THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JESUS OF NAZARETH, FROM HIS HUMBLEBEGINNINGS AS A CARPENTER TO HIS DESTINY AS THE SON OF GOD, ARE VIVIDLY RETOLD IN THIS EPIC MOVIE EVENT. WHEN HIS EARTHLY FATHER DIES, MARY TELLS JESUS THE TIME HAS C... more »OME TO FULFILL HISPROPHECY.« less
Margaret E. (mde) from SPOKANE VLY, WA Reviewed on 12/26/2012...
Well acted, and Jesus is shown with a believable peronality, at times showing joy or sadness. Bible stories are acceptable. My only complaint is the character of Satan shown in a black suit, like a human vallain. I never read about that kind of Satan in the Bible.
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Movie Reviews
This movie changed my life!
Diana L. Burkhardt | Rochester, NY United States | 07/20/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Before I was blessed to see this miniseries on TV, I was by no means a good Christian! I only went to church for weddings and funerals, and only thought of God when I wanted something material. After watching this movie, I was a born again Christian. Jeremy Sisto, who was one of my favorite actors to begin with, did such a wonderful job acting, I felt I was actually witnessing Jesus in action. The script was presented in modern language ( not the King James "thou" and "thine" mumbo jumbo) I gained so much understanding as to what Jesus really said and did, and the amazing people he touched. The next Sunday, which was Easter, I went to my first church service in years, and have been a devout follower of Christ since. I honestly believe that had I not seen this movie, I would be stuck as a non-believer, and I would be missing out on all of the wonderful things Christ has taught me. I recommend this movie for anyone who has doubts about Christ and the messages he brought to this world. Amen~!"
The splashin' of the Christ
Jean E. Pouliot | Newburyport, MA United States | 10/09/2004
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Every Jesus movie or miniseries has its strengths. "Jesus of Nazareth" is the most historically and scripturally accurate. Jesus Christ Superstar does the best job of seeing the parallels between Christ's time and our own (pretty good music too, I hear.) "The Passion of the Christ," as we all now know, is the bloodiest.
"Jesus," the miniseries, though unrealized in significant ways, attempts to address aspects of the Christ story that others have not and could not. First, the movie focuses on the relationship between Jesus and his earthly father Joseph, played lovingly by Armin Mueller-Stahl. Jesus' love for Joseph is palpably tender and reciprocal. Joseph is the old master; Jesus the eager apprentice, desperate to please and bereft when the old man dies. There is also a romantic sub-plot between Jesus and Martha, in this film depicted as his distant city cousin. Nothing comes of the relationship, but it makes you wonder the degree to which Jesus, fully human even by conservative theological principles, struggled with a desire to be a normal man of his time, learning a trade, getting married, and having a family.
Jesus, played adequately by Jeremy Sisto, is also shown as quite playful. He teases his disciples, splashing water in their faces and pulling their scarves. This is fun, though it doesn't seem to move the story anywhere. The scenes of Jesus teaching also attempt to break new ground. Rather than merely stringing together a long list of inscrutable sayings, gospel style, "Jesus" shows the Master interacting with the crowd, even getting a good-natured heckling.
"Jesus" fails to show why anyone would find this man threatening. Yet I was fascinated by the film's attempts to show Jesus as a person with an interesting personality of his own. Jesus in this film had real charisma, giving us more than the inexplicable magnetism of most Jesus flicks. Ultimately, the movie does not succeed (none have) in depicting the enigmatic man who has held the world in his spell for two thousand years. But "Jesus" brings to the screen a few more pieces for us to consider, making its subject perhaps a bit more accessible in a time that needs him more than ever."
Who do you say that He is?
Casual Savant | Manila, Philippines | 07/20/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you have problems thinking of Jesus as a fun, sweet, wonderful guy to be with; if you object to portrayals of him weeping, laughing and horsing around with his friends; if the nature of his death is more helpful to your faith than the way He lived His life... this movie isn't for you. What the much touted "Passion of the Christ" does not address is who Christ was as a person. If he wasn't fully human as well as being fully divine, his sacrifice would have meant less. Jesus is portrayed in this movie as the kind of guy you'd want to hang around with, wouldn't be ashamed of talking to about your day over a glass of wine and would love as long as you draw breath. At the end of the day, the salient question still remains: "Who do you say He is? Does it come from your heart or just from your mind? Do you do the right thing because you want to get to heaven, or because you love Him?" If nothing else, this movie should clarify those questions."
Betrayed by a Kiss
Rebecca Johnson | Washington State | 10/29/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The life of Christ is portrayed in luscious cinematography as I have never seen it before. Jeremy Sisto also has the look we have come to believe as Jesus over time. I loved that Jesus laughed and enjoyed life in this movie. However, I do believe He was much more aware of His mission than was presented to the viewer.
Jeremy is not very convincing at first, but has your heart near the end. Yes, they did take a few liberties with this movie and the dressing scene was not at all necessary and almost insulting in a movie about Christ. If you are familiar with the Bible stories then you will also find many errors in the story line and that was a bit disappointing.
The whole story of Jesus being in love with Mary (Martha's sister) was news to me. I was not really offended by it as it added to the story, but felt that the way I had always heard the story was that Mary loved Jesus more as a brother....
The story starts with Jesus awaking from a nightmare. Later the viewer sees more of his life revealed in flashback scenes. I thought the way they told the story was very creative, however what it lacked was more of Christ's wisdom and His words as recorded in the Bible. I find the words of Christ to be incredibly beautiful and in most of the movies made on his life, they do include so much more. There were really important parts of Jesus' Life that were not really even touched on.
Some points to make: Jesus is sinless, so there was not need for him to confess his sins. John said: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world," when he saw Jesus arriving, not leaving. I always imagined Jesus being submerged in water at his baptism, symbolizing death and coming back to life.
When tempted by the Devil, the Devil kept changing from a temptress to a tempter which was creative and the scenes where Jesus and the Devil fly above the earth and go to the Temple were quite good. The scenes of people killing in God's name only showed how people use others to achieve their own aims. They didn't show all the families who are blessed by believing in God, nor did they show the joy only Jesus can give.
I absolutely loved the scene of Jesus swinging the child around and laughing and when He is walking on the water. The Temple scenes were He tosses out the money changers was superbly done. It showed that He had holy anger and still was not sinning. His relationship with His mother was so beautifully portrayed, and yes, she was very much a part of his life. The agony of her loosing her son is so sad.
Perhaps by seeing how wonderful Jesus is, many will do more research on his life and find all the wonderful words of Christ in the Bible.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. John 5:24
Terribly moving and so very human, but it could have been so much more!
~The Rebecca Review
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Best Jesus ever
Rebecca Johnson | 07/22/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Without a doubt this is the best film version I have ever seen of the life of Jesus. It fully humanizes him, while bringing forth the reality of of his divinity, and the struggles it caused him. I liked this film so much I bought copies for my church, friends and family.The movie isn't trying to be a complete theology, but to represent an essence, to give substance to the man-god reality of Jesus, and present the most important of his teachings. As such, it's theologically sound enough for me.In fact, it's theologically sound enough for the Pope. :)I also like the version with Robert Powell, but Jeremy Sisto is a much more approachable Jesus."