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81 reviews in total

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20 out of 24 people found the following review useful:
very moving..., 21 June 2004

Author: shantaar-1 from New Jersey

Seeing Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" made me want to re-watch this CBS Mini-series. What a compassionate, loving movie! Jeremy Sisto was excellent in the title role. This film was helped greatly by good music and costumes and excellent F/X. The most difficult thing about "Jesus" is it's flawed script and dumbed-down dialogue. Thats OK, it more than makes up for it. Sisto's Jesus is so human, so full of love and compassion. Debra Messing was an fine choice for Mary Magdalene and Jaqueline Bisset a surprisingly effective Mary.

They take lots of chances. Jesus is shown as the perfect priest, telling Mary of Bethany that his "life is not my own" and loving everyone as His Mother, sister and brother. What a beautiful message! The final hour of the film is the the best part, The brutal crucification and the playing of "Pie Jesu" over Jesus' burial moved me to tears. The resurrected Christ is shown joyful and smiling!!!!! This finally is Jesus, who could find joy in clear skies and still waters, who tell his apostles, in a brilliantly done "upper room" that he is "with them always". In other films they act like the story is over after Easter Sunday. In "Jesus" we know it is just beginning. Highly recommended.

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20 out of 29 people found the following review useful:
The Jesus I know, who laughs and sees the big picture, 23 April 2000

Author: Kayess from Amsterdam

This is the best version of a Jesus film I have ever seen. Realistic, made so by the human emotions and the diverse personal viewpoints casually merged with the storyline. It seems everyone gets to see it from their perspective without the story of Jesus losing the focal point..Jesus.. Jesus is portrayed as I have come to see Him. Truly the Son of God while having lived as a human being. Laughed, joking, crying, in pain, alone and truly human while still doing the will of the Father and triumphing gloriously. I couldn't stop crying throughout, it was as if I was there. "Jesus" is brought without giving offense to Christians and non-christians alike. Brilliantly played by Jeremy Sisto, giving Jesus the human side so sadly lacking because of the mostly "holy" attitude forced upon Jesus in earlier films. A special mention for Jeroen Krabbé who excellently portrayed the devil in a way that follows the description the Bible brings, far from weak but wily, devious, power hungry, scared and very much aware of his position in the grand scheme of things and of his ultimate defeat. The filmography, lighting and scenery were done exceptionally and add to the experience. Heartily recommended.

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13 out of 17 people found the following review useful:
Refreshing..., 18 May 2000

Author: Victor de Leon (Ved) from New York, NY, USA

From the opening sequences of the film, I knew this would be a "different" movie about Jesus from others I had seen. I am not implying, by any means, that there is anything "faulty" about other versions, such as "Jesus of Nazareth" and "The Greatest Story Ever Told". Both are quite accurate and reverent accounts of Jesus Christ's life and ministry, and are among my favorite re-tellings of Jesus' story. I also extend praise to "The Last Temptation of Christ", a great production as well, because it proposes a unique, albeit controversial, question on what Christ's significance and impact on humanity would have been if he had not died on the cross. What makes "Jesus" one-of-a-kind is that it takes the main elements of the three aforementioned films and skillfully blends them into a portrait of Christ as a man who was, very much, both human--experiencing temptations and doubts, and having wants and needs such as the desire to lead an average life: working as a carpenter, possibly marrying and raising a family--and divine, performing miracles and healing the sick to support the message of God's love of all humankind. "Jesus" is definitely a fresh, yet dignified and very believable depiction of a man, his life and mission, all of which continue to be somewhat of a mystery to many.

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11 out of 14 people found the following review useful:
A moving TV movie, 13 November 2004
Author: Stephen (Euclid74@att.net) from Indiana

I recently rented this version of the story of Jesus and find myself impressed with its message. This vision of Jesus focuses on his humanity and mission, rather than on his divinity. Jeremy Sisto captures a happy Jesus with the weight of salvation on his shoulders. Jacqueline Bisset and Debra Messing find a solid voice as two of the most important women in the story of Jesus. I believe the movie gives a unique and balanced viewpoint of Jesus, different from the too-divine vision of "The Greatest Story Ever Told" and the too-human vision of "The Last Temptation of Christ" and without the gore of "The Passion." Christians and fans of historical cinema would enjoy this movie, its message, and its style.

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13 out of 19 people found the following review useful:
The Human Jesus, 18 May 2000

Author: rixter from Pennsylvania, USA

I am glad that someone has finally portrayed Jesus as a man and not as an angelic Superman. This is a Jesus that I could follow. A Jesus that joked with his friends and yet they knew He was more than just a man. A Jesus who could fall into temptation and yet knew he had a higher calling. I'm sure that some will be upset with Sisto's Jesus as being TOO modern, but he portrayed Him as a Christ for all the ages. I wish that more biblical movies would have their characters as human beings and not cardboard cut-outs.

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15 out of 23 people found the following review useful:
Less passion, more compassion, 28 March 2004
Author: livewire-6 from Ottawa, Canada

Forget Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ". "Jesus", the television mini-series first aired in 1999, and reprised (the second half only) in March 2004, offers a more comprehensive view of Jesus' ministry, mission, death and resurrection. It provides a better understanding of the reason for His death -- not so much the result of political infighting between Romans and Jews, as Jesus' acceptance of His Father's will that humanity should be redeemed by one deed, one life of perfect obedience and love.

Sure, there are some historical improbabilities in the mini-series. For one thing, Pilate (Gary Oldman) and Herod are shown as being on good terms with each other. The Gospels tell us they did not become friends until the day Jesus died. The calling of the apostles looks amusingly as if Jesus is choosing up sides for a game of scrub, followed by a group hug.

But the crucifixion scene is accurate in its detail, yet not as excruciating (I use the term deliberately because it is derived from the Latin noun "crux" or cross) as Gibson's gorefest.

There are also some other very nice touches. Chief among them is Jesus' temptation by Satan, played by Jeroen Krabbe, attired as a 21st-century corporate executive. Satan tries to convince Jesus (Jeremy Sisto) that His sacrifice will be in vain because humanity will use religion to perpetrate acts of hatred such as the Crusades. He suggests that, with a wave of His hand, Jesus can make humans and life on earth perfect. But that would mean denying people freedom of choice. Jesus resists the temptation, believing in the power of love freely chosen.

Debra Messing ("Will and Grace") turns in a very creditable performance as Mary Magdalene. So does Jacqueline Bisset as Mary, the mother of Jesus. The raising of Lazarus is a very powerful scene, and Jesus' own resurrection goes beyond the empty tomb to its effect on the apostles -- something Gibson fails to show.

"Jesus", the TV miniseries, succeeds where Gibson's movie fails -- by showing less passion, and more compassion.

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10 out of 14 people found the following review useful:
This Story is Vapid and Weak, 18 November 2000

Author: furirosa from US

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.

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11 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
I loved it, 18 February 2003
Author: Tiffany (tiff_7_2002@yahoo.com) from Walker, LA

I have just recently rented "Jesus" and I have watched it about 3 times and I'll probably eventually buy it. I absolutely loved this interpretation of Jesus and feel that this movie has brought me closer to him. I now have a more lovable, happy, and caring picture of Jesus in my mind, not that I didn't think of him that way before, it's just that this movie puts across a side of Jesus that we have not often seen in other movies. Watching this movie has just brought him to life for me and (even though I undoubtedly knew that he was real before) makes him seem even more real to me now. I love the fact, like so many others, that this movie portrayed Jesus to be HUMAN, happy, laughing, crying, and all the other emotions that we all, as humans, go through. Only he was not just any human. My absolute favorite part in the movie is when Jesus is crucified. Even though it might not have been long enough, it still captured the pain and agony that Jesus felt. It made my heart break watching this scene, and made me love him and appreciate him even more for the price he paid for us.

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6 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
Blasphemous Soap-Opera Account of Christ's Life, 11 September 2004

Author: Rick Still (rick@rickstill.com)

Poor casting choices and terrible dialogue coupled with cheesie camera angles and bad cinematic clichés make this a very forgettable journey into biblical history. In this film, Christ seems to be oblivious to his mission as he stumbles through Israel with a coy grin and too much Ben Nye. A few good actors get lost in the jumble. My feeling is that the makers of this film wanted to humanize Jesus. This is demonstrated early on as the movie wallows in Jesus's early years, spending at least 30 dull minutes dwelling on a girl who is infatuated with Jesus and wants to marry him. Later, we get to see Jesus turn water to wine at his cousin's wedding. This miracle is reduced to a ridiculous parlor trick, as are the rest of his miracles throughout this film. This is a great example of why people who don't understand the Bible shouldn't make movies about the Bible. Don't buy it, don't rent it. Forget it. Read the bible instead.

God made the world in six days. This film looks like it was made in two.

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11 out of 19 people found the following review useful:
The "Wired" of Jesus films, 25 April 2000

Author: lsgoose from Melbourne, Australia

What a mess this film is! This unneeded "update" of the story of Jesus Christ has the depth (and feel) of a Calvin Klein commercial. I guess they felt that no one would pay attention unless the dialogue was written to sound like a 1990's soap opera set in Los Angeles...and the devil made to seem like a game show host. I appreciate the effort, but unlike an earlier attempt at "modernizing" the Jesus story ("Jesus Christ Superstar"), this thing falls completely flat and really has a ludicrous, bad feeling to it...the power of the story is completely lost.

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