thingsgoinon
05-11-2002, 06:44 PM
*MINOR SPOILERS*
I love controversy, especially religious controversy, so maybe thats why I like this film. It's a "What If" story where they find what appears to be the body of Christ in a tomb in Jeruselum. (thats not a spoiler they tell you it in the first 3 minutes).
Anyway the movie is from there on about the controversy that surrounds such a find, and the hipocracy of the church.I don't want to spoil too much, but certainly most ppl know what a hotbed of religious activity the Jeruselum area is, and how diverse. In this film they all get to "throw their stones", no pun intended. Well yeah it was intended http://www.joblo.com/ubb/wink.gif
One of the areas the film succeeds in is how it deals with the struggle of Bandaras's character, who is a priest, a Christian. As we see when the film opens, he is already struggling with some issues he has with faith in the church.He is sent as an envoy to assist with the dig, and find out all he can. Naturally, as events unfold and he sees the truth of the find, his faith is shaken even more. This is one of Bandaras's best performances, the struggles within him are handled with just the right amounts of anger, sorrow, and strength.
The female lead Olivia Williams(who is the archeologist who discovers the find) is a Jew, and somewhat of an agnostic. She finds herself in the middle of all this controversy, and finds herself caught in the middle of the increasing violence. Again here the actress (Kostner's female lead in The Postman)does an admirable job.She's naturally angry that a cover up seems to be iminent, and the chemistry between her and Bandaras works perfect. This is a leading lady we don't get to see very much of sadly.
The movie does have some small quirks....tho the pacing is fine and all points are made clear, I feel it could have been expanded on with a half hour of material. It shifts between action and drama rather suddenly, but that is almost necessary in a film of this nature.
I highly reccomend this movie, it did NOT deserve to be a direct to vid flick.If anyone watches it , it won't be hard to see why it got such treatment. It is a sad thing in this world where religion is the cause of so much bloodshed, that politics obviously got in the way and shoveled this film under the rug, just as the movie predicts could happen with it's revelation.
But in the end, the movie is about still having faith in the face of what must be an incredible shift in religious doctrine....this is I think where the film succeeds on the highest level...it manages on telling both sides of the story (certainly coming down heavier on organized religion)...it manages to show why such a find doesn't really have to change one's faith in the spirituality that goes with religion (or should anyway). This film has something to say.
This review has been brought to you by Spiritual Agnostic http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif
Thank You Fergus for giving me a second shot at it http://www.joblo.com/ubb/wink.gif
[This message has been edited by thingsgoinon (edited 05-14-2002).]
I love controversy, especially religious controversy, so maybe thats why I like this film. It's a "What If" story where they find what appears to be the body of Christ in a tomb in Jeruselum. (thats not a spoiler they tell you it in the first 3 minutes).
Anyway the movie is from there on about the controversy that surrounds such a find, and the hipocracy of the church.I don't want to spoil too much, but certainly most ppl know what a hotbed of religious activity the Jeruselum area is, and how diverse. In this film they all get to "throw their stones", no pun intended. Well yeah it was intended http://www.joblo.com/ubb/wink.gif
One of the areas the film succeeds in is how it deals with the struggle of Bandaras's character, who is a priest, a Christian. As we see when the film opens, he is already struggling with some issues he has with faith in the church.He is sent as an envoy to assist with the dig, and find out all he can. Naturally, as events unfold and he sees the truth of the find, his faith is shaken even more. This is one of Bandaras's best performances, the struggles within him are handled with just the right amounts of anger, sorrow, and strength.
The female lead Olivia Williams(who is the archeologist who discovers the find) is a Jew, and somewhat of an agnostic. She finds herself in the middle of all this controversy, and finds herself caught in the middle of the increasing violence. Again here the actress (Kostner's female lead in The Postman)does an admirable job.She's naturally angry that a cover up seems to be iminent, and the chemistry between her and Bandaras works perfect. This is a leading lady we don't get to see very much of sadly.
The movie does have some small quirks....tho the pacing is fine and all points are made clear, I feel it could have been expanded on with a half hour of material. It shifts between action and drama rather suddenly, but that is almost necessary in a film of this nature.
I highly reccomend this movie, it did NOT deserve to be a direct to vid flick.If anyone watches it , it won't be hard to see why it got such treatment. It is a sad thing in this world where religion is the cause of so much bloodshed, that politics obviously got in the way and shoveled this film under the rug, just as the movie predicts could happen with it's revelation.
But in the end, the movie is about still having faith in the face of what must be an incredible shift in religious doctrine....this is I think where the film succeeds on the highest level...it manages on telling both sides of the story (certainly coming down heavier on organized religion)...it manages to show why such a find doesn't really have to change one's faith in the spirituality that goes with religion (or should anyway). This film has something to say.
This review has been brought to you by Spiritual Agnostic http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif
Thank You Fergus for giving me a second shot at it http://www.joblo.com/ubb/wink.gif
[This message has been edited by thingsgoinon (edited 05-14-2002).]