Change Your Image
![](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjQ4MTY5NzU2M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNDc5NTgwMTI@._V1_SY100_SX100_.jpg)
kckern
Reviews
Reign of Judges: Title of Liberty - Concept Short (2018)
Better than expected, and good production value
As a kickstarter backer, I got an exclusive online viewing of the concept short. The production value was terrific, and Ben Cross' performance as King Aaron was a marvel. The action sequence was well choreographed, although quite violent, especially for viewers who may have thought they we settling in for a family-friendly retelling of scripture stories.
The story telling was compelling. Although the date is clearly shown in the opening titles, the audience is misdirected to think that the character we are seeing is Captain Moroni, when in fact it is the Moroni who finished the Book of Mormon record.
The scene depicted in this short is (somewhat ironically) not even from the Book of Mormon. An extra-textual, third-hand account of the fate of Moroni turned up in 1897:
"At a meeting at Spanish Fork, Utah Co., in the winter of 1896, Brother Higginson stated in my presence that Thomas B. Marsh told him that the Prophet Joseph Smith told him (Thomas B. Marsh, he being then President of the Twelve), that he became very anxious to know something of the fate of Moroni, and in answer to prayer the Lord gave Joseph a vision, in which appeared a wild country and on the scene was Moroni after whom were six Indians in pursuit; he stopped and one of the Indians stepped forward and measured swords with him. Moroni smote him and he fell dead; another Indian advanced and contended with him; this Indian also fell by his sword; a third Indian then stepped forth and met the same fate; a fourth afterwards contended with him, but in the struggle with the fourth, Moroni, being exhausted, was killed. Thus ended the life of Moroni. (Evans, Charles David. "The Fate ofMoroni, 1897." Archives Division, Church Historical Department, Salt Lake City, UT.)
That's what we see in the film. When the scene flashes back to Captain Moroni's day, it is little more than a teaser with some medium-budget CGI.
I must say that the roman helmet for Moroni is a terrible choice. I would have hoped that some level of research would have been done for costume design. The Roman Empire did not expand to the new world, and Captain Moroni was not equipped by Ceasar.
That aside, I do hope the full feature gets made, and if it maintains this level of production value and acting quality, it will be a cut above most Mormon cinema.
Shrek (2001)
It's NOT Disney!!
There were several comments referring how this was Disney's worst, or Disney screwed up. Dreamworks made this, and heavily parodies many disney story elements. So get it right before making an uninformed decision and unduely attacking a someone.