directed by Kevin Reynolds
written by Kevin Reynolds and Paul Aiello
Christian movies are a curious thing; they kind of exist outside of the mainstream of filmed entertainment. With few exceptions they are relatively small earners; their theatrical release is generally limited to the United States or other select countries, and in terms of critical reception they receive middling reviews at best. On average, Christian-themed movies tend to get poorly reviewed. I have a number of theories, one being that critics don't like religion mixed in with their entertainment, another being that people don't like being preached to (though the success of films like Schindler's List and any number of movies geared towards social justice would seem to indicate otherwise), and another still being that for the most part, Christianity-themed movies simply aren't very-well made.
The thing is, I can't be sure that the third theory holds any water, having seen the quite obviously Christianity-themed film Risen, which tells the story of Christ's resurrection from the point of view of a Roman Tribune named Clavius (played by Joseph Fiennes). He's not a person mentioned in the Biblical account of the crucifixion or resurrection, so this story can best be described the way my son described it, as "Bible fan fiction." We didn't get a theatrical release of this in the Philippines, so I had to content myself with a DVD viewing.
Anyway, Clavius is an ambitious young Tribune working in Judea during the time of Jesus, and the film opens just around the time of the Crucifixion, with him and his troops quashing a sudden uprising by Jewish Zealots and killing the ringleader, who happens to be the Biblical Barabbas. His mission a success, Clavius is then tasked by Pontius Pilate (Peter Firth) to ensure that the crucified Yeshua (Cliff Curtis) dies and the body properly disposed of, lest his disciples steal it and declare him resurrected. Fortunately, a wealthy philanthropist, Joseph of Arimathea (Antonio Gil) offers his family tomb for Christ's interment. The body is entombed, with a heavy stone rolled over the entrace which is in turn then sealed with wax, with guards posted to watch it, all done at the insistence of the Jewish Sanhedrin, led by Caiaphas (Stephen Greif). When Christ's body is gone three days later, Clavius, with his subordinate Lucius (Tom Felton), is on a frantic mission to find it before the body decomposes beyond recognition and the disciples are able to claim that their leader has truly risen from the dead. What the unbelieving Clavius finds is enough to change his life forever.
The production value of this film, which was shot on location in Malta and Spain, is really quite striking. Oddly enough, it's not the first time I've seen a movie like this; it bears some similarity to the 2006 film The Final Inquiry which I saw on television some years ago.
This film is a more interesting take on that kind of story because it plays out like a police procedural, with Clavius leaving no stone unturned in his search for Yeshua's body. The film being a Christian film, and not the kind that leaves ambiguity in order for the viewer's own beliefs to fill in the gap, the risen Christ does appear, and I have to say I am a really big fan of Cliff Curtis' performance, which he reportedly achieved through a curious bit of method acting. While casting a Maori to play a Middle Eastern man is still not ethnically accurate, I was glad that the producers at least went for a person of color for this role rather than going for the usual generic Caucasian. Curtis' portrayal, as brief as it may be, is still something special, with its gentleness, and with the love he shows his disciples, all of whom are racked with guilt at having abandoned him at the hour of his death. As a Catholic I have to give special mention to the shot in which Curtis depicts the dead Christ, with eyes open, and a look of profound sorrow and pain frozen on his face. It's the visage many of us Catholics see in church when we look up and see Jesus on the cross, and Curtis nailed it (pun intended).
Fiennes, as the lead actor, does a creditable job carrying a movie with a fairly thin premise. As the driven but cynical Clavius, he effectively depicts a man struggling with his own convictions, especially when they are shaken by things he cannot explain. Tom Felton pretty much played his role as he was expected to, having been typecast thanks to the Harry Potter films. Firth and the actors who play the apostles contribute to the overall atmosphere of tension and urgency.
It is a shame, though, that the film delivers its emotional payoff relatively early (though still quite late in the film), as this is clearly meant to be a film about a man struggling with great inner conflict and in search of peace, a fact the character himself states in one way or another more than once through the film. What works well for me, though is that even after Clavius has his epiphany, he remains cautious and skeptical, and at a loss as to what to do next. He does not drop everything to become an apostle, and in fact the film is framed by him sitting alone in a sort of tavern, trying to figure out what to do with himself following his life-changing discovery. This, I think, mirrors the struggle that the movie's intended audience faces.
I got the impression that, the "non-believer" protagonist notwithstanding, the movie isn't meant to convert anyone who doesn't already have some kind of religious upbringing, but rather has a very specific audience in mind: agnostics, or people who were raised with a belief in God, and who have every reason to believe in the presence of God in their lives but who, for one reason or another, have drifted away from their faith while in pursuit of other things. Clavius is young, driven and arguably quite career-oriented, but in the end what he really wants is to live in peace, which mirrors the situation of a lot of young Christians today. Clavius is challenged, as are the agnostics watching: the key to obtaining peace is right before you; all you have to do is take it. It definitely preaches, but shows surprising, and commendable restraint towards the end.
As message movies go, this movie was not a bad one at all.
7.7/10
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