lot of ground within its run-time. You can definitely pair it with some of the earlier films like The Ten Commandments which also cover the earlier events. The Bible is a massive book so there is always a lot to cover. One day it would be nice to have a complete adaption at least of the New Testament but I do understand why you would mainly focus on this time period since it’s really at the crux of Christianity itself. The truth of the Cross and the sacrifice made that day is what allows us to keep on going and live for a brighter tomorrow.

The Greatest Story Ever Told

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It’s time to look at a movie which recounts the greatest event in history. It’s the moment in time that gives our lives meaning and also gives us something to strive for. We see the events from the birth of Jesus Christ to his ultimate death and resurrection. I saw this movie on Easter which was a very fitting time for it. This film does a good job of recounting the events with a good amount of detail. Surprisingly the ending is very rushed and starts to cut out bigger events than expected, but the movie was quite long as it is so I suppose they had to end it at some point. Regardless it is a great movie to check out.

The opening scenes show the wisemen following the star to Jerusalem where they meet up with the King. He asks them to let him know when they find Jesus but fortunately they were wise enough not to do so. We then eventually get to John baptizing Jesus and that’s when the majority of the film begins. We see Jesus teaching his disciples and hear about all of the miracles he performs. The Pharisees are not pleased and continue to try and find ways to arrest or destroy Jesus. Ultimately this does lead to him being betrayed by Judas and crucified on the cross. 3 days later Jesus is resurrected and continues his teaching before ultimately moving on to Heaven where the rest of the Christians will join him upon death or being alive during the rapture.

Usually I don’t recap the whole movie including the ending but as these are true events it’s not as if they are a secret. Mainly the parts that are a bit rushed take place on Jesus dies on the cross. The movie very quickly has him be revived and then ascend. It’s understandable that we don’t see much of the 40 days where he returned to teach once again because we don’t have a lot of detail on that. What I was surprised about was cutting out the scenes of Jesus showing the disciples where to fish or Mary heading back to the disciples to tell them that Jesus is alive. In this version they ran over to the tomb with her as opposed to only showing up after she let them know. This all seems to be in the effort to move things forward so you can rest assured that nothing is changed in a way to alter the Bible or anything like that.

The film may have some violent moments but compared to something like Passion of the Christ it’s not super intense. This would be a movie that is a lot easier to watch with your children or if you just don’t really care for very graphic scenes. I’m not sure about the movie being G but typically documentaries and other films based on true events are given a much wider pass when it comes to the rating. I assume this is to encourage more people to watch the movie since extra knowledge on these things can be very helpful. So I understand the rationale even if I still have a bit of mixed feelings about potentially scaring someone. As I said, this one in particular is not very violent though so there is no issue.

It’s always interesting to see the Disciples reactions to what Jesus is saying since they are the few people to really know Jesus personally given that they were standing right with him throughout his life. It’s easy to read the Bible and think they were all very slow at putting the pieces together or not dependable when Jesus needed them, but in those times things were very tough. Everyone is tougher in their own mind than when put to the test. That’s why we all need Jesus. Ultimately our own strength is quite minor in the grand scheme of things.

The movie is very long but there is an intermission which helps and it’s all interesting enough where you won’t notice the length quite as much. The writing is definitely solid as well. There’s no real reason not to watch this film. My favorite depiction of the resurrection is still the short film “He is Risen” though. While that one doesn’t go quite as much into detail as this one, it does still adapt everything and the ending actually has more detail than this one which is impressive since its length probably isn’t even a third of this one’s.

Overall, The Greatest Story Ever Told is a quality epic and a great film to check out. You don’t need to wait until Easter to check it out, anytime is good for this. Whether you are a new Christian or one who has been on the path for a long time, it’s always a great idea to re-experience these events and re-affirm your faith. The resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God is ultimately what gives Christianity its power. Without the resurrection we don’t have a full basis to believe in God and his works. By coming back from the dead as he predicted, Jesus proved beyond the shadow of a doubt his connection to God and of the Trinity. Resurrection is not something that any person can do, nor will it be something that anyone could ever do in the future. Whenever you are growing weak in the faith or just having a tough day, remember the end goal. You’re surviving in this world to ultimately go into Heaven. God won’t give you any more than you can handle. You may certainly be tested to your upper limits but so long as you never lose faith in God you will ultimately persevere and going to Heaven is the best prize you could ask for.

Risen

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Risen is a Christian film that takes an interesting approach to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Most films look at it from the point of view of one of the Disciples or Mary, but this one looks at it from a roman soldier’s point of view. Clavius has been tasked with finding out who is spreading the rumors of Jesus being alive and putting an end to the problem. Clavius works at this goal for a while, but eventually begins to realize that this may not simply be a baseless rumor, but an incredible truth. This puts him at odds with the government so he quickly finds himself in a dangerous situation.

I can definitely appreciate what the director/writer was thinking here. This fresh take on the event is fun to see and Clavius is a good lead. He’s a reasonable guy who may have started out rather hard, but eventually came around. Paul ended up being one of the greatest Apostles in history and he started out as a murderer. There is always time to become a Christian even if you have a dark past. It can be easy to feel like it’s too late, but it certainly is not. The biggest mistake you can make it putting off your repentance and salvation because you want to wait for a good day. If you wait too long, you may find yourself dead before you have a chance. Prolonging things of such importance is not a good idea and the world continues to be in constant turmoil. It’s really impossible to say whether you will be dead or alive tomorrow so don’t take the risk. It is not worth losing your soul for eternity.

If I have any complaints about Risen, it’s that I would have liked to have seen the Disciples more. They rarely got to appear and didn’t get to look all that great when they did show up. Granted, they certainly would be cautious since Clavius was a Roman and they are only human. They did offer him food to eat and were amiable, but I suppose they still had their guard up. When Clavius was interrogating Mary (I believe it was Mary or it could have been one of the other two women) she didn’t do a great job of talking about her faith. She would just ignore him and stare at a corner, saying only a word or two once in a while. I think that aspect of the film certainly could have been handled better. More screen time for Christian messages to be spread by these characters would have been great.

Risen does a good job of recreating what the landscape would have been like back in the day. It’s not all that pretty to look at, but that’s the general point. It’s better to get an accurate look at the area than a romanticized version of it, at least for a film like this one that is depicting real events. The chase scene we get towards the middle of the film where Clavius tries to locate the Disciple base was fun. It’s certainly hard to catch anyone in those streets since the buildings are everywhere and objects obscure your view from all sides. Being able to see the Disciples and Jesus for the first time after his resurrection was definitely the turning point for Clavius.

When thinking about everything that Jesus did in this era, it’s amazing just how close minded people were. He cured people of various diseases, gave the blind sight, and made the crippled walk again. The miracles that Jesus performed were numerous and in front of many witnesses. As Clavius was converted in this film after witnessing Jesus Christ’s power and being exposed to the message, it’s hard to see how someone wouldn’t be converted after seeing it first hand. It can never be that easy of course and there will always be those who don’t believe, but I like to think that the majority would after such a spectacle. I suppose some people simply refused to believe it, no matter what evidence was presented.

Whether in the old days or in current times, there will always be people who have completely closed off their hearts. Nobody is too far gone for God to change, but free will is a privilege that he gives us so we still have to make that choice. If you’re trying to talk to someone about Christ and that person is completely unwilling, it’s best not to force the issue. It can just make that person all the more resistant to change so waiting it out can be a good approach. Nobody can stop you from praying so you can always pray for that person to have a change of heart. Praying for others is a good habit to do every night and you should also pray for yourself as well. If you talk to God every night, it will certainly help you stay strong as a Christian. It can be tough to find time during the day, so you should always keep some kind of schedule in mind. Whether you read a daily devotional every morning or read the Bible during lunch, try to have some kind of routine. It’s not as if it’s tough to make an appointment with God, you can talk to him instantly at any point in time. Always remember to keep that connection active and it will make a difference in your life. You’ll respond to people differently if you have God in mind while you are acting.

I definitely recommend checking out Risen. I recommend it higher if you are already a Christian as you will enjoy seeing this from a new perspective. If you are not yet a Christian, then I’d sooner recommend other films like God’s Not Dead or the 10 Commandments. I admit that I have not watched the latter yet, but I’ve heard that it’s excellent and faithfully recreates a lot of events from the Bible. This film just didn’t have enough Christian discussions and messages in my opinion which is why it wouldn’t be at the top of my recommendations list, but it is still a very solid film. You certainly won’t be worse off for watching it and perhaps you will be able to identify with Clavius. Christianity looked odd to him at the beginning and he thought that it was all foolish, but after actually learning what it was all about, he saw the truth. It’s why it is important to learn about something before writing it off. That’s something that we can apply to everyday life as well.