Star Rating: 3/4

4 = Great; 3 = Good; 2 = Fair; 1 = Poor; 0 = Ooh, let’s not go there

Being raised by a father who devotes his life to God and would sacrifice anything for him, it made sense for me to see Risen.  This film is not an adaptation of a particular section of the Bible; it is simply inspired by it with characters integrated into an important era of the Christian religion.  Religious purposes are most likely the only reason why some people see movies such as this one. Luckily, Risen manages to provide the entertainment that movies are supposed to give audiences. Thank God for that.

Anyone who has read the Bible knows it is difficult to read.  Risen, on the other hand, has a storyline that is easy to follow.  The main character is known as Clavius (Joseph Fiennes) and he is a warrior in the Roman Centurion under the command of Pontius Pilate (Peter Firth). The Roman Centurion during this time period was trying to seize as much land as possible from others as well as spread their polytheistic religion in their territories. One of the first scenes in the movie is a battle scene and at the end of the scene, Clavius expresses his skepticism towards monotheism to one of his victims.  Returning victorious, Pilate reveals to Clavius that he has had someone crucified.

I am sure we all know who that someone is. He is known to audiences as Jesus, but in the film he is known as Yeshua (Cliff Curtis). Clavius even witnesses his crucifixion. Days later, rumor spreads that Yeshua has been resurrected. His resting place is discovered to have been breached and his coffin has been opened. Pilate sends Clavius to investigate. If he does not, an uprising in Jerusalem will commence.

This film was put together by director Kevin Reynolds who tries to replicate the feel of past Bible-related films, especially Exodus: Gods and Kings from director Ridley Scott.  Risen is a better film than Exodus: Gods and Kings so Reynolds does it successfully. Don’t get me wrong, though–Ridley Scott is a great director and I felt that Reynolds was trying to incorporate all of Scott’s trademarks into Risen.  For example, the cinematography in the Ridley Scott-directed-films I have seen is exquisite.  In Risen, Lorenzo Senatore’s work is impressive, yet not on Scott’s scale. Later on, I could tell even more how Scott seemed to have had an influence on Reynolds through the set designs and costumes, as they closely resemble Exodus.  Maybe due to the setting, it was supposed to.

Another benefit this movie has is how Reynolds is able to get good performances from his actors. Fiennes has a certain charisma that allows him to hold the screen whenever the camera is on him. Reynolds is even able to make memorable scenes with the actors that are only in the movie for less than 10 minutes. These scenes are supposed to be tender and emotional and the actors are more than able to convey those emotions. The actors make it seem like the director does not need to guide them much in order to get the best out of their performances.

I admit that this movie is not for everybody. Those dedicated to Christianity, or any part of it, will enjoy this film. As for those who wish to try something new, Risen may not have their undivided attention.  Still, it’s worth a try.