Jesus (TV 1999) 5.7
A movie about the life, work and death of Jesus as we know it from the Bible. Director:Roger YoungWriter:Suzette Couture (teleplay) |
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Jesus (TV 1999) 5.7
A movie about the life, work and death of Jesus as we know it from the Bible. Director:Roger YoungWriter:Suzette Couture (teleplay) |
|
| Watch Trailer 0Share... |
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Jeremy Sisto | ... | ||
| Debra Messing | ... | ||
| Armin Mueller-Stahl | ... | ||
| Jacqueline Bisset | ... | ||
| Gary Oldman | ... | ||
| David O'Hara | ... | ||
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Claudio Amendola | ... | |
| G.W. Bailey | ... |
Philo
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| Luca Zingaretti | ... | ||
| Luca Barbareschi | ... | ||
| Christian Kohlund | ... | ||
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Elena Sofia Ricci | ... | |
| Stefania Rocca | ... | ||
| Gabriella Pession | ... | ||
| Maria Cristina Heller | ... | ||
Jesus dreams of a medieval battle in the name of Jesus Christ and of a dying world war soldier who, in desperation, calls out the name: Jesus. Jesus awakes, distraught. What is the meaning of this nightmare? Why are these strangers using his name? Jesus is a simple carpenter, like his father Joseph. Both are presently looking for work, but they've been wandering for days from town to town without finding any. Times are difficult in Galilee. Roman taxes are stifling the country. The hated Jewish tax collectors, viewed by the people as traitors, rob people of their last means of subsistence. Revolts and bands of revolutionary thieves are spreading uncertainty throughout the land. Herod Antipas, the Jewish king, is merely a weak shadow of his feared father Herod the Great. The real power lies in the hands of Caiphas, the high priest. To strengthen his position, he plays the Jewish interests against the Roman interests with religious fervor. His most dangerous opponent is the new Roman ... Written by Anonymous
This is yet another attempt to show a more "human" Jesus, and ends up showing him as indecisive, hesitant, weak, and needing the help and guidance of a few mortals to get him through. That is hardly the Jesus most Christians believe in. On the positive side, it does show a more playful and humorous Jesus, instead of merely a stoic and sterile portrayal. But this is quickly drowned out in the story's failures. By far the biggest fault in this story is that it starts off from the very beginning with an *agenda* - that is the Jews are completely blameless and all the guilt falls on the Romans. It even warps scripture to portray this. In the Gospels you read how Jesus makes attacks on hypocricy and the false piety of the scribes and Pharisees; in this film they're nowhere to be seen. For the Sermon on the Mound Jesus is mocked and argued down. In many instances Jesus looks more like just some guy chosen to be the Christ, instead of a Messiah sent from God. The second problem with the story is that it's just too hard to tell the Gospel in 4 tv hours. And some of that is wasted on a cool looking Satan in an Armani suit leaving the Gospels altogether and taking Jesus on a time trip. In short, if you want a far more uplifting and accurate portrayal, see Zeferelli's "Jesus of Nazareth". It's still the creme de la creme of the story of Jesus, and after seeing it you'll know how weak Jesus (1999) really is.