I went to see the movie Son of God this afternoon, and I enjoyed it. It was intense and powerful, but that was to be expected considering the content. I would highly recommend this to all my friends who are into movies because it is very well done. Here are some of the things I enjoyed about it.
Characters: This movie helped the viewer get to know everyone who was central to the story. The disciples were shown to be human men full of doubts, but wanting desperately to believe in Jesus and follow him. Mary was portrayed as a loving mother willing to do anything for her son. The movie even developed the characters of the villains, Caiaphas and Pilate. Both men were characterized as power hungry servants of the Roman Empire, though Caiaphas pretends otherwise. The character of Nicodemus was also well developed showing his transformation from power hungry Pharisee to truth hungry follower. Additionally, John provides narration for the story, showing his reflections on being one of the disciples.
Background: In addition to showing Jesus' birth and ministry, what's going on in the country is shown as well. It paints the scene by informing the viewer of the brutality of the Romans and the scheming of the Pharisees. The movie also shows the perceived threat posed by the people who trusted Jesus, as well as showing just what Barrabas had done to be sent to prison. A powerful scene in the movie depicts Jesus praying in the garden, Caiaphas praying in the temple and Pilate praying to his ancestors with his wife Claudia. All three were praying for guidance and wisdom, but only Jesus was seeking it for the right reasons.
Music: The score was powerful, filled with swells and drama that added depth to the mood. The music seemed a bit overbearing at times, but even at those times it worked to heighten the movie-going experience. The movie culminates with end credits mostly consisting of a montage of Jesus' life set to a haunting rendition of "Mary Did You Know" performed by CeLo Green. This song was the perfect choice to wrap up the theme of the film.
This movie is great, yes, but there are also a few cautions to consider before seeing it. I enjoyed it and think some of my friends would as well, but it isn't for everyone. Here are some things to consider before buying a ticket.
Rating: PG-13. While this means parental guidance for children under 13, I would suggest not taking any children under the age of 10. There were some young children in my screening, and they became scared and started crying. If you want to see this movie and have young children, please get a babysitter or wait until it come out on DVD. The rest of the people in the theatre will thank you.
Violence: The violence level in this movie rivals the level found in The Passion of the Christ. The difference that caused the corresponding difference in rating is that some of the violence is offscreen or implied, and there is a lot less blood. That being said, if you avoided The Passion because of violence, you should probably avoid this movie as well.
Natural Events: This movie depicts in great detail both the storm that was occurring when Jesus walked on the water and the earthquake that occurred after His death. These two events were the cause of the scared children I mentioned earlier, and were quite scary to me as well. The lightning flashes were many and bright, and the rolling waves have the potential of churning sensitive stomachs. Additionally, the shaky camera technique used to help create drama during the earthquake scene makes it almost seem as if the theatre was shaking as well. These are things that might be mitigated by watching it on a smaller screen, so waiting for the DVD might help someone who would be affected by the intensity of these scenes.
Music: Yes, the music in this movie is great, but it's also quite intense. Some of the music alone caused my heart to pound, which could be a problem for those with heart problems. Again, this is something that could be mitigated by waiting to watch it until it's on DVD.
In conclusion, Son of God is a very powerful movie that is well worth the price of admission. However, it is also quite intense, and this fact should be considered before you go out and see it. Some of the intensity might be lessened by viewing it later on a smaller screen, but it might not be as well. I feel this is a wonderful movie for any Christian to see, but you should use your best judgement in your decision to watch it.
Characters: This movie helped the viewer get to know everyone who was central to the story. The disciples were shown to be human men full of doubts, but wanting desperately to believe in Jesus and follow him. Mary was portrayed as a loving mother willing to do anything for her son. The movie even developed the characters of the villains, Caiaphas and Pilate. Both men were characterized as power hungry servants of the Roman Empire, though Caiaphas pretends otherwise. The character of Nicodemus was also well developed showing his transformation from power hungry Pharisee to truth hungry follower. Additionally, John provides narration for the story, showing his reflections on being one of the disciples.
Background: In addition to showing Jesus' birth and ministry, what's going on in the country is shown as well. It paints the scene by informing the viewer of the brutality of the Romans and the scheming of the Pharisees. The movie also shows the perceived threat posed by the people who trusted Jesus, as well as showing just what Barrabas had done to be sent to prison. A powerful scene in the movie depicts Jesus praying in the garden, Caiaphas praying in the temple and Pilate praying to his ancestors with his wife Claudia. All three were praying for guidance and wisdom, but only Jesus was seeking it for the right reasons.
Music: The score was powerful, filled with swells and drama that added depth to the mood. The music seemed a bit overbearing at times, but even at those times it worked to heighten the movie-going experience. The movie culminates with end credits mostly consisting of a montage of Jesus' life set to a haunting rendition of "Mary Did You Know" performed by CeLo Green. This song was the perfect choice to wrap up the theme of the film.
This movie is great, yes, but there are also a few cautions to consider before seeing it. I enjoyed it and think some of my friends would as well, but it isn't for everyone. Here are some things to consider before buying a ticket.
Rating: PG-13. While this means parental guidance for children under 13, I would suggest not taking any children under the age of 10. There were some young children in my screening, and they became scared and started crying. If you want to see this movie and have young children, please get a babysitter or wait until it come out on DVD. The rest of the people in the theatre will thank you.
Violence: The violence level in this movie rivals the level found in The Passion of the Christ. The difference that caused the corresponding difference in rating is that some of the violence is offscreen or implied, and there is a lot less blood. That being said, if you avoided The Passion because of violence, you should probably avoid this movie as well.
Natural Events: This movie depicts in great detail both the storm that was occurring when Jesus walked on the water and the earthquake that occurred after His death. These two events were the cause of the scared children I mentioned earlier, and were quite scary to me as well. The lightning flashes were many and bright, and the rolling waves have the potential of churning sensitive stomachs. Additionally, the shaky camera technique used to help create drama during the earthquake scene makes it almost seem as if the theatre was shaking as well. These are things that might be mitigated by watching it on a smaller screen, so waiting for the DVD might help someone who would be affected by the intensity of these scenes.
Music: Yes, the music in this movie is great, but it's also quite intense. Some of the music alone caused my heart to pound, which could be a problem for those with heart problems. Again, this is something that could be mitigated by waiting to watch it until it's on DVD.
In conclusion, Son of God is a very powerful movie that is well worth the price of admission. However, it is also quite intense, and this fact should be considered before you go out and see it. Some of the intensity might be lessened by viewing it later on a smaller screen, but it might not be as well. I feel this is a wonderful movie for any Christian to see, but you should use your best judgement in your decision to watch it.
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