VividSimon
Simply Perfect
Kaydan Christian
A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
Matylda Swan
It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.
cinephile-27690
This 7.5 hour adaptation of the Bible is nothing short of fantastic. Everyone did a great job acting and it looks great! Just don't watch it on TV because it airs a 45 minute part for 2 HOURS! If I had to criticize one thing, it would be that more stories could have been told. Joseph and the Coat, Ruth, Jonah, Esther, Gideon, etc. are among the stories they skip over-but of course they wanted to go by the basics. Very worth watching, can't say enough good things about it.
paulyork
I just finished binge-watching Season 1, which appears to be all there , thus far on Netflix, from Noah to the Crucifixion. Overall, it's worth watching. It's clearly taking a page out of The Ten Commandments in showing the miracles in Egypt, and Gibson's depiction of the Passion (excessive bloodiness and a lot of tears). It's clearly an American production in many ways, with a target audience of evangelical Christians.I noticed right off that it was racially diverse, although Jesus is portrayed as the traditional white representation, not a dark-skinned Jew. But Sampson is a black man and he is persecuted for going out with a white girl (a very civil rights interpretation). Angels often appear as black men as well, and there is one Asian angel. I believe this was to appeal to black evangelical audiences. The racial diversity was not over-played, though, and it highlighted the universality of the Gospel message.There was quite a bit of martial arts and swordplay in the series -- very Hollywood. It's a bit gory in places, perhaps too much so, and I found myself skipping past scenes with excessive violence. It's not for everyone.The biggest tip-off that this was written by and intended for evangelical audiences was the representation of Jesus as a saying that he is the Son of God -- from the Gospel of John. The other gospels are not as clear about that, and the historical record seems to indicate that Jesus regarded himself as a rabbi, not as the Messiah. Another small point: there is a lot the series skips over in Old Testament history, though I suppose that's necessary when you are dealing with so many stories. I do commend the writers for keeping the story going in an engaging, entertaining, and meaningful way. The spirit of the Bible is well portrayed. A last point: it is heavy in miracles and the supernatural. Jefferson's Bible cuts out all such miracles, focusing instead on Jesus' ethical teachings. This story, like Hollywood depictions, use CGI liberally to show miracles from God. It is an example of biblical literalism. It might have been more powerful to interpret it without such imagery, but it would have been less entertaining too. And some people's faith is based on biblical literalism, as much or more than inner spiritual transformations. However, one could also tell these stories from the vantage of rational religion, showing inner transformations. It's hard to convey this in stories, so miracles are used as representations -- but the danger is that they are then taken literally -- which for some engenders disbelief.Overall, I enjoyed it and would happily watch Season 2. I found it thought-provoking and a good way for lay audiences to engage with the Bible stories -- which in this day and age would be a good thing. I don't think secular society has done the world that much good, all things considered. The Christian message is still a good one for this world, provided it focuses on morality and nonviolence and goodness. Jesus' teachings could be an antidote for much that ails us.
kimape098
I only watched the first episode (up until the Israelites were enslaved by Egypt). I would have found how dramatic everything was amusing if I wasn't so embarrassed by the film in general.I am a Christian who believes that the bible is God's word. I respect the effort to inform the masses about the bible (which is why I am giving it a 2 instead of a 1), but I thought they made the stories they chose to tell seem almost silly.I also really wish they would have represented not only the easier to digest parts of the bible but also the difficult parts, like when Lot was going to send out his daughters to be violated by the crowds surrounding the house (one of many examples of parts of the bible that are difficult to read). Not including the difficult parts makes it seem as if the the people who made the series are embarrassed by what God chose to share with us. Just because an event is portrayed in the bible doesn't necessarily mean that God approved of the actions of the people involved, but they seemed to be deliberately hiding parts of the bible that might make people uncomfortable. I also don't like that they portrayed Abraham as someone who did almost nothing wrong. The stories seemed to glorify man too much. Overall, the episode didn't seem to portray very well that God's people are sinners who often fail to obey God and be faithful, but that God is always faithful, working things out for the good of those who love him and believe his promises. And I think the fact that the episode didn't portray this makes it misleading. It confirms the misconception that God chooses people who are good because they are good, rather than being merciful on sinners (which we all are) who want mercy.Also, this is much less important than the last point, but I saw a preview of an episode with Jesus in it, and even if they weren't going to make him look Middle Eastern like he actually was, I really wish they would have made him look like ANYONE else rather than the stereotypical pretty white Jesus with the smooth brown hair, just to acknowledge that we know Jesus didn't actually look like that. I mean it doesn't have to be a big deal who plays who, because with most bible characters it's not relevant to the story what they looked like, but that stereotypical incorrect image of Jesus is just so overused....I do not recommend this series at all, to a Christian or to anyone else. Please read the bible instead.
SnoopyStyle
This 10-part History Channel miniseries is produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey. They are the stories from the bible starting with God telling the childless Abraham to bring his wife Sarah and tribe to new lands yet revealed. The production is workmanlike in both the good and bad sense of the word. The product looks well-made if somewhat uninspired. There are no big name stars in the series. It may be both intentional as well as budgetary. The effects are as good as can be expected. The stories have been cleaned up a bit. The first glaring example is Lot who confronts the mob outside. "Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don't do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof." I understand why that has to be cut out for modern ears. So this is not a word for word reproduction which is fine by me. The end result is that this is a reasonable distillation of the Bible. It has pace. It looks good. It doesn't shy away from the violence and the grittiness. It's a good watch for young people learning the Bible.
