son of god movie reviews

"Son of God"

Last year, the History Channel aired a mini-series called “The Bible”, executive produced by husband and wife Mark Burnett and Roma Downey (who also played Mary, Jesus’ mother). The mini-series was nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys and received high audience ratings. “Son of God” is the Jesus section of that mini-series, brought to large screens in the hopes of finding an even wider audience. There has been very little traditional advertising for the film. Burnett and Downey have chosen instead to reach out to church groups for screenings, relying on a grass-roots awareness campaign to get the word out. There has also been a concerted effort to reach out to Jewish groups, in the hopes of avoiding the charges of anti-Semitism Mel Gibson’s “ The Passion of the Christ ” faced. The Jews in power still don’t come off great in “Son of God”. They seem petty, fearful and small-minded. “Son of God” is explicitly for Christian audiences (I saw it with a church group, who applauded mightily as the credits started to roll), opening with a dreamy voiceover from the Apostle John telling us how God has always been there, as we see images of fighting dinosaurs, Noah’s Ark crashing through the waves, and a “Blue Lagoon”-style glimpse of Adam and Eve in the Garden. It’s heavy-handed and melodramatic, openly sentimental, and extremely earnest. “Son of God”‘s earnest-ness is not necessarily a strike against it; it was made by earnest people who want to spread the word. But it’s a tough draught to swallow if you’re not in the mood for a sermon.

Unlike Gibson’s film, which focused on Jesus’ arrest, torture, and death, “Son of God” takes us through Jesus’ life from its humble beginnings in the barn, to the gathering of his followers, his march to Jerusalem, and all of the miracles he performed along the way. It’s a Greatest Hits montage. Watch Jesus multiply the loaves and fishes and walk on water and raise Lazarus from the dead. When Jesus (played by Portuguese actor Diogo Morgado ), first approaches the fisherman Peter ( Darwin Shaw ), loading up his boat in the dead-calm Sea of Galilee, Jesus smiles knowingly at Peter like he’s got a secret. Peter tells him there are no fish out there, and Jesus, smirking, runs his hands through the water and Presto! Peter’s net is filled with fish. Jesus’ miracles come off as party tricks throughout the film, with the watching crowd breathing “Oooh!” as something incredible happens.

His followers multiply, and so do his critics. He threatens those in power, not only the Jewish high priests (led by Caiaphas, played by Adrian Schiller), but the Romans occupying Jerusalem.

Filmed like a blockbuster epic, with quick cuts, hi-definition photography, a moody insistent score by Lorne Balfe, and some awkward repetitive CGI shots of what is clearly a model of the Temple in Jerusalem, “Son of God” features a pretty bad script, especially when all of the Apostles are talking amongst themselves about Jesus’ message and what it all will lead to. “We have to take his message straight to the heart of power,” one Apostle helpfully exclaims. Or Pilate, looking on as Jesus is dragged out to be tortured, murmuring, “It’s as if he knows that this must happen.”

There are a couple of weird details I liked, mostly having to do with casting. Greg Hicks plays Pontius Pilate as a macho guy nervous about his new position as governor, wanting to please his overlords and keep the Jews in line at the same time. We see him strolling around in a see-through nightie, getting massages, fighting gladiators for exercise, and lolling about on chaise longues with his hottie wife, eating grapes. My favorite Pontius Pilate is still David Bowie from Martin Scorsese’s “ The Last Temptation of Christ ,” but this Pilate is pretty entertaining. It is refreshing to see Mary Magdalene ( Amber Rose Revah ) as an accepted part of the Apostle group (although not invited to the Last Supper); her sex not even commented on. Now that’s revolutionary! And Fraser Ayres plays Barabbas, the rabble-rouser chosen by the crowd to go free in exchange for Jesus’ death, as a scarred and furious precursor of the present-day rugby thug.

The film is most interesting when it focuses on the political machinations of the Roman occupation, and what it meant for the Jews being occupied. The overall problem with “Son of God” (besides the fact that it was already seen, in full, in mini-series form) is that Jesus, smirking throughout, comes off as a cipher. It is the blonde gentle Jesus from the stained glass windows and Sunday School books. It is not a visceral portrayal of a man who spoke about the beauty of the humble and about compassion for the weak and the despised, who stood up for the little guy—all of those humanistic messages that were so revolutionary at the time (and remain so today). His Sermon on the Mount isn’t rousing or mind-blowing in “Son of God”. It’s delivered too casually, too off-handedly for that. It is difficult to believe that that pretty-man in a white dress strolling around smirking ever threatened anyone.

Sheila O'Malley

Sheila O’Malley received a BFA in Theatre from the University of Rhode Island and a Master’s in Acting from the Actors Studio MFA Program. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

Diogo Morgado as Jesus
Andrew Brooke as Antonius
Simon Kunz as Nicodemus
Amber Rose Revah as Mary Magdalene
Darwin Shaw as Peter
Louise Delamere as Claudia
Roma Downey as Mother Mary
Christopher Spencer
Colin Swash
Richard Bedser

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The Greatest Story, Retold

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By Nicolas Rapold

Feb. 27, 2014

Adapted from the History channel mini-series “The Bible,” “Son of God” runs through the scriptural greatest hits of the Passion with the reliability of a Sunday reader. It’s a movie that embraces the nearly pedagogical predictability of lines like “Where’s Judas? You seen him?” or “Thomas, stop doubting.”

Jesus looks like a tanned model in robes in the person of the Portuguese actor Diogo Morgado. His scenes pivot on teachable moments buttressed by reaction shots to his coterie, undermining the mysteries of Jesus with the blandness of the filmmaking. But there’s dutiful recognition of the political pressure that spurs the Jewish high priest Caiaphas (Adrian Schiller) to oppose him, with Pilate (Greg Hicks) portrayed as a Roman governor seeking to minimize trouble, for himself mostly.

Mr. Morgado’s Jesus is steadfast and has a generic charismatic glow but little feeling of depth; he seems like a visual supplement to his words. But the director, Christopher Spencer, and the producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey (who also plays Mary) are obviously trying for a broad, nod-along appeal, smearing on a smidgen of gore as if mindful of the positively radical blockbuster “The Passion of the Christ,” and ending on a note of evangelism. Yet “Son of God” may have hit the mark if part of the goal was to create a portrait flat enough to allow audience members to project their own feelings onto the screen.

“Son of God” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned) for intense and bloody depiction of the Crucifixion, and for other sequences of violence.

Opens on Friday. Directed by Christopher Spencer 2 hours 18 minutes

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The life story of Jesus is told from his humble birth through his teachings, crucifixion and ultimate resurrection. The life story of Jesus is told from his humble birth through his teachings, crucifixion and ultimate resurrection. The life story of Jesus is told from his humble birth through his teachings, crucifixion and ultimate resurrection.

Christopher Spencer
Richard Bedser
Colin Swash
Diogo Morgado
Amber Rose Revah
200 User reviews
61 Critic reviews
37 Metascore
2 wins & 1 nomination

Top cast 37

Mary Magdalene

Simon the Pharisee

Mary, Mother of Jesus

(as Darcie)

All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Trivia This movie is made of episodes of the mini-series The Bible (2013) .
Goofs When Jesus is in the Synagogue Friday night, the cantor is chanting the contemporary Friday night prayer, "Lecha Dodi." This prayer was composed in the 16th century by Rabbi Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz, some 1500 years after Jesus's time.

Peter : What are we going to do, then?

Jesus : We are going to change the world...

Crazy credits During the end credits, clips from the movie and the television series "The Bible" are shown.
Connections Edited from The Bible: Hope (2013)
Soundtracks Mary, Did You Know? Written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene Performed by CeeLo Green Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp./Warner Music UK Ltd. By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV licensing

User reviews 200

Mar 7, 2014
How long is Son of God? Powered by Alexa
February 28, 2014 (United States)
United States
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Hearst Entertainment Productions
LightWorkers Media
See more company credits at IMDbPro
$22,000,000 (estimated)
$59,700,064
$25,601,865
Mar 2, 2014
$70,829,270

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Runtime 2 hours 18 minutes
Dolby Digital

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Son of God Reviews

... an infusion of banality. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 3/10 | Oct 18, 2022

It simply doesn't work.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.0/4.0 | Sep 23, 2020

Overall, Spencer's deeply reflective yet recycled conscious-driven epic seems robotic and compacted. As a faith-healing and feel-good big screen offering, Son Of God deserved much better polish and prose at the center of its pronounced pulpit

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Nov 11, 2018

There is, of course, nothing new, nor an investigation carried out to provide other points of view... [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Feb 2, 2018

The film's low quality, however, is undeniable. The chintzy music over the closing credits, just after Jesus ascends to heaven in a cloud of bundled iMac special effects, is just laughable.

Full Review | Feb 1, 2018

It's a great option if you're looking for something with a stronger spiritual foundation than a lot of what is currently in theaters, but it will probably strengthen beliefs more than it will expand them.

Full Review | Nov 28, 2017

If you want to watch some really good movies inspired by and about the life of Christ, there are plenty of other options you can go for instead.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Nov 14, 2017

Originally, theater consisted of mystery dramas and church services. Now we have horror, slasher films, and pornography. These do not uplift humanity. But 'Son of God' tries.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jun 13, 2016

Son of God is the simple case of an adaptation that doesn't have anything new or original to add to a tale that has been told many, many times before.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 2, 2014

Not that this cobbled-together film is done badly, but it is a choppy, by-the-numbers bland-out.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | May 30, 2014

A blandly well-intentioned biopic of an ex-carpenter-turned-prophet who caused quite a stir down Jerusalem way some 21 centuries ago.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | May 23, 2014

The hunk factor aside, it's bizarre that a film presumably conceived as an act of devotion should feel so lacklustre and impersonal.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | May 21, 2014

Son of God holds a particular relevance during these spiritually confusing times, and reminds that the story of Christ need be one that is never forgotten.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | May 21, 2014

If I wasn't watching this in a theatre, I might've presumed I got sent the film on VHS after responding to a late-night infomercial.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | May 15, 2014

Its roots as a television series are obvious, and it's a long way from the likes of 'Ben-Hur' or 'The Greatest Story Ever Told.' Still, 'Son of God' has a couple of sequences that make it an above-average picture.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Apr 24, 2014

Such a heavy-handed approach drains some of the emotional power from its best sequences, including a vivid and bloody depiction of the Crucifixion.

Full Review | Mar 21, 2014

Although nicely shot and capably acted, it mostly feels inert, shackled into moderation and flatness by its fear of offending (and possibly challenging) its core audience.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Mar 19, 2014

This abridged gospel has slicker production values than most Sunday school lessons. ... But ultimately Son of God is preaching to the choir.

Full Review | Mar 7, 2014

...as good as any film edited together from segments of a History Channel miniseries can be expected to be, which is to say it's utterly terrible.

Full Review | Original Score: D | Mar 6, 2014

There is little cinematic about the film. Instead, it is a series of figurative illustrations.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Mar 6, 2014

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Son of god: film review.

The Christian film, based on Mark Burnett and Roma Downey's 10-hour miniseries, is directed by Christopher Spencer and zooms in on "The Bible" lead, Diogo Morgado.

By Todd McCarthy

Todd McCarthy

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If the last big theatrical film about Jesus, the blockbusting The Passion of the Christ , in 2004, sensationalized the violence of the Nazarene’s final hours, Son of God is notable, by contrast, for its missionary spirit, stressing in its climactic moments the duty of believers to spread the word about the savior’s teachings to the world. As such, this quite mediocre spawned-from-television feature feels like a Jesus film designed primarily for true believers, meaning that the faith-based public that has already been put on alert by seal-of-approval-dispensing church leaders that this is a film to see will make the Fox release into a significant heartland attraction, at least at the outset, and then perennially in home viewing situations; others may feel that this is something they’ve already seen, or will wait to see, on TV. Results could also be big in particular foreign territories, starting with South America.

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Film Review: ‘Son of God’

A stiff, earnest, clunkily edited feature-length account of Jesus' life culled from History's miniseries 'The Bible.'

By Justin Chang

Justin Chang

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With Darren Aronofsky’s “Noah” and Ridley Scott’s “Exodus” preparing to duke it out for Old Testament auteur supremacy, Hollywood’s religious renaissance gets off to a none-too-spectacular start with a chewed-over New Testament appetizer called “ Son of God .” A clumsily edited feature-length version of five episodes from History’s hugely popular 10-hour miniseries “The Bible,” this stiff, earnest production plays like a half-hearted throwback to the British-accented biblical dramas of yesteryear, its smallscreen genesis all too apparent in its Swiss-cheese construction and subpar production values. Yet w hile Jesus ‘ teachings have been reduced to a muddle of kindly gestures and mangled Scriptures, the scenes of his betrayal, death and resurrection crucially retain their emotional and dramatic power, which the charitable viewer may deem atonement enough for what feels, in all other respects, like a cynical cash grab.

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As the first quasi-bigscreen account of the life of Jesus in the decade since Mel Gibson’s far more contentious “The Passion of the Christ,” “Son of God” should capitalize sufficiently on church-based word of mouth to intrigue if not galvanize Christian moviegoers, provided they haven’t already seen its longer original incarnation and/or know what they’re in for. Although some scholars have taken issue with the series’ deviations from the Bible (each episode was prefaced with the note that “it endeavors to stay true to the spirit of the book”), the Fox release arrives in theaters bearing pre-packaged endorsements by such prominent spiritual leaders as Rick Warren, T.D. Jakes and Sam Rodriguez — some of whom served as advisers to the TV project spearheaded by husband-and-wife exec producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey (who retain their producing credits here, as does co-writer Richard Bedser).

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“In the beginning was the Word,” the gospel writer John (Sebastian Knapp) intones early on, his revelation in the miniseries having been repurposed as a framing device here. From there the film plunges into a clumsy Old Testament highlights reel, a marketing tie-in for “The Bible” that gives viewers just enough time to wave to Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham and some God-awful CGI before depositing them at the scene of the Christ child’s birth.

Gone are the formative elements of Jesus’ upbringing and his temptation in the wilderness, reportedly due to complaints that Satan (as played in the miniseries by actor Mehdi Ouazzani) bore a suspicious resemblance to President Obama . The story proper begins as Jesus (handsome, sleepy-eyed Portuguese actor Diogo Morgado) calls forth his disciples at the Sea of Galilee and begins his compassionate ministry of teaching, healing and prayer — a three-year endeavor rendered onscreen with all the heft and penetration of a poorly annotated Wikipedia entry, as the filmmakers race to condense some 200-odd minutes of pre-existing material (along with some minimal new footage) into a 138-minute frame.

And so, in fairly rapid succession, Jesus restores a paralytic, feeds the 5,000, and walks on water in a stormy sequence that suggests a relic from the Cecil B. DeMille era. In this abbreviated, arbitrary approach to biblical interpretation, the greatest story ever told becomes a checklist of miracles, and Jesus’ words and deeds, far from carrying the shock of radical epiphany, feel obvious and preordained. Time, or at least running time, is clearly of the essence: Miracles and lessons are expediently juxtaposed, and the Sermon on the Mount plays more like the Sermon on the Montage. Although he occasionally pauses to speak in parables, this Jesus is not above getting right to the point for the benefit of a busy 21st-century audience. (Why bother with “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” when a simple “Put God first and then everything will follow” will suffice?)

Elsewhere, schlock aesthetics prevail: When the sneering Pharisees attempt — and fail — to condemn a woman caught in the act of adultery, their stones fall to the ground in slow-motion, each one landing with a Dolby-amplified thud. While we are clearly a long way from the raw austerity of Pier Paolo Pasolini’s masterpiece “The Gospel According to St. Matthew,” or the rigorous integrity of Philip Saville’s word-for-word 2003 adaptation of “The Gospel of John,” a cinematic adaptation of Scripture nonetheless demands style, poetry, vision or, barring that, a point of view — none of which seems to have been part of the assignment handed to directors Christopher Spencer (who helmed the three episodes from which the pic is chiefly drawn), Tony Mitchell and Crispin Reece.

The film’s four credited scribes are on surer footing once Jesus arrives in Jerusalem: Considerable time is spent teasing out the tense, symbiotic relationship between the Roman prefect Pontius Pilate (Greg Hicks) and the Jewish high priest Caiaphas (Adrian Schiller), who find themselves in a fascinating political pressure cooker as the “false prophet” from Nazareth threatens to overturn the social order. Notably, the film’s relatively thoughtful depiction of the Jewish authorities has received the approval of the Anti-Defamation League’s Abraham Foxman, who pronounced it “the antidote to the poison that ‘The Passion of the Christ’ became.”

Whether that’s true or not, this film’s rendition of the crucifixion works in a similar fashion, managing to be properly, realistically violent without even remotely approaching Gibson’s pornographic bloodlust. Mercifully, we at least have a flawed but adequate narrative context for Jesus’ martyrdom, and for believers in the audience, it’s during Jesus’ long, despairing walk to Golgotha that “Son of God” will certainly prove most emotionally effective. But it’s a response that owes more to the enduring spiritual and symbolic power of the events in question than to any particular skill with which they have been dramatized here.

Leading an international hodgepodge of an ensemble, Morgado makes a hunkier Jesus than necessary but nonetheless gives an effectively gentle-souled performance that emphasizes the Messiah’s compassion above his authority. Her conspicuously light complexion aside, Downey is touching as Jesus’ mother Mary, and British thesps Hicks and Schiller etch complex portraits of misguided rather than malicious villainy. Among Jesus’ disciples, Shaw makes the boldest impression as that strong-willed fisher of men, Peter.

Blowing up the Morocco-lensed production on the bigscreen does Rob Goldie’s flat, serviceable lensing few favors; the frequent, fuzzy establishing shots of Jerusalem look especially phony and tacked-on. Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe’s poundingly unsubtle score sounds better suited to a superhero movie — and not this kind.

Reviewed at Fox Studios, Century City, Calif., Feb. 25, 2014. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 138 MIN.

Production: A 20th Century Fox release presented with Lightworkers Media. Produced by Roma Downey, Mark Burnett, Richard Bedser. Co-producers, Alexander Marengo, Annie Macnee.
Crew: Directed by Christopher Spencer. Additional scenes directed by Tony Mitchell, Crispin Reece. Screenplay, Nic Young, Richard Bedser, Spencer, Colin Swash. Camera (color, widescreen), Rob Goldie; editor, Rob Hall; music, Hans Zimmer, Lorne Balfe; production designer, Alan Spalding; art directors, Hauke Richter, Said El Kounti; set decorators, Claudia Parker, Rachid Quiat; costume designer, Ros Little; sound (Dolby Digital), Doug Dreger, Jon Thomas, Judi Lee-Headman, Mitchell Low; re-recording mixers, Dan Johnson, Scott Jones, Nigel Squibbs, George Foulgham; special effects supervisor, Hassan Tib; visual effects supervisor, James Jordon; visual effects producer, Michelle Martin; visual effects, Lola Post Prod.; stunt coordinator, Joel Proust; line producer, Eamon Fitzpatrick; associate producers, Charlotte Wheaton, Khadija Alami; assistant directors, Grantly Butters, Noureddine Aberdine; casting, Carl Proctor (U.K.), Aberdine (Morocco).
With: Diogo Morgado, Greg Hicks, Adrian Schiller, Darwin Shaw, Sebastian Knapp, Joe Wredden, Simon Kunz, Paul Marc Davis, Matthew Gravelle, Amber Rose Revah, Roma Downey, Leila Mimmack. (English, Hebrew dialogue)

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Son of god - movie review.

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First, the elephant in the room. How does one even begin to offer criticism of a movie that depicts the life of Jesus without thoughts of being sent straight to Hell?

Knowing full well the imposing size of the bear trap I’m stepping into by taking this on, I’ll begin by pointing out my own awareness that nothing said here will convince readers to consider anything counter to their own preconceived notions of what Son of God is. Everyone will get out of the film what they bring to it. It doesn’t reach deep enough to win over any converts, and conversely, neither is it controversial enough to spook the believers. Instead, Son of God is a middling, paint-by-numbers rundown of the apocryphal gospels that plays like a K-tel version of the life of Jesus Christ. Readers of a certain age will get the reference.

Producer team Mark Burnett ( Survivor ) and Roma Downey made so much History Channel money from their 2013 10-hour Emmy award-winning documentary The Bible , which became the number one cable entertainment telecast of the year and the fastest-selling TV-to-disc title ever, it was only a matter of time before the husband and wife duo would bring that same money-train to the big screen.

They recut the 10-hour special down, added a few new scenes, and tinkered with the focus which resulted in a 140-minute examination of the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ as depicted in the Christian Bible.

Director Christopher Spencer begins his story with a few flashes of the Old Testament tellings, then briskly runs through the birth of Christ, the meeting of disciples, his preachings, all the miracles, the gaining of followers, then ends with the Messiah’s crucifixion and rebirth. A bookended story with Sebastian Knapp doubling as both John and story narrator helps break up the point-by-point storytelling format quite nicely. Perhaps a few more visits to the musings of John throughout the course of the film might have made more sense.

Though fairly evenly paced, the story zooms along briskly, but the visuals stumble frequently, hampered by numerous rough cuts, a fair share of fits and starts, and places where smooth transitions just aren’t possible due to missing footage. When faced with a problem transition, Spencer often cuts to a hokey CGI establishing shot of bustling Jerusalem or a cheap model of the Jewish Temple.

Jesus is played by Portuguese actor Diogo Morgado who makes his Jesus come off as an aloof, arrogant jerk who doesn’t owe his followers - or more importantly, the viewers - any words of wisdom or encouragement other than those already well known from the scriptures which he delivers in brief one-liners while squinting into space and waving a cupped hand across the sky. If we’re to know Jesus and truly understand his power and the reach of his spiritual enlightenment, it’s important for us to see HOW he moved the world, not be satisfied with the assumption that he just did.

Roma Downey sheds her producer skin and doubles as Mother Mary, but gets little to do other than weep beneath her dirt-covered skin and filthy shroud. Unknown Greg Hicks is the conflicted Roman Governor Pontius Pilate who just wants all the controversy of Jesus’ arrival into Jerusalem to just go away, while Adrian Schiller shows chops as Jewish high priest Caiaphas.

The numerous meetings between Caiaphas and Pilate are some of the film’s best as they touch on the more interesting political thriller aspects of the story we know so well. Perhaps ramping up that thriller aspect of the story by depicting Jesus’ arrival into Jerusalem as a dangerous collision course with potentially deadly consequences (cue the ominous music) might have raised the interest level above that of the rather banal portrayal of Jesus’ wimpy, side-saddled arrival on an under-sized, clomping Donkey with the sun in his pretty face, and palm fronds at his well-manicured feet.

Then again, that approach to the written-in-stone story we all know so well would involve stepping outside the Christian comfort zone and into the sweep of controversy which wouldn’t play as nicely to the greatest denominator. And with bags of cash in the filmmakers’ best interest, why mess with the ready-made money machine? That would be blasphemous.

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MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense and bloody depiction of The Crucifixion, and for some sequences of violence. Runtime: 138 mins Director : Christopher Spencer Writer: Richard Bedser, Christopher Spencer Cast: Diogo Morgado, Amber Rose Revah, Sebastian Knapp Genre : Drama Tagline: Their Empire. His Kingdom. Memorable Movie Quote: "We are going to change the world..." Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation Official Site: www.sonofgodmovie.com/home.html Release Date: April 26, 2004 DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: February 28, 2014 Synopsis : This major motion picture event -- an experience created to be shared among families and communities across the U.S. -- brings the story of Jesus' life to audiences through compelling cinematic storytelling that is both powerful and inspirational. Told with the scope and scale of an action epic, the film features powerful performances, exotic locales, dazzling visual effects and a rich orchestral score from Oscar®-winner Hans Zimmer. Portuguese actor Diogo Morgado portrays the role of Jesus as the film spans from his humble birth through his teachings, crucifixion and ultimate resurrection.

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Common Sense Says
Parents Say 9 Reviews
Kids Say 8 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Bland retelling of Jesus' ministry can be very violent.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 14+?

The movie, which is taken from parts of The Bible miniseries, is quite violent.

Jesus and his disciples drink wine.

Jesus is taunted as "King of the Jesus" and "peasant" and &q

Any Positive Content?

Unlike The Bible, which surveys major Judeo-Christian stories, Son of God concen

Encourages belief in God and specifically the Christian vision of Jesus as the S

Violence & Scariness

The movie, which is taken from parts of The Bible miniseries, is quite violent. Jesus is flogged with the 40 lashes, forced to carry his cross, fixed with crown of thorns, and crucified. There are close-ups of his bloody body and bruised face. Pontius Pilate's guards push over a merchant's cart, and it falls and crushes his son, who is shown dead in his mother's arms. Crowds are stabbed and slaughtered. During temple scenes, there are animals being sacrificed, and people are pushed. Jesus is told his friend John the Baptist was beheaded. Judas hangs himself.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Jesus is taunted as "King of the Jesus" and "peasant" and "false prophet."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Role Models

Unlike The Bible , which surveys major Judeo-Christian stories, Son of God concentrates on Jesus. Even those who do not believe in Jesus' divinity will find him a fascinating revolutionary who challenges the establishment, ministers to outcasts and sinners, and wants to change the world. His promise to people is simple: believe and you shall be saved. His disciples are all flawed, but they remain faithful. Even Judas, who betrays Jesus, repents for his part in Jesus' arrest.

Positive Messages

Encourages belief in God and specifically the Christian vision of Jesus as the Son of God.

Parents need to know that Son of God is re-purposed material from the History Channel's The Bible miniseries concentrating on the story of Jesus' ministry years, death, and resurrection. Although it's not quite as bloody and violent as The Passion of the Christ , the movie still features the violence of the crucifixion, like Jesus' flogging, the crown of thorns, and the nailing to the cross. There are close-ups of a bloody and beaten Jesus, as well as the two thieves crucified beside him. There are also scenes of dead Israelites killed by Roman guards, a child who is crushed and killed by a cart, and Judas hanging himself. Families must decide whether their kids are ready to see some of the more disturbing and bloody aspects of Jesus' story. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

Parents say (9)
Kids say (8)

Based on 9 parent reviews

Made by new agers

Who is this guy, what's the story.

To release SON OF GOD, husband-and-wife film producers and devout Catholics Mark Burnett and actress Roma Downey have repackaged the Jesus-centered portions of their wildly successful The Bible miniseries, which aired on the History Channel in 2013. Son of God isn't exactly like the four episodes in the miniseries that chronicle Jesus' life -- instead the film skips over Jesus' childhood and baptism and goes from birth to his finding his disciples. Narrated by the disciple John the Evangelist (Sebastian Knapp), the movie chronicles how Jesus (Diogo Morgado) performed miracles, preached about forgiveness and love, was persecuted by the high priests and Pontius Pilate, was crucified, and then was resurrected.

Is It Any Good?

Christian viewers looking for a traditional retelling of the story of Jesus' ministry years will find this a fine, if incomplete, tale. The production values are good, some of the actors are better than good, particularly English actors Darwin Shaw as the intense and hotheaded disciple Peter, Greg Hicks as the most famous Roman prefect in history, Pontius Pilate, and Knapp as the dearest disciple John. Jesus is played by the distractingly attractive Portuguese actor Diogo Morgado, whose indeterminate accent and occasionally off line readings make him less effective than Jim Caviezel in The Passion of the Christ.

Overall, the movie is a rather bland adaptation of Jesus' ministry, with somewhat bizarre and inexplicably extreme close-ups and disappointing computer-generated depictions of ancient landscapes. One of the best parts of the movie is Hans Zimmer's swelling score, but ultimately this doesn't feel like a complete or particularly memorable picture. Except as a ministry tool for church youth groups, Son of God is not the most stirring depiction of Jesus' life. Jesus Christ Superstar and VeggieTales DVDs are far more memorable, and those familiar with Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical may find themselves singing it in their head as they watch along.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how this movie compares to other interpretations of the life of Jesus. Do you think movies with religious themes appeal to general audiences or just believers?

The filmmakers removed the last temptation of Christ that proved controversial in the miniseries. Do you think that was a good idea, or was it strange to see a movie about Jesus that omits this part of his life?

Was it smart for the filmmakers to hire lesser-known actors play Jesus and the disciples? Would it have been odd to see a better-known actor play Jesus?

Movie Details

In theaters : February 28, 2014
On DVD or streaming : June 3, 2014
Cast : Roma Downey , Diogo Morgado , Sebastian Knapp
Director : Christopher Spencer
Inclusion Information : Female actors
Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
Genre : Drama
Topics : Great Boy Role Models , History
Run time : 138 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : intense and bloody depiction of The Crucifixion, and for some sequences of violence
Last updated : October 4, 2023

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DVD & Streaming

Content Caution

In Theaters

February 28, 2014
Diogo Morgado as Jesus; Darwin Shaw as Peter; Amber Rose Revah as Mary Magdalene; Roma Downey as Mary, Mother of Jesus; Adrian Schiller as Caiaphas; Greg Hicks as Pilate; Matthew Gravelle as Thomas; Joe Wredden as Judas; Simon Kuns as Nicodemus; Fraser Ayres as Barabbas

Home Release Date

June 3, 2014
Christopher Spencer

Distributor

20th Century Fox

Movie Review

“In the beginning was the word …”

Those are the first words of the Gospel of John, and the first words spoken by the old, beloved disciple in Son of God . He’s recalling the wondrous days when he walked with the Christ—when he spoke with Him and ate with Him, when he watched Him die and saw Him rise again. He tells us that Jesus was surely the Son of God: With all that John saw, how could he think otherwise? And so, in his old age, he decides to tell us about it too, so that we might believe.

Reading this, you’re likely well familiar with the story: Jesus’ birth, His miracles, His teachings, His torture, His death, His resurrection. You know who He is and why He came. This is an important story, the greatest story ever told—so great, in fact, that it’s never grown old as its been told and retold countless times. Dozens of movies about Jesus have been made. From 1905’s Life and Passion of Jesus Christ to Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ a century later, Jesus has been one of cinema’s most popular characters.

Son of God is the latest retelling, the film taken directly from Mark Burnett and Roma Downey’s popular History Channel miniseries The Bible . Why tell the tale again? Because, they say, some may not have yet heard it.

“We’re aware that many people learn through visual storytelling,” Downey told ABC News. “And for so many people, people who don’t go to church, people who maybe have never read the Bible, this movie, Son of God , will be the first time that they hear and see the story of Jesus come to life.”

But for those who know the story already, what makes this one special? What makes this one worth watching? Read on.

Positive Elements

As of late, movies about Jesus have often been controversial—both within and outside the Christian community. Gibson’s Passion was accused of anti-Semitism before it was released, lambasted for its violence afterward. Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ , released in 1988, triggered boycotts and pickets.

But from the beginning, Burnett and Downey—both Christians—wanted their own depiction of Jesus to be both reverent and accurate, both restrained and poignant, honoring the beliefs of a wide swath of Christian traditions. Son of God is not the work of a couple of envelope-pushing auteurs, but rather believers who want it to reflect biblical truth.

“It was a slow-moving process because we came up with our early draft and sent it out to a group of about 40 people we’d assembled,” Downey told Fast Company . “The script came back with notes and adjustments, because of course we were dealing with sacred scripture, so we wanted to make sure we were accurate. Or in the places where we needed to link stories together, we wanted to make sure we told those stories always in fairness to the text. So we made adjustments. Sent it back out. We got more adjustments, and so on.”

Full disclosure: Focus on the Family was consulted during this process that produced the original miniseries. And the result is a retelling faithful to both the themes and spirit of the Scriptures—a competent, well-made movie that knows enough to get out of the way of itself. There’s nothing inherently flashy about Son of God —nothing that draws your attention away from Jesus and to, say, the director or screenwriter. This is a movie that understands the intrinsic power of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, and it sublimates itself for the sake of that story of stories. It allows believers to slip into this long-ago time and place and see things in a way we might not have seen them before.

As such, Jesus is kind, merciful, determined and brilliant—a man who indeed seems to be both fully human and fully divine. He is, as John says, “The light shining in the darkness,” the One who came to save us all. He works miracles, He preaches the Good News, He suffers and dies, and then—in the greatest twist ending in history—rises again. (You didn’t need a spoiler warning for that revelation, did you?)

Spiritual Elements

Son of God is, from when the trailers end to when the lights go back up, as Christian a story as is possible. I don’t think we need to belabor that. But to tell the story, the filmmakers made some decisions that are worth noting.

First, there’s no devil character here. While Satan was very much present in the miniseries, controversy swelled around what some saw as a resemblance to President Obama. So Lucifer was let go. Says Downey in USA Today:

“I wanted all of the focus to be on Jesus. I want His name to be on the lips of everyone who sees this movie, so we cast Satan out. It gives me great pleasure to tell you that the devil is on the cutting room floor. This is now a movie about Jesus, the Son of God, and the devil gets no more screen time, no more distractions.”

The ramifications to the story are small but significant. With the devil being an unseen presence, audiences are compelled to focus on the other “villains” in a way they might otherwise not—and that may allow us to better see their humanity and not-so-outlandish reasons for rejecting Christ. As one says, “This is a dangerous man.”

The story of Jesus is so familiar to us now that we can forget how radical He was then. When the high priest Caiaphas decides Jesus is a menace, we see the pressure this man of the cloth is under—to keep the traditional faith of the Jewish people alive, to keep peace under Roman rule, to worship God in the way he best knows. And while Pilate is more of a one-dimensional baddie, we also see his struggle to please Rome and keep the Jewish “rabble” under control. Neither sees Jesus as the Messiah: They see Him as a spark that could blow their world apart (which, in truth, He sorta did). Their desperate posturing and positioning reminds us that Jesus inherently shakes the status quo. He’s supposed to be disturbing, even dangerous—and perhaps looks different than any of us might imagine.

Also noteworthy: Jesus is not shown as perfectly omniscient here. He sees glimpses of His future—often dire visions of his torture and death. But while He knows that His fate is for the glory of His Father, He doesn’t seem to know precisely how the story will unfold. And so when Jesus sees that Peter will deny Him three times, we see that pain of denial ever more keenly.

Sexual & romantic Content

Pilate’s wife falls out of bed with a bad dream, showing her bare shoulders. Jesus saves a woman from stoning: The film does not say so, but those familiar with the source material know that she’s accused of sexual sin.

Violent Content

Son of God is not nearly so graphic as The Passion of the Christ . But neither is the horror of crucifixion whitewashed. We see visceral, often painful depictions of Jesus’ suffering and death. He is brutally and bloodily whipped at Pilate’s request. His bare torso reveals the deep, red and furious lash marks. Soldiers press the cruel crown of thorns onto his head. His walk to Golgotha is a painful one, falling three times and speaking with a mouth full of blood. His hands and feet are nailed to the cross, and we hear Him scream as the camera flinches away from the hammer’s impact. Blood runs from his wounds and covers much of his body.

Still, colleague and Plugged In director Bob Waliszewski says of this violence’s context, “There’s a huge difference between a film that shows brutality and wants the viewers to think it’s cool, and a film that wants us to weep, and maybe even fall to our knees.”

Elsewhere, Romans overturn a cart, crushing a young boy. (We see his body.) People are chased and beaten and dragged by soldiers, and in one scene we see a man (in shadowy silhouette) stabbed in the gut. When the sword is withdrawn, spatters of blood fly out of the body. Later we see the bodies of dozens of dead Jews, killed in a melee.

Pilate fights with a sword-wielding sparring partner, slicing his chest. (We see the superficial-but-bloody wound.) Judas hangs himself. (His feet jerk as the noose tightens.) Others are crucified: One man appears to have some horrific damage done to his eye. The murderer Barabbas bears grotesque scars on his face. An earthquake shakes people and dislodges debris. A violent storm worries the disciples, and one sinks into the briny deep for a moment. We hear that most of them are eventually killed for their faith.

A lamb’s throat is cut.

Crude or Profane Language

Drug and alcohol content.

Jesus and His disciples drink wine during the Last Supper and the first communion.

Son of God is more than a movie: It is a movement.

According to The Hollywood Reporter , more than a half-million tickets were sold before the film even began its theatrical run. Relief ministry Compassion International bought 225,000. Liberty University, the Lynchburg, Va., college founded by Jerry Falwell, bought out an entire Cineplex near its campus. Churches are buying up blocks and encouraging members to go. Individuals are grabbing tickets to give to unbelieving friends or strangers. And they’re even buying them just to show Hollywood that there’s an audience for quality movies of faith.

So what is it, exactly, that happens when all those people represented by all those tickets actually see this film? (And then perhaps see it again on video at home?) Well, each time we crack open the Bible and re-read a verse or chapter, we chance discovering something we’ve never noticed before. Some passages have been the source of a million different pastoral messages, and each lesson teases out something new, something special. Truly, the story of Jesus is the richest, most challenging, most awe-inspiring story of them all. And when we sit at the foot of the cross in an unfamiliar setting—a movie theater, a family room with a wide-screen television—the revelations we revel in can be powerful.

As I personally watched, yes, reviewing the movie for Plugged In , but also sinking into it for myself, I was struck in a way I’ve never been before by the suffering—of Christ, but also of those around Him. I saw them see their hope, their future and the man they’ve learned to love more than anything be literally tortured to death.

I’m impacted by the imperfect humanity of the disciples, and how when they’re at their most imperfect they resemble me. I’ve been Thomas, doubting. Peter, denying. Judas, betraying through sin and selfishness. And I am John—beloved of God in spite of it all.

It’s hard to watch the story of Jesus and not be moved in some way. I heard many moviegoers sniffle during the hard-to-watch crucifixion sequence, and a few gasps when our Lord rises again—despite the fact that it surely came as no great surprise.

The story has been told so many times, as I’ve said. But even if we’ve heard it a thousand times before, it doesn’t get old. It resurrects itself in each retelling.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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"The Power of God’s Love"

	None	Light	Moderate	Heavy
Language
Violence
Sex
Nudity

What You Need To Know:

(CCC, BBB, VV, A, M) Very strong Christian, biblical worldview about the Gospel of Jesus Christ; no foul language; strong violence with blood includes a child dying under a tipped over cart, Romans slaughter Jews in one scene, Jesus and others are crucified brutally, people are whipped, stabbed, and beaten; no sexual content; upper male nudity; light drinking of wine; no smoking; and, betrayal and greed are shown negatively.

More Detail:

SON OF GOD is a captivating theatrical version of the Jesus portion of the History Channel’s THE BIBLE miniseries produced by Roma Downey of TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL and her husband Mark Burnett, executive producer of the SURVIVOR and SHARK TANK television shows. Roma and Mark are two extremely talented, committed Christians in Hollywood who have achieved a tremendous level of success in the entertainment industry.

SON OF GOD begins with John narrating God’s promise and covenant with His people through Israel’s history and up to the control and tension under the Romans. After showing the birth of Jesus, 30 years later Jesus approaches Peter to call him to join His mission to change the world.

Jesus confronts the Pharisees through his teaching and the miracles He performs as He travels the land with His apostles. Finally, as tension mounts between the Romans and the Jews during Passover, Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey. The crowds around Jesus increase as Jesus goes to the temple and overturns the tables of the moneychangers.

The high priest Caiaphas decides that Jesus must be killed, and he finds out that one of Christ’s apostles, Judas, is ready and willing to betray Jesus. Things escalate and Jesus is arrested, condemned to death and crucified.

Of course, the story doesn’t end there. Three day later, Jesus rises from the dead and sends His disciples on the great commission to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Also, the disciples are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, during which Peter preaches to the crowd gathered near the temple in Jerusalem. The movie concludes with John, in a cave, where Jesus visits him one last time and reveals the final words of Revelation.

SON OF GOD is a captivating showcase of God’s grace and love by giving His one and only son, Jesus. The acting is excellent throughout, including the powerful ending. The movie’s message is life changing. However, the pacing could be tighter. For example, though the movie opens strongly, the first half is too episodic. This problem might be fixed with some narration, some cutting, and adding better transitions. MOVIEGUIDE® also thought the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist should be inserted in the beginning instead of just used in flashbacks later. The middle also could use some narration to link the episodes more tightly together.

SON OF GOD is not an encyclopedic version of Jesus Christ’s ministry or of all the events and dialogue that takes place before, during, and after the Last Supper. Thus, some parts of the New Testament Gospels are a bit truncated. Also, the biblical dialogue is put into modern-day vernacular. Consequently, some theological, biblical gaps occur. For example, the original Last Supper reported in the Bible was a seven action communion chaburah supper in the fulfillment of the Jewish tractate Berakah (blessings) of the Mishnah. To simplify, Jesus took every aspect of the Berakah of the Mishnah to demonstrate in word and deed that He was the fulfillment of the ancient God ordained thanksgiving for God’s redemption. The movie ignores the dramatic theological elements in that liturgy. Liturgy is drama. The Last Supper was a very dramatic event.

Also, the Apostle Thomas never says, “My Lord and my God” when he sees that Jesus is really physically there. That line would reinforce the movie’s overt references to the Deity of Jesus. Also, Jesus never says during the movie’s teaching part, or it’s not stressed, that He’s come to “give his life as a ransom for many,” as He does in Mark 10:45, which is, of course, the Gospel message that Jesus “died for our sins” (see 1 Corinthians 15’s description of the Gospel).

At the end, the filmmakers could have added to the power of their ending by inserting a more overt rendition of the “Great Commission” in Matthew 28:18-20, where Jesus tells his disciples to 1. Make disciples of all nations, 2. Baptize them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and 3. Teach them everything that I, Jesus, have taught you. The Sermon on the Mount was also a bit truncated.

That said, the conflict between Jesus and the Jewish and Roman leadership is strong, as are the scenes detailing the Passion as Jesus is beaten, tried, whipped, etc. Best of all, perhaps, the movie has a powerful resurrection sequence.

SON OF GOD clearly shows that the death and resurrection of Christ is an overwhelmingly glorious reminder of the power of God’s love. Thus, MOVIEGUIDE® urges everyone to see this movie and bring their friends and family, saved and unsaved.

The Son of God


Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience:
Genre:
Length:
Year of Release:
USA Release:

Copyright, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

What does the title Son of God mean?

Is Jesus Christ a man, or is he God? Answer

If Jesus is God, how could he die? If Jesus died on the cross, then how can he be alive today? Answer

Was Jesus Christ God, manifest in human form? Answer

Is Jesus Christ really God? Answer

If Jesus was the Son of God, why did He call Himself the Son of Man? Answer

TRINITY —How can one God be three persons? Answer

JESUS’ CHARACTER —Is Christ’s character consistent with his high claims? Answer

Could Christ have sinned? Answer

ARCHAEOLOGY—Have any burial sites been found for the people involved in Christ’s life and death? Answer

crucifixion

How do we know the Bible is true? Answer

How can the Bible be infallible if it was written by fallible humans? Answer

How did Jesus Christ die? Answer

Jesus Christ: His Identity, Life, Death andResurrection

MIRACLES —Has science disproved the miracles associated with Jesus Christ? Answer

Miracles , including list of biblical miracles

What is so NEW about the New Testament?

Why was Christ’s New Covenant viewed as a threat by some Jews?

Herod Antipas

Judas / suicide

Mary, mother of Jesus

Mary Magdelene

Pontius Pilate

Simon Peter

Satan (edited out of the film)

about Roman Catholicism

Is sola Scriptura a biblical or a man-made concept? (Traditions vs. Scripture alone)

QUIZ—Catholicism and Protestantism. Do you think like a Protestant or a Catholic?

Featuring	Darwin Shaw … Roma Downey … Greg Hicks … Sebastian Knapp … Amber Rose Revah … Adrian Schiller … Andrew Brooke … Louise Delamere … Said Bey … Matthew Gravelle … Simon Kunz … Joe Wredden … Fraser Ayres … Paul Marc Davis … Joe Coen … Leila Mimmack … Rick Bacon … Anas Cherin …
Director
Producer	Mark Burnett … Richard Bedser … Eduardo Verástegui …
Distributor	, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Studios, a division of The Walt Disney Company

Christ and the Bible as interpreted by New Age Roman Catholic producers

Provided below are THREE SEPARATE REVIEWS, in an effort to cover all issues.

Review of OVERALL VIEWING EXPERIENCE —by Raphael Vera

Review of BIBLICAL ACCURACY —by Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell, Answers in Genesis

Review of HISTORICAL, BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL ACCCURACY —by Justin Peters, Th.M.

The worldview of the producers

OVERALL VIEWING EXPERIENCE

Reviewed by: Raphael Vera CONTRIBUTOR

“I am John , and I was one of his [Jesus’] followers. After what I had seen, how could I not be?” And so begins the account of Jesus Christ “The Son of God.” From his miraculously foretold coming centuries earlier to his birth in an obscure village , not among the rich and powerful, but among the poor, he was both God and one of us at the same time.

John narrates a montage of scenes depicting the world since God’s creation and his reaching out to us through the forefathers of faith , including Noah , Abraham and Moses before showing us Jesus , played reverently and with a very human charm by Diogo Morgado, as he begins his ministry. After he calls his first disciple Peter (Darwin Shaw), it is mentioned briefly that he selected the rest of the twelve almost as though Peter was the only one that mattered, making it clear that this disciple will be ‘center stage’ for the rest of the film.

The religious elite, perceiving Jesus to be a threat to their authority over the people, begin to challenge him at every turn, while a nonplussed Jesus continues to do all that the prophets of old foretold that the savior , the Messiah would one day come to do:

“The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor ” ( Matthew 11:5 ).

While the language is clean throughout, and there is no overt sexual imagery, aside from a brief flashback to Adam and Eve , and this only from the shoulders up (nudity implied), the strongest visuals were in the violence category. Roman soldiers are seen beating the populace and killing with swords (mostly bloodless) and only once did you see, in silhouette form, a sword enter and leave a man, accompanied by blood splattering.

Pontius Pilate , sparing gladiator style, appears to have killed his opponent, Peter is seen slicing the ear off a man assisting in the arrest of Jesus, and a man hangs himself. A lamb’s throat is slit for a Passover sacrifice , and blood is shown. A child is crushed by an overturned cart, and there is, of course, the beatings, torture and crucifixion of our Lord Jesus. Jesus is beaten by fists, slapped, spat upon, whipped, forced to wear a crown made of thorns and finally nailed, through his hands and feet, to the very cross he carried for us, his very creation. Parents should definitely exercise caution with regards to small children.

What works and what doesn’t?

The last third of the movie, focusing on Jesus’ death and resurrection , is the most riveting and moving part of the movie. The rest of the film is less so, and I think this is for several very evident reasons.

First, many of scenes are done vignette style, no more than a few minutes in length. The miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead could not have been more than 3 minutes in length before it faded to black, a technique used often and usually without fanfare or John’s narration, which was sorely missed at times.

Second, for a movie largely on the ministry of Jesus Christ it surprisingly featured only a few of the many miracles he actually performed, and those that were contained (i.e., feeding of the 5,000, resurrection of Lazarus , walking on water, healing of the ear Peter cut off) were often too brief to be fully appreciated.

Third, an inordinate amount of artistic license is used throughout the production such as the misattribution of lines from one person to the next. This is especially hard to rationalize when things Jesus clearly said are instead delivered by a disciple or on another occasion a clandestine supporter of Jesus, the Pharisee Nicodemus (Simon Kunz), is seen verbally accosting Jesus in public when actually others had done the challenging. Then there are also many instances of misquotes, such as when the film has Jesus saying, “I am the way and the truth and the love” when it actually is “…and the LIFE” ( John 14:6 ). There are no interpretations of the Bible that can account for these errors.

Lastly, there is non-biblical dialog that both average believers and Biblical scholars would be hard pressed to believe—Jesus saying John the Baptist was the “greatest teacher” he ever knew, Nicodemus calling Jesus “clever” in a condescending way, a fellow disciple asking Peter where he was after the arrest, since he was supposed to be the “rock” or, to mention just one more, when John closes the film by saying that “…with Peter as our leader” they went out to the whole world.

Perhaps these issues are mainly the concern of Christians who are intimately familiar with the Scriptures , but I can’t help but think that anyone being exposed to the Gospels for the first time through this film may get confused by such inconsistencies once they dive into the true, and proven infallible WORD of God , and there was no need for this.

A case can be made that “The Son of God,” especially during the final act, at the very least makes us mindful for a little while of worthier things ( Philippians 4:8 ), but, unfortunately, the film feels out of place in a theater and is better suited to the small screen.

Its fast and loose treatment of the source material may work well with those unfamiliar with the Gospel , but seasoned Christians may feel uncomfortable with both its numerous inaccuracies and factual errors , and come away asking themselves why the producers felt they needed to “improve” on the truth . I know I did.

Violence: Heavy / Profanity: None / Sex/Nudity: Minor

Producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett do not embrace the worldview of Bible-believing, born-again followers of Christ, but rather New Age Roman Catholicism:

NEW AGE BELIEFS —Roma Downey “graduated from the University of Santa Monica [a private school founded by New Age author Roger Delano Hinkins, aka John-Roger Hinkins ] with a Master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology ” [Source: Patricia Harty, “ What Are You Like? Roma Downey ,” Irish America (October/November 2013)]. The school is part of the MSIA (Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness) (see: Christian Research Institute statement about MSIA). Downey enthusiastically endorsed the school president’s (H. Ronald Hulnick) New Age book Loyalty To Your Soul: The Heart of Spiritual Psychology .
PSYCHIC MEDIUM (see: familiar spirit )—Downey appeared on psychic medium John Edward’s “ Crossing Over ” TV séance show to allegedly talk to her dead mother through Edward (first broadcast April 9, 2002). Downey also collaborated with Edward on his book Practical Praying: Using the Rosary to Enhance Your Life accompanied by a CD featuring Roma Downey explaining and demonstrating her style of rosary prayer— Google search results ).
ROMAN CATHOLICISM —Roma Downey: “We’re members of Our Lady of Malibu… I began my lifelong devotion to Mary, the Mother of God. …I have a wonderful loving relationship with Mary as part of my daily prayer routine. …” [Source: Peggy Bowes, “ Angels, Smiles, and Saints: An Interview With Roma Downey ,” Catholic Lane (November 3, 2011)]

REVIEW OF BIBLICAL ACCURACY

Reviewed by: Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell ANSWERS IN GENESIS , a Team Member of ChristianAnswers.Net

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God , and the Word was God. He was in the beginning” ( John 1:1–2 ). These words open John’s Gospel . By opening the feature film “Son of God” also with these words, 1 filmmakers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey declare their intent to portray the life of the eternally existent Son of God , Jesus Christ .

Fully God, the Son of God became fully man. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” ( John 1:14 ), the Apostle John goes on to tell us in the film. The opening scenes rightly review the truth that the Son of God was busy in the affairs of man throughout the Old Testament. By coming into the world as a human being, Jesus Christ became the ultimate way in which God the Father communicated His love to mankind ( John 3:16 ; Hebrews 1:1–2 ).

Sadly, however, after this powerful beginning, the film fails to ever make it clear just why Jesus came and why He died .

Bible “Stories”

Gentle Jesus meek and mild Here’s a Bible story for your little child.

Here I make a play on the Charles Wesley hymn , which connects the character of Jesus to His identity as the Lamb of God, who according to John 1:29 takes away the sin of the world, and to His transforming grace . This movie shows us the meek and mild Jesus, but fails to make the connection to sin , repentance , and salvation .

To many people, the word “story” implies “fairy tale,” but the Bible is not a book of fairy tales, and its historical accounts should never be presented as such. Bible “stories”—by which we mean literary adaptations of biblical history —are fine insofar as they portray the people and events described in the Bible as real and historical; this film does that. The best Bible “stories” do not alter biblical facts; unfortunately, this one does present some facts inaccurately, though not much more than most such films. But Bible “stories” fall short when they selectively leave out the parts of the biblical history that carry the Bible’s theological message, the essential truths and teachings—most unfortunately, that describes this rather Pollyanna-version of the life of Christ.

Each family has to decide how much dramatic license it is willing to tolerate in a “Bible movie.” Historical inaccuracies, though few, range from the minor to the major. One significant error involves cinematic Peter’s immediate insight as to the nature of Christ’s Resurrection as not only a “disappearing body” but a Resurrection to a life that would make Him ever-present with His followers. The real Peter and John , finding the tomb empty ( John 20:3–10 ), believed the body was gone, but remained somewhat confused ( John 20:9 ) until Jesus later surprised them by appearing to them in a locked room. The cinematic Peter, however, instantly knows that the empty tomb means Jesus is not merely gone but instead exclaims, “He’s back!” Then rushing to the helm of apostolic leadership—rather than awaiting personal encounters with the risen Lord as the Bible records—cinematic Peter, by administering the Lord’s supper (“This is My body… this is My blood”) to his fellow disciples, almost magically conjures Jesus’ first appearance to them.

Historically accurate aspects of “Son of God” include its portrayal of the fact that the Jewish people of the time wanted a political-military messianic figure. Most failed to understand the sort of Messiah God had sent them. This historical misunderstanding shows itself clearly after the feeding of the 5,000 when, having eaten the miraculously provided meal, the crowd clamored to make Him king ( John 6:15 ). But while the failure of both the people and the Jewish leaders to be satisfied with God’s Messiah is depicted, the fact that Jesus Christ came to save people from theirs sins —sins that otherwise would doom every one of us to hell for eternity —is missing as much in the film as in the miniseries that aired last year.

Gaps in the Gospel

Largely cobbled together from The Bible miniseries that showed in six parts on the History Channel last year, “Son of God,” as a full-length feature film focusing just on the Earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, had the opportunity to make the message of the gospel clearer, but really added nothing that would do so. Thus Son of God ’s main weakness is not so much the dramatic license it takes with the actual history; the film’s weakness is in what is missing—the gospel .

If the producers only wished to film a good story, that would have been okay. After all, the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ really make a wonderful narrative, made all the more wonderful because it is true. But the producers have declared their wish that the movie and the miniseries would reach many people with the Word of God . Films can do that, and—while I hope this one does—I fear that Biblically illiterate viewers will see nothing in the movie to help them understand how Jesus’ death should benefit them . Though grossing well at the box office, it remains nothing more than a fairly incomplete depiction of Christ as a happy, smiling, wandering miracle worker that made some downtrodden people feel good about themselves.

By comparison, the 1979 “Jesus” film set out to film a life of Christ strictly from the Gospel of Luke . That film retained the gospel message and included a narration at the end to make sure viewers understood what the death and Resurrection of Jesus had to do with their eternal destiny. As a result, the “ Jesus ” film, distributed through the Jesus Film Project, continues today to be a valuable tool in the hands of missionaries around the world.

“Son of God”, by contrast, left me wondering if I would have had a clue why the Son of God bothered to get born into this world or why He died on the Cross if I had not already learned from the Bible that I am a sinner and been saved by repenting and trusting in the grace made available to me because Jesus carried my sin and guilt to the Cross ( 2 Corinthians 5:21 ).

As with The Bible miniseries , there are some gaps in the gospel message of “Son of God”. We hear that Jesus is “ the way , the truth , and the life,” but we don’t learn that “no one comes to the Father except through Me” ( John 14:6 ). Jesus announces at the Last Supper , “This is My body … This is My blood ,” and He commands them to repeat these actions in remembrance of Him ( 1 Corinthians 11:25–26 ). However, the filmed dialog leaves out the reason His blood was about to be shed: “This is My blood of the new covenant , which is shed for many for the remission of sins ” ( Matthew 26:28 , emphasis added). Thus the fact that Jesus Christ’s shed blood provides the only way ( Acts 4:12 ; John 14:6 ; 1 Timothy 2:5–6 ) to satisfy justice , atone for sin , and reconcile us to God ( Romans 5:8–11 ; 2 Corinthians 5:18 ) will not be clear to movie-goers who are not already familiar with the gospel . Instead of going to the Bible, a Bible-believing friend, or Bible-teaching church to find out the whole truth, they may simply just wonder why this sort of Jesus is such a big deal and why the film claims He has changed the world.

Power to Change Lives

Truly, I cannot find fault with a movie for simply leaving out some of the things that Jesus did, but I find great fault with this film because its omissions distort the central purpose of Christ in coming into the world . The Bible itself records only a selection of teaching and events, as John 21:25 clearly states, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” But the teachings, miracles , and events recorded in each Gospel account in the Bible present a complete picture of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior , full of both grace and truth ( John 1:14 ) about how sinful each person is and how much in need of redemption . The Apostle John , under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit , also writes in his Gospel, “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples , which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ , the Son of God , and that believing you may have life in His name” ( John 20:30–31 ). But the Gospel accounts in the Bible nevertheless do present a balanced account of Jesus’s life, teachings, and post-Resurrection appearances.

But we must surely find fault when a film about the Son of God fails to drive home His mission of coming to seek and save the lost ( Luke 19:9–10 ), calling them to repent and believe in the gospel ( Mark 1:14–15 ). Those who see this film with their unbelieving friends need to be prepared to use the Bible to fill in the gaps in the anemic representation of the gospel and correct the many errors if they wish to use the film to make an eternal difference.

The opening narration begins, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. He was there in Paradise with Adam and Eve . He was there with Noah in the great Flood …” and goes on to note the presence of the Son of God with Abraham , Moses , and David . The opening narration connects the Old Testament to the Incarnation of Jesus, saying, “In the struggle for the Promised Land He was always by our side. He was the Light shining in the darkness . Then He came into the world. ‘A star shall come out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of Israel ’ [quoting from the prophecy in Numbers 24:17 ]. ‘The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us’ [from John 1:14 ].”

REVIEW OF HISTORICAL, BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL ACCURACY

Reviewed by: Justin Peters, Th.M. JUSTIN PETERS MINISTRIES

This review will pertain to matters of historical and theological biblical accuracy. I have seen the movie once and did my best to take notes on as much as I possibly could. What follows is not—by a long shot—a comprehensive list of the problems with “Son of God” but does hit some of the more egregious ones.

Peter, let’s change the world!

The problems with the movie began with the very first scene. The opening scene is that of Jesus calling Peter as his disciple . The biblical account records Jesus calling both Peter and Andrew his brother at the Sea of Galilee followed shortly thereafter with James and John ( Matthew 4:18-22 ).

In the movie, it is only Peter who is called. This is the first of what, I believe, are many nods to the Roman Catholic Church and its heretical theology.

The Jesus character, played by Diogo Morgado, waded out into the water toward Peter in his boat and Peter pulled him in. Jesus said, “Just give me an hour and I will give you a whole new life” to which Peter replied, “Who says I want one?” Jesus said “I’m giving you the chance to change your life.” “What are we going to do?” asked Peter. Jesus answered, “Change the world.”

Firstly, none of these statements is in Scripture . The statement Jesus actually did make, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” ( Matt. 4:19 ) was left out entirely. Notice, too, the horizontal nature of the statements from the Jesus character in the film: “I’m giving you the chance to change your life” and “change the world.” This reflects the entire tone of the film. It is horizontally rather than vertically oriented. Rather than focusing on the Person and work of Jesus reconciling sinful man to the righteous and holy God, the movie is focused on meeting people’s and society’s “felt” needs. This is not surprising given that the men chosen by Burnett and Downey to be the film’s theological advisers are the seeker-sensitive Rick Warren and Word-Faith preachers Joel Osteen and T.D. Jakes, the latter of whom is anti-Trinitarian.

In an interview Burnett and Downey did with Oprah Winfrey , the latter refers to the main character, Diogo Morgado, as “hot Jesus,” in reference to what some, apparently, believe to be his good looks. As I watched the movie, I was struck by how warm and fuzzy the Jesus character was. Almost touchy-feely. He struck me as, well, a hippie. And so rather than referring to him as Jesus, which I am most uncomfortable doing, I will heretofore refer to him as Hippie Jesus.

Tax Collector and his Blessed Life Now

The ordering of events in this movie is the chronological equivalent of a game of Pickup Sticks. The events of nearly every scene were either out of order or spliced together with portions of completely separate events . The account of Matthew , the tax collector, being called ( Matt. 9:9-13 ) is just one such example. In the film, Hippie Jesus calls Matthew to be his disciple . As the scene closed, Hippie Jesus paraphrases the real Jesus’ statement from a totally separate event recorded in Luke 18:9-14 , specifically, that of the Pharisee and the tax collector.

The Bible records the unnamed tax collector (erroneously identified as Matthew in the film) as humbling himself, acknowledging his sin , and crying to God for mercy . Jesus said of this man that he “went to his house justified ” ( Luke 18:14 ). Hippie Jesus said of Matthew, “God blessed the tax collector, not the Pharisee.” Not only is this a mangling and juxtaposition of biblical events, notice the horizontal bent. The takeaway from the scene in the movie is not that the tax collector went away justified before a holy God as the real Jesus clearly stated, but that he was simply “blessed.”

Mary, Mary Bold and Daring

Mary Magdalene was prominently featured in the film. She is depicted as being in the boat with the other disciples as Hippie Jesus calls Peter to walk on the water. She rebukes and corrects the other male disciples (So much for the Apostle Paul’s Holy Spirit inspired directive of 1 Timothy 2:12 ). She is at the crucifixion scene and is the only one brave enough to defend (Hippie) Jesus. She is also the first at the scene at the empty tomb. Seemingly, her faith is stronger, and she is bolder than anyone else—even the “first Pope” Peter! (Tongue solidly in cheek here. Roman Catholics, of course, believe Peter to be the first Pope .)

Lazarus—I’m Coming!

The scene of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead was really odd. Rather than standing outside of the tomb and calling Lazarus to come forth, our cinematic hero walks into the tomb with Lazarus, stands behind him, and kisses him on the head (which, to be honest, I found to be more than a bit creepy). Lazarus then opens his eyes, stands up, and hugs his sister, Martha . The triumphant trio proceed to walk out to greet the cheering crowd.

Nicodemus, pay your taxes.

The account of Jesus being questioned by the Pharisees and Herodians as to whether or not Jews should pay taxes to Caesar is recorded by all three synoptic gospels . Jesus responded by calling them hypocrites ( Matthew 22:18 ). In the movie, it is Nicodemas who asks Jesus the question. Nicodemas ? Really?

Omniscient? Not so much.

One of the oddities of this film is that on several occasions Hippie Jesus was surprised. He seemed to have premonitions throughout the film of future events. During his triumphal entry into Jerusalem , Hippie Jesus had a sudden and startling premonition of his coming crucifixion. It was as if up until that moment he had no idea what lay ahead of him. Nevermind that Matthew 20:17-19 records Jesus prophesying His own death specifically by crucifixion before His triumphal entry into Jerusalem recorded in the next chapter. Jesus repeatedly prophesied His own death. See Matthew 26:1‐2 ; Mark 8:31‐33 ; 9:30‐32 ; Luke 9:22‐27 ; 18:31‐34 . He alluded to it in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16 and several times in John’s gospel between chapters 13‐17 .

Hippie Jesus had another premonition, this one interrupting the Last Supper . The meal which up to this point had been joyful and seemingly carefree was suddenly interrupted when he had a vision of Judas betraying him into the hands of the Romans. Judas then did so, but did so reluctantly and only after Hippie Jesus talked him into it. His final premonition came just before His arrest. Peter assured Hippie Jesus that he would not fall away. Greatly relieved, Hippie Jesus enthusiastically embraced him in gratitude. His relief was short-lived, however, as during the embrace he had a premonition of his upcoming denial.

The portrayal of Christ being startled by these premonitions is not only adding to Scripture what is not there, but it also strongly insinuates that He was not omniscient . This is an attack on the Second Person of the Triune God . As the God-Man , Jesus retained all attributes of His deity even though He was incarnate . All of God’s attributes are essential to His nature. One of these attributes is His omniscience. To portray Jesus as lacking omniscience is to detract from the biblical doctrine of His deity. Jesus affirmed His omniscience in John 16:30-31 . Some take Jesus’ statement in Matthew 24:36 as an indication that while incarnate He did not possess omniscience. Caution should be taken here, however, as such a position would contradict Jesus’ affirmation of His omniscience in John 16:30‐31 . A full treatment of this statement is far beyond the scope of this work, but suffice it to say that rather than Jesus not possessing omniscience, He, on occasion, voluntarily emptied Himself of His divine prerogative simply to exercise some of His attributes.

Destruction of the Temple—a Bedtime Story

One of the more bizarre scenes in the movie is its portrayal of Jesus pronouncement of judgment on the Temple and its accompanying corrupt religion. In Mark 13:1-2 , Jesus walked out of the Temple and prophesied that “Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.” This prophecy was literally and dramatically fulfilled in AD 70 when the Romans laid waste to Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple.

In the movie, Hippie Jesus is indeed walking out of the Temple, but as he makes this pronouncement of judgment he stoops down to a smiling 4 or 5 year old little girl and playfully pokes her in her tummy. The juxtaposition of such a playful and lighthearted demeanor with what was in reality a very grave and serious pronouncement of coming judgment was truly surreal.

The Crucifixion—Robert Schuller Style

In the movie, Hippie Jesus is carrying his cross on the way to Golgatha. As he progresses, his mother, Mary , falls down beside him in anguish. Hippie Jesus says to her, “Don’t be afraid. Everything is possible with God.”

Not only is this event foreign to the biblical record, it greatly diminishes the meaning of the cross. Absent from the film is any mention of the heinousness and gravity of sin . Any consequences of sin are portrayed as merely horizontal with no eternal perspective. Hippie Jesus’ words to Mary in this scene instantly reminded me of Robert Schuller’s theology of Possibility Thinking. Schuller holds that the Gospel is not about receiving the imputed righteousness of Christ through repentance and faith but rather about enhancing one’s self-esteem.

Only Way to the Father? Let’s Just Not Bother.

One of the distinguishing doctrines of biblical Christianity is that there is one Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus ( 1 Tim. 2:5 ) and that there is salvation in no one else (Acts 4:12). This bedrock and non-negotiable truth is conspicuously absent from “The Son of God” movie.

After the resurrection, but before their knowledge of it, Peter is portrayed as leading communion for the other disciples. As Peter is breaking bread and saying, “This is my body which is broken for you,” (nope, this isn’t in the Bible either—just in case you were wondering) Hippie Jesus appears behind him and says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Period. Period! He conveniently and oh-so pluralistically left out the true Jesus’ immediately following words, “No man comes to the Father but by Me” ( John 14:6 ).

There could be no legitimate reason for leaving out such a clear statement of the exclusivity of Christ other than this exclusivity is one of the chief complaints against biblical Christianity. The world says that it is not “loving” to make such exclusive claims to Truth when the biblical reality is that the most loving thing we can do is to tell people the Truth. If Mark Burnett and Roma Downey love Jesus and people as they claim, then why did they not love them enough to tell them this? Why did they not love, for example, Hindus enough to tell them that Jesus is not just another god to add to their many, but the only God through Whom they can be saved from eternal wrath? It’s not like Mark and Roma did not know the next line. They knew it. They just chose not to include it.

If you truly want to show people love, tell them the truth. If you want to show someone hatred, see that they are in error, know the truth, but say nothing about it.

Other Concerns

The above list is far, far from a comprehensive list of the biblical and theological errors of this film. The account of the woman caught in adultery , the feeding of the 5000, Jesus reading from Isaiah 61 , His instruction to “Turn the other cheek,” His statement regarding John the Baptist , the (partial) quotation of John 3:16 , etc., etc. were all riddled with errors. There was literally not a single scene in the entire production that was without glaring issues. Some will say that there is nothing wrong with taking artistic license in making a movie. I would agree with that—depending upon the subject matter.

The Psalmist, David , says of God, “You have exalted above all things Your Name and Your Word” ( 138:2 , ESV). God has exalted His Name and His Word not above some things or many things—above all things. It is simply not possible to overstate how seriously He takes them. If someone wants to make a modern rendition of say, John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath or Herman Melville’s Moby Dick or any other work of secular literature, hey, I’m good with that. Knock yourself out.

But that is not the case here. The subject matter here is God’s full revelation of Himself to us, the God-Man Jesus Christ. The Alpha and Omega . The only Creator and Savior . Dear ones, we are not at liberty to take artistic (and theological) license with such things . They are too sacred. Too holy.

Let’s suppose, for the sake of argument, that this movie had been produced not by New Age Roman Catholics, but rather by Bible-believing Christians and that the man playing the role of Jesus was the very best actor with the very best of intentions. Let’s further suppose that we were to go see this movie in the theater and have Jesus Christ Himself walk in and occupy the seat next to us. I cannot imagine a scenario in which after the closing credits rolled and the lights came back on that the real Jesus would say, “You know, that guy got it right. He did real justice to Me, truly understands what I experienced, and accurately portrayed Me to a watching world.” Can you?

It’s a Small World After All

Even if you’ve never been to Disney World, chances are you know the theme song to one of the park’s most well known and beloved attractions, “It’s A Small World.” Chances are that simply by reading the above heading you have the song playing in your mind right now. It is one of those songs that, once stuck in your head, is notoriously and irritatingly hard to get out. Media is powerful.

One of the great dangers of this film is that for those who go into it thinking that they are about to view an accurate portrayal of the Son of God (this is, after all, how many evangelical celebrities have described it), for many of them, what they see becomes their picture of Christ. For them Hippie Jesus is how they picture the real Jesus. This is tragic and has, potentially, eternal consequences.

I tell people often in my preaching and teaching that it is not enough to believe in Jesus. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in Jesus. Mormons believe in Jesus. Even Muslims believe in Jesus. The problem, though, is that they do not believe in the right Jesus. We must believe in the right Jesus. We must believe in the Jesus of the Bible. We must trust in the finished work of the real Jesus on the cross and repent from sins in order to have the righteous wrath of God removed from and the righteousness of the risen Christ imputed to our accounts. The Son of God film creates in our minds a different Jesus than the Jesus of the Bible. It creates an image of a false god in our minds and, therefore, is perilously close to—if not outright—violating the second commandment ( Exodus 20:4-6 ). If we trust in a different Jesus then we are trusting in a different gospel and a different gospel does not save ( Gal 1:6-9 ).

Concluding Thoughts

Mark Burnett and Roma Downey claim that they desired to make a movie honoring the Son of God, but, by distorting His character, taking Him out of context, and omitting His claims of exclusivity, they have not honored Him at all ; they have denied Him. Let’s keep in mind, though, that Burnett and Downey are New Age Roman Catholics and, as such, are not regenerate. Their minds have been blinded by the god of this age ( 2 Cor. 4:4 ). They cannot see what they cannot see. God must reveal the Truth to them. Let us pray for their genuine conversion.

What is more troubling to me than the movie itself is that evangelical leaders who claim to believe in the authority and sufficiency of Scripture have so heartily endorsed it. That Word-Faith preachers such as T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, and Paula White endorse it should be no surprise. Though it certainly does not surprise me that Rick Warren endorsed it, he at least claims to be a preacher of the true Gospel. Rick Warren went so far as to say of the film, “Skip church and go see it. It is that important.”

About halfway through the film I began to wonder what my reaction would be if this had been a movie about my wife. I began to wonder what my reaction would be if Kathy was the main character, and she was misrepresented and her words distorted. I would not have stood for it. I would not have just remained silent. Why, then, would I remain silent given that it was not my wife but my Savior being disparaged on the silver screen for the consumption of the undiscerning masses? And so, I did not.

When the movie came to its merciful end and the lights came on, I stood up and turned to face the crowd (I was sitting at the front and so everyone was behind me). I said, “Ladies and gentlemen, may I please have your attention?” Every head in the theater turned and people stared at me. I went on to explain to them that they just saw a movie in which Jesus was grossly misrepresented and His teachings twisted beyond recognition. I said, “Please do not think that you just saw the Jesus of the Bible in this movie, because you did not. What you just saw was a different Jesus with a different gospel. ” I went on to present the true Gospel to them. I talked about sin , the wrath of God and the absolute necessity for genuine repentance . I said that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. I ended by saying, “Please do not think you will find the true Jesus in this movie or any other movie. If you want to know the true Jesus, please, please go home and read your Bibles. There and only there will you find Him.”

I guess I spoke for 3-4 minutes or so. I noticed that as I spoke the vast majority of people looked like deer in headlights just watching me in stunned silence. A few, though, were nodding their heads in agreement. For just a few, it seemed that what I was saying was resonating with their hearts and minds.

I relate this to you not to lift myself up as some courageous Christian. Not at all. I only did what I was supposed to do. My conscience was so violated by this film that for me to do anything less would have been sin. I did it because it was right thing to do. James 4:17 states,

“Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Any decent husband would have defended his wife and so why would we not likewise defend our Savior?

This movie, like its theatrical predecessor of a decade ago, is being billed as one of the greatest evangelistic tools of all time. Dear friends, I would submit to you that it is the Word of God empowered by God’s Holy Spirit that is the greatest evangelistic tool of all time. Movies such as this undoubtedly move us and tug on our heart strings, but they are the theological equivalent of a sugar rush . They give us a brief emotional high but then leave us to come crashing back down.

Recall the account in Luke 16 of the rich man languishing in the place of torment begging Father Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his five brothers back on Earth not to come to this place. Abraham responded, “They have Moses and the prophets . Let them hear them.” The rich man retorted, “No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, then they will believe!” Abraham said, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.” In other words, if the rich man’s brothers will not respond to the written authoritative Word of God, they will not respond even if someone were to come to them from the dead.

This movie is, in my estimation, a reflection of the pitiful state to which we as professing believers have slid. We seem to yearn for Hollywood to somehow validate our theology and values. It’s as if we are saying to the world, “See, Jesus really is cool, and we really aren’t kooks! See how popular these films are?” We are like the kid on the playground who nobody wants on his team but desperately desires to be included. Pitiful. Why do we need validation from a lost world and depraved culture that is warring against God? We are the redeemed of the Most High God empowered by His Holy Spirit. Why is it that we seem to get so excited and worked up over a theologically and biblically inept Hollywood production when we have the Alpha and Omega as our Head?

There is an inherent power in the word of God—the Bible —that is found nowhere else. Not in movies, not in passion plays, not in skits, and certainly not in church services which pander to the supposed “felt needs” of the lost. We have traded in the big guns of Scripture for the spitballs of visual entertainment. The Apostle Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” ( Rom. 1:16 ). If you truly want to see the power of God unleashed, take the Gospel as it is read in and preached from the Bible out to a lost world and trust the Holy Spirit to convict of sin , righteousness , and judgment . Trust Him to bring life to the spiritually dead. That, dear ones, is the power of God.

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers .

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Review: ‘Son of God’ takes on epic proportions effectively

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In the beginning was the Bible. The Bible begat the History Channel’s “The Bible” miniseries. Now “The Bible” has begotten the movie “Son of God,” which is essentially the second half of the miniseries, the New Testament, recut to feature length.

The film emphasizes spectacle and slights the teachings and parables of Jesus, played by Diogo Morgado. But to its credit, “Son of God” proves more than a mere watered-down “The Passion of the Christ.”

The epic proportions of the miniseries hold up well on the big screen, save for the digitally composed establishing shots of Jerusalem. Whereas some editing patterns and musical cues in “The Bible” evoked co-producer Mark Burnett’s reality-TV juggernaut “Survivor” (a show not without its own heavy religious symbolism), film composers Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe have changed their tune here quite a bit to cinematic effect.

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The commendable color-blind casting of the miniseries was undone by the kerfuffle over the resemblance between its Satan (Mohamen Mehdi Ouazanni) and President Obama. “Son of God” has excised the character altogether, effectively squashing the controversy.

Still, the film can be best analogized as the “Bible” equivalent of a “Survivor” midseason clip show. John the Apostle (Sebastian Knapp) narrates the proceedings like “Survivor” host Jeff Probst would.

If “The Bible” was CliffsNotes for the Scriptures, “Son of God” is the cheat sheet. The two-hour film condenses about four hours of what already was hasty television, and it all winds up a little dramatically static.

-------------------------

‘Son of God’

MPAA rating: PG-13 for intense and bloody depiction of the Crucifixion and for other violence.

Running time: 2 hours, 18 minutes.

Playing: In general release.

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From the award-winning producers of the record-breaking miniseries The Bible , Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, comes SON OF GOD, the larger-than-life story of The New Testament, to be released by 20th Century Fox on February 28, 2014. SON OF GOD is a major motion picture that brings the life of Jesus Christ to the big screen like never before.

Told with the scope and scale of an action epic, the film features powerful performances, exotic locales, dazzling visual effects and a rich orchestral score from Oscar®- winner Hans Zimmer. Award-winning actor Diogo Morgado portrays Jesus as the film spans from his humble birth through his teachings, crucifixion and ultimate resurrection.

The movie is action-packed with special effects, powerful acting, and beautiful cinematography. It marks the first major motion picture about Jesus’ life since Passion of the Christ, released ten years ago.

Dove Review

The best on-screen biblical account of the life of Jesus!

Son of God is lovingly made from start to finish. It is a warm and moving picture of the life of Jesus from the beginning to the resurrection. Producer Mark Burnett said they could not possibly film everything that happened in the gospels, so he selected certain highlights that conveyed the character and nature of Jesus as the true Son of God. This film is filled with compelling cinematography and closeups that draw the audience right into the midst of each scene.

Son Of God opens with a declaration from the book of John, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” The film reinforces that pronouncement with various events including Adam being created from the dirt, scenes of Noah and Moses leading up to the eventual telling of the story of Jesus. His birth in Bethlehem and His baptism by John the Baptist were clearly portrayed. Other moving scenes include Jesus teaching the Beatitudes, walking on the water, the feeding of the multitude, and raising Lazarus from the dead. The film treats Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on a donkey followed by the Last Supper and His betrayal with careful detail. Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and his capture through to the crucifixion are indelible reminders of His suffering and sacrifice for mankind. Of course no story of the Son of God would be complete without His resurrection.

I found myself spiritually stirred as I watched this movie. The brutality of the crucifixion reminded me of what Christ willingly endured to redeem the lost. It renewed me. The movie is filmed in Morocco with realistic scenes including incredible views of the temple in Jerusalem. It is one of those rare pictures that features stirring music, a great story, and a superb cast. The viewer will feel Mary’s pain as Roma Downey does a remarkable job portraying the mother of Jesus witnessing her son cruelly tortured and crucified. Diogo Morgado is a strong and convincing Jesus.

We recommend Son of God and award it our Faith Based Seal. There are graphically violent moments including scenes of Roman soldiers attacking the crowds and Jesus’ suffering and crucifixion. This is a movie with a message. It willl take you on a powerful, compelling and, in the end, spiritual journey.

Dove Rating Details

Several bloody scenes including a Roman sword drawing blood that is sprayed; several people are shoved and hit and beaten; the beating and whipping of Jesus as his bloody back and face are shown on screen; a crown of thorns makes Jesus bleed; the pounding of nails in Jesus’ hands and feet and his cries are realistically portrayed; man is cut with sword; man’s feet are seen after he hangs himself; boys’ bloody faces are seen; corpses are seen lying on ground; man’s ear is cut with some blood revealed but it is miraculously healed; spear thrust into Jesus’ side producing blood.

It is said a woman was caught in adultery (not shown) and Jesus forgives her.

Shirtless men and men in loin cloths.

Man spits a few times; gambling for man’s clothes.

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February 28, 2014 // Uncategorized

Movie review: 'son of god'.

By John Mulderig

Diogo Morgado stars in a scene from the movie “Son of God.” The upcoming movie should be seen as “a love story,” according to two of its executive producers, the husband-and-wife team of Mark Burnett and Roma Downey. (CNS photo/Fox)

NEW YORK (CNS) — As the first wide-release film in nearly 50 years to focus on the life of Jesus as a whole, “Son of God” (Fox) represents an epochal event for believing moviegoers.

Though not the most powerful mass media treatment of its subject — that accolade continues to belong to Franco Zeffirelli’s 1977 television miniseries “Jesus of Nazareth” — director Christopher Spencer’s reverent but uneven screen version of the Gospel story ranks as a worthy revival of the Hollywood biblical epic.

The screenwriters, led by Nic Young, find an efficient entree into their narrative by entrusting it to an aged St. John the Evangelist (Sebastian Knapp) during his exile on the island of Patmos. This is theologically helpful because the opening lines of the Beloved Disciple’s Gospel, as recited here, describe the Incarnation, a mystery without which all that follows could easily be misconstrued.

Early scenes leading up to and including the Nativity will remind at least some viewers that “Son of God” is an outgrowth of last year’s highly successful miniseries on the History cable channel series, “The Bible.” The new footage that follows is at its best in its portrayal of the events that culminated in the crucifixion of Jesus (Diogo Morgado).

Thus Judas (Joe Wredden), Caiaphas the high priest (Adrian Schiller) and Pontius Pilate (Greg Hicks) are all assigned believable motives, while Morgado succeeds in blending messianic vision with very human pain in a thoroughly compelling way — one that accords, moreover, with the scriptural account.

Catholic viewers will also appreciate the unqualified acknowledgement of St. Peter (Darwin Shaw) as the leader of the Apostles as well as scenes highlighting Mary’s (Roma Downey) closeness to her son. And, though the portrayal of the Last Supper seems somewhat noncommittal as to the meaning of the Eucharist, a rough-and-ready celebration of the sacrament is shown to be the chosen moment for the Lord’s first post-Resurrection appearance to the Twelve.

As for the ministry and preaching that precede the Passion — during which Jesus draws the disapproving attention of Simon the Pharisee (Paul Marc Davis) — there are moments that range from the moving to the awkward.

Morgado brings the requisite gravity to bear in announcing that the passage from the Prophet Isaiah he has just read aloud in Nazareth’s synagogue has now been fulfilled. But the story of Lazarus’ death and revivification is truncated — and drained of much of its impact — by the absence of any hint of Jesus’ previous friendship with him and with his mourning sisters.

Despite such shortcomings, as produced by Downey, Mark Burnett and Richard Bedser, Spencer’s picture offers some solid catechesis and an easy introduction to the Lord’s earthly biography. That’s all the more valuable given the erosion in religious literacy our society has experienced since the appearance of “Son of God’s” most recent — yet far distant — predecessor, George Stevens’ 1965 Gospel drama “The Greatest Story Ever Told.”

In that context, and despite its unflinching treatment of the Redeemer’s sufferings, “Son of God” is probably acceptable for older teens.

The film contains strong gory violence. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

– – –

Mulderig is on the staff of Catholic News Service.

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Movie Review: Son of God

The Catholic Review is the official publication of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

March 31, 2014

Arts and entertainment, movie review: ‘son of god’.

The disciple John tells the story of Jesus in the February 28-released film, “Son of God.” The film was adapted from History Channel’s recent miniseries, “The Bible.”

The film begins with an aged John (Sebastian Knapp) speaking the first few words of his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word… .”

His narration takes the audience back to Jesus’ presence in the beginning of time. Jesus was with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, with Moses when the Red Sea was parted, with the nation of Israel as they struggled for the Promised Land and with Abraham as he was chosen by God.

These moments, quickly flashing by on the screen, culminate with Jesus’ birth in the stable, as John speaks that Jesus came to dwell in the flesh.

When Mary calls her child Jesus, every wise man and shepherd visiting the stable kneels and bows down in reverence. This scene, as well as that of Peter (Darwin Shaw) and Jesus walking on water, inspire awe and wonder.

John’s narration skips ahead to the calling of the first disciples by Jesus (Diogo Morgado). This film excludes events in Jesus’ childhood, because it is, after all, being told from John’s viewpoint. And John likely didn’t have significant interaction with Jesus until he became a disciple.

The film seems to slightly sensationalize the words spoken in Jesus’ first meeting with Peter. Jesus tells Peter, “Just give me an hour and I’ll give you a whole new life.” Peter responds, “Who says I want one?”

And after Jesus has stirred the waters and overflowed Peter’s nets with fish, Jesus asks Peter to come with him, but Peter asks what they are going to do. Jesus responds, “Change the world.”

However, to both the village people and the high-and-mighty Pharisees in the film, Jesus and his disciples are changing the world. This is evident by the people’s facial expressions and physical reactions to Jesus. For the Pharisees and the Roman officials, Jesus is distastefully turning their world upside down, evidenced by their scrunched up faces and raised eyebrows. Jesus leaves them speechless.

But for the townspeople, it looks like Jesus is turning their world right side up. He calls Pharisees “hypocrites,” blesses the hated tax collectors and shows grace to an adulterous woman.

As Jesus shares the parable found in Luke 18 of the Pharisee and the tax collector praying, Matthew (Said Bey), one of the hated tax collectors, becomes overwhelmed by the grace Jesus is showing to him. His eyes flood with tears, and a look of confusion mixed with gratitude crosses his face.

As the film continues, the high priest, Caiaphas (Adrian Schiller), and a prominent Pharisee begin throwing around terms like “dangerous man,” “miracle man” and “fraud” in reference to Jesus.

It’s easy for the audience to see that the Roman officials are out of control. Scenes of Roman brutality repeatedly appear on the screen. But it’s also easy for the audience to see the chaos from the perspective of Roman officials and Pharisees: Jesus is its source. The film’s music definitely adds to the mounting tension throughout the film.

Still, the mystery lingers as to why the people began to hate Jesus as quickly as they began to follow him. This enigma is even shown through the flashback Jesus has as he carries his cross through an angry crowd of people – the very same crowd that welcomed him with shouts of “Hosanna!” and “Messiah!” not long before.

The film uses a flash forward as well as a flashback element to show the humanity of Jesus. The flash forward shows Jesus’ submission to God’s plan for his earthly life as God reveals it to him. At the Last Supper, Jesus foresees his crucifixion and betrayal by Judas (Joe Wredden).

After Judas’ betrayal in the film, Jesus isn’t just taken by the Roman officials. He’s kidnapped. Yes, the Roman officials essentially blind Jesus by pulling a black bag over his head and shoulders and drag him away, which becomes more of a comical interruption than a serious arrest.

But the seriousness of the film is quickly regained. Although the crucifixion isn’t as graphic as previous films, Jesus’ suffering is vividly displayed. It’s painful to watch as a barely recognizable Jesus hangs on the cross, blood dripping from his mouth.

The location for many scenes is set by wide, establishing shots. However, many times the wide shots lack focus or seem as though they are a still photo, rather than a recording of the city from afar. Special effects, such as a storm rolling in and Peter walking on water, are limited in how realistic they look.

But the acting is high quality. “Son of God” gives its audience a chance to understand the men and women of the Bible. People we’ve read about but never seen become people that really lived as the film gives us a glimpse into their lives. We see their dress and their expressions. We hear their voices speaking the familiar words we’ve read. We see their humanity.

In the end, the film as a whole leaves out more details than it adds to the familiar New Testament story. But what is captured in the 2-hour, 18-minute film does not hinder the Gospel presentation. It is evident that every frame of the film was inspired by the truth of the Bible, and that this film has been produced to take God’s Word to the lost.

And that, in the midst of today’s Hollywood culture, must get two thumbs up.

Anna Dembowski is a sophomore journalism major and assistant campus news editor for Cedars. She likes nearly anything that is the color purple and enjoys spelling the word “agathokakological.”

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Despite shortcomings, film treatment of ‘Son of God’ is solid

Share this story

By John Mulderig • Catholic News Service • Posted February 28, 2014

NEW YORK (CNS) — As the first wide-release film in nearly 50 years to focus on the life of Jesus as a whole, “Son of God” (Fox) represents an epochal event for believing moviegoers.

(Watch the trailer below.)

In that context, and despite its unflinching treatment of the Redeemer’s sufferings, “Son of God” is probably acceptable for older teens.

Mulderig is on the staff of Catholic News Service.

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Movie Reviews

Movie Review: Son of God

While the movie Son of God is not able to present all that Jesus did, its omissions distort the central purpose of Christ in coming into the world.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning” (John 1:1–2). These words open John’s Gospel. By opening the feature film Son of God also with these words, 1 filmmakers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey declare their intent to portray the life of the eternally existent Son of God , Jesus Christ.

Sadly, however, after this powerful beginning, the film fails to ever make it clear just why Jesus came and why He died.

Bible “Stories”

Gentle Jesus meek and mild Here’s a Bible story for your little child.

Here I make a play on the Charles Wesley hymn , which connects the character of Jesus to His identity as the Lamb of God, who according to John 1:29 takes away the sin of the world, and to His transforming grace. This movie shows us the meek and mild Jesus but fails to make the connection to sin , repentance, and salvation.

Son of God’s main weakness is not so much the dramatic license it takes; the film’s weakness is in what is missing—the gospel.

To many people the word “story” implies “fairy tale,” but the Bible is not a book of fairy tales and its historical accounts should never be presented as such. Bible “stories”—by which we mean literary adaptations of biblical history —are fine insofar as they portray the people and events described in the Bible as real and historical; this film does that. The best Bible “stories” do not alter biblical facts; unfortunately, this one does present some facts inaccurately, though not much more than most such films. But Bible “stories” fall short when they selectively leave out the parts of the biblical history that carry the Bible ’s theological message, the essential truths and teachings—most unfortunately, that describes this rather Pollyanna-version of the life of Christ.

Each family has to decide how much dramatic license it is willing to tolerate in a “Bible movie.” Historical inaccuracies, though few, range from the minor to the major. One significant error involves cinematic Peter’s immediate insight as to the nature of Christ’s Resurrection as not only a “disappearing body” but a Resurrection to a life that would make Him ever-present with His followers. The real Peter and John, finding the tomb empty ( John 20:3–10 ), believed the body was gone but remained somewhat confused ( John 20:9 ) until Jesus later surprised them by appearing to them in a locked room. The cinematic Peter, however, instantly knows that the empty tomb means Jesus is not merely gone but instead exclaims, “He’s back!” Then rushing to the helm of apostolic leadership—rather than awaiting personal encounters with the risen Lord as the Bible records—cinematic Peter, by administering the Lord’s supper (“This is My body . . . this is My blood”) to his fellow disciples, almost magically conjures Jesus ’s first appearance to them.

Historically accurate aspects of Son of God include its portrayal of the fact that the Jewish people of the time wanted a political-military messianic figure. Most failed to understand the sort of Messiah God had sent them. This historical misunderstanding shows itself clearly after the feeding of the 5,000 when, having eaten the miraculously provided meal, the crowd clamored to make Him king ( John 6:15 ). But while the failure of both the people and the Jewish leaders to be satisfied with God ’s Messiah is depicted, the fact that Jesus Christ came to save people from theirs sins—sins that otherwise would doom every one of us to hell for eternity—is missing as much in the film as in the miniseries that aired last year.

Gaps in the Gospel

Largely cobbled together from The Bible miniseries that showed in six parts on the History Channel last year, Son of God , as a full-length feature film focusing just on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, had the opportunity to make the message of the gospel clearer but really added nothing that would do so. Thus Son of God ’s main weakness is not so much the dramatic license it takes with the actual history; the film’s weakness is in what is missing—the gospel .

If the producers only wished to film a good story, that would have been okay. After all, the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ really make a wonderful narrative, made all the more wonderful because it is true. But the producers have declared their wish that the movie and the miniseries would reach many people with the Word of God . Films can do that, and—while I hope this one does—I fear that biblically illiterate viewers will see nothing in the movie to help them understand how Jesus ’s death should benefit them. Though grossing well at the box office, it remains nothing more than a fairly incomplete depiction of Christ as a happy smiling wandering miracle worker that made some downtrodden people feel good about themselves.

By comparison, the 1979 Jesus film set out to film a life of Christ strictly from the Gospel of Luke. That film retained the gospel message and included a narration at the end to make sure viewers understood what the death and Resurrection of Jesus had to do with their eternal destiny. As a result, the Jesus film, distributed through the Jesus Film Project , continues today to be a valuable tool in the hands of missionaries around the world.

Son of God , by contrast, left me wondering if I would have had a clue why the Son of God bothered to get born into this world or why He died on the Cross if I had not already learned from the Bible that I am a sinner and been saved by repenting and trusting in the grace made available to me because Jesus carried my sin and guilt to the Cross ( 2 Corinthians 5:21 ).

As with The Bible miniseries , there are some gaps in the gospel message of Son of God . We hear that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life,” but we don’t learn that “no one comes to the Father except through Me” ( John 14:6 ). Jesus announces at the Last Supper, “This is My body . . . This is My blood,” and He commands them to repeat these actions in remembrance of Him ( 1 Corinthians 11:25–26 ). However, the filmed dialogue leaves out the reason His blood was about to be shed: “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins ” ( Matthew 26:28 , emphasis added). Thus the fact that Jesus Christ’s shed blood provides the only way ( Acts 4:12; John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5–6 ) to satisfy justice, atone for sin, and reconcile us to God ( Romans 5:8–11; 2 Corinthians 5:18 ) will not be clear to movie-goers who are not already familiar with the gospel . Instead of going to the Bible , a Bible -believing friend, or Bible -teaching church to find out the whole truth, they may simply just wonder why this sort of Jesus is such a big deal and why the film claims He has changed the world.

Power to Change Lives

Truly I cannot find fault with a movie for simply leaving out some of the things that Jesus did, but I find great fault with this film because its omissions distort the central purpose of Christ in coming into the world. The Bible itself records only a selection of teaching and events, as John 21:25 clearly states, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” But the teachings, miracles, and events recorded in each Gospel account in the Bible present a complete picture of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior, full of both grace and truth ( John 1:14 ) about how sinful each person is and how much in need of redemption. The Apostle John, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, also writes in his Gospel, “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” ( John 20:30–31 ). But the Gospel accounts in the Bible nevertheless do present a balanced account of Jesus ’s life, teachings, and post-Resurrection appearances.

For more information:

Jewish, Roman Leaders See Jesus as Threat
“ Did The Bible finale stick to the story? ”
The Bible on the History Channel: A Review
27 Million Viewers, What’s Next?
Good on History, Soft on Sin
History Slips, God Seems Absent
The Sequence of Christ’s Post-Resurrection Appearances
Infallible Proofs

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Son of God – Movie Review

To put the story of the life of Jesus on the big screen is no easy feat.

As the vision of award-winning co-producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, it is clear that the dynamic husband and wife team were intent on using all their powerful resources to create an epic film with the highest level of production value. From the cinematography to the Academy-worthy acting to the beautiful musical score, Downey and Burnett have given the world a gift.

Mary (Leila Mimmack) and Joseph (Joe Coen) with their young son Jesus. Photo Courtesy of LightWorkers Media.

Son of God is the most evangelistic movie ever produced for this generation. This major motion picture is authentic, exciting and resonates on an emotional level with audiences of every age.

Burnett is the esteemed producer of such top-ranked TV shows as The Voice, Shark Tank and Survivor . He was named by Time Magazine as one of the world’s most influential people. Downey is most recognized for her Emmy-nominated role as Monica in Touched By an Angel . Burnett and Downey also co-produced the record-breaking miniseries, The Bible released by 20 th Century Fox, which was seen by over a hundred million viewers.

Pilate (Greg Hicks) stands watch. Photo Courtesy of LightWorkers Media.

Filmed from beginning to end, paying special attention to detail, and giving the highest respect for the Biblical accounts, Burnett explained in a recent press release “There was no way possible to film every significant event recorded in the gospels. Therefore, we selected very specific scenes from the life of Jesus to clearly convey the character and nature of Jesus as the one, true, Son of God .”

This motion picture is the epic story of the life of Jesus Christ (portrayed brilliantly by Portuguese actor Diogo Margado) as told through the eyes and experiences of the apostle John (played by Sebastian Knapp). The very clever opening sequence features the powerful words from John 1, “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God.” The film ends with John again, reflecting over the experiences of his life as the lone-surviving disciple and recognizing the magnitude of his call to record the events of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ascension, which will one day become John’s lasting legacy.

Jesus (Diogo Morgado) feeds his followers. Photo Courtesy of LightWorkers Media.

The storyline has the unlimited depth and breadth of an action epic film. Although the cinematography is not quite to the scale of The Passion of Christ , the scenes are rich with symbolism, powerful in performance, and filled with brilliant special effects. The orchestral score from Oscar®-winner Hans Zimmer at times leaves you sitting on the edge of your seat while drawing you into the heart of the story.

The casting of Award-winning actor Diogo Morgado was brilliant. He beautifully portrays Jesus as the gentle and meek yet strong and wise Son of God. From the kindness and compassion in his eyes to the warmth and perfection of his smile, Morgado captures the very essence and character of how most of us would envision Jesus. He carries the film with a stunning performance filled with powerful emotion, charisma and a transcendent love for humanity.

The crowd watch as Lazarus (Anas Chenin) with Jesus (Diogo Morgado), Peter (Darwin Shaw) and Judas (Joe Wredden) present. Photo Courtesy of LightWorkers Media.

Peter (played by Darwin Shaw) brings authenticity to his role as he gives up everything to follow Jesus. Shaw infuses the role of Peter with rich loyalty, servitude and joy. Roma Downey does a beautiful job in the role of Mary, the mother of Jesus. At every turn Downey pulls the audience in with her compelling expression of a mother’s deep and endless love for her son. She triumphs in the role as she expresses the sheer horror and agony of witnessing her beloved son tortured, mocked and crucified. She infuses passion into the most challenging scenes with the sheer emotion of her facial expressions, eyes and the movements of her hands.

Another stroke of genius casting was Greg Hicks in the role of Pilate. Hicks gives a powerful performance as a Roman general who oozes a stone cold inner rage, and a taste for violence. Yet Hicks allows the audience to see beneath his mask and share his innermost vulnerability as he wrestles with his right to condemn Jesus.

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Son of God spans Jesus’ life as we meet him at his humble birth, then following, in somewhat quick succession, we see Jesus in the boat with Peter, restoring a paralytic, feeding the 5,000, redeeming an adulterous woman, and walking on water. One after the other we see the many miracles of Jesus come to life. Satan does not appear physically in the film yet his presence is definitely sensed in the midst of it all as he creates chaos, provokes doubt, and tempts and capitalizes on the weaknesses of mankind.

We are reminded of the depth of Jesus’ sacrifice and unending love for all mankind as we follow him through his teachings, bear witness to his crucifixion, and ultimately celebrate his resurrection. With his resurrection comes conviction yet a reason for forgiveness and a keen understanding of the gift of grace ushered in through the freedom of faith.

Jesus heals the sick. Photo Courtesy of LightWorkers Media.

Rich with symbolism, toward the end of the film, two trees are depicted as Jesus makes his way through the streets to the cross. One foreshadows the emptiness and total devastation of impending darkness while the other reflects the light of God’s glory and the promise of eternity. Paralleling the two options always on the table: one representing Heaven and the other Hell… two options but only one choice leads to salvation. We are given the free will to decide.

I highly recommend Son of God . I found myself moved spiritually and convicted to share the gospel within the depths of my soul as I watched this movie. The brutality of the crucifixion and the gravity of his grace remind me of the infinite love Jesus has for all of us. I felt renewed and redeemed by this film.

Jesus is led away by the Centurions. Photo Courtesy of LightWorkers Media.

Son of God marks the first major motion picture depicting the life of Jesus since the release ten years ago of The Passion of the Christ . It should captivate the hearts of Christian moviegoers and offer opportunity for engagement with their non-believing or unchurched friends. It carries the endorsements of such noteworthy pastors and spiritual leaders such as T. D. Jakes, Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, Samuel Rodriguez and the Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles Jose Gomez.

Mary (Roma Downey) reaches for her son. Photo Courtesy of LightWorkers Media.

Christian Worldview

Careful detail is given to the Biblical accounts in the scenes leading up to the trial and finally crucifixion of Jesus. During the scene of the impending stoning of the adulterous woman, there is an element of uncertainty and tension that hangs in the air as to the final outcome. One may choose to prepare children for this scene prior to viewing the film. Jesus picks up the stone and asks the question, “Who is without sin among you?” No stone is cast and the woman finds restoration, forgiveness, and redemption through Jesus mercy.

In the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus is betrayed with a kiss by Judas (played by Joe Wredden) the scene turns somewhat violent. Peter, in defense of Jesus, grabs his sword and severs the ear of the soldier. Blood is scene pouring from the injured soldier before Jesus places his hand over the missing ear and performs a miracle of healing.

Jesus’ family sees the crucifixion. Photo Courtesy of LightWorkers Media.

If you choose to let your children see this film, there are graphically violent moments during the scenes of Jesus’ beating leading up to his suffering and crucifixion on the cross. It is highly recommended you prepare them for the emotional magnitude of this scene as it is difficult to witness for all viewers.

For all others, this is a must-see movie with a power-packed message. Each episode is prefaced with the note, “it endeavors to stay true to the spirit of the book.” It will compel you to reflect upon your commitment to Christ, and in the end to renew your spiritual journey. It will give you a reason to engage in conversation with the unchurched and unbeliever.

Biblical Discussion

Son of God will encourage and enable ministry to happen as it provides an opportunity to reach non-believers and unchurched people for Christ. As the entire ministry of Jesus is depicted, this film invites the church in to feel and live like a disciple and the unchurched to experience Jesus’ love and grace.

All who see it should ask themselves the question, ‘Who Do You Say I Am?’ The continued growth of the media buzz and publicity over these past few weeks will attract people to theaters. It is important to prepare and be ready to engage afterward with others in conversations that lead to the cross.

Some questions to consider when discussing this movie:

What do you think about Peter’s decision to leave everything and follow Jesus?
When Jesus asked for the person without sin to throw the first stone at the adulterous woman, what went through your mind? Do you think all sin is really equal?
Was it fair for a man who never did even one thing wrong to be sentenced to death? Why do you think he went to the cross willingly?
What struck you most about Jesus words to the thief on the cross?
Why does Jesus resurrection matter so much to you and me?
Are you willing to give Jesus your heart now that you know he can and will change the course of your life for forever?

Son of God is epic, real, engaging, and life-changing. It is a must see for everyone. I encourage you to give two hours of your time to see Son of God. It will change your life!

Son of God is available on Amazon on DVD or Blu-Ray .

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