Religious studies(RE100)

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Critical Review of the “Son of God” Christian Movie

The question that comes to my mind when I watch the movie Son of God is that can one be a Christian and still not like this film. Well, this question is quite nerve-wracking for the viewers who face the movie, directed by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey as a condensed form of their 2013 series on the History Channel. Such a courageous repurposing of their assets may attract some observers as an ultimate in, sorry for the expression.

The son of God is nothing if it is not sincere, it’s solemn trial to retell the story of Jesus resembling a gentle, pop-up version of the New Testament, and its information reformed for optimum hope and ease in intellectualism. After a short introduction on the manger, where Jesus was laid after being born, the movie focuses on the teaching of him as an adult, a miniseries of tableaux that, in their pacing are perfunctory and staging which is diorama-like, acts like the Christ’s greatest hits (Hornaday). Those familiar with the storyline of Jesus can easily connect with the film; the loaves and fish, the raising of Lazarus, and the prostitute who was saved from stoning by the Pharisees and Jews.

However, it is easy to take hot shots at Son of God, which it's directing is not as the same movies in the series of the bible. The visual effects of the movies are frequently tawdry, with leaden dialogues and melodramatics emotionalism continually putting off the possibility of emotion that is true. Better still, the movie puts Jesus in his actual context of oppression in the hands of Roman administration in Palestine. The Jewish leaders, according to the movie, were trying to safeguard their territory through politicking and mollifying. Having expunged one character, the directors take pains to point Jesus as a Jew, and his disciples are humming prayers over his beaten body, now hanging on the cross.

The presentation of the palace the movie gives is nothing to take offense at. As Jesus (Diogo Morgado) is presented before Pontius Pilate (Greg Hicks) Caiaphas the high priest (Adrian Schiller), he has all these beachy waves and beautiful smiles, showing white teeth even though covered with blood. And there is a lot of blood in this movie, as well as the use of swords. There is a lot of weeping too, especially from Jesus’ mother, Mary (Downey). As the movie cleaves to its unavoidable story, most of the members may find themselves humming the song from Jesus Christ Superstar, music that can be credited for making moments of feeling which are true, pictures and imaginative staging.

Son of God again falls victim to stiff, even irreverent sophistry, where the teachings of Jesus sound like speeches which are well prepared beforehand and his miracles happening like a stunt of magic. As for the tricky extent of representing God, we can be forced to imagine a character like that of the Man in the Moon (Hornaday). Its story line is too simple, and its drama too inactive to be appreciated as an art; as iconography. But I feel that the purpose of the directors creating the movie is not to make it too comfortable watching, but to pass a spiritual message of redemption of humankind, as revealed in the New Testament stories. The evangelistic purpose of the movie is achieved; as hundreds of thousands of tickets have been sold across the country.

Therefore, when sitting down to watch the film, do not expect to see a fantastic film or even an attractive one. Whether you find a channel that is evocative in which you can continue to walk with the protagonist of the movie, nevertheless, it is your choice, for you and your God.

Hornaday, Ann. "‘Son of God’ movie review: Undoubtedly sincere, but also simplistic." The Washington Post (2014): 1. Web Article.