The Visual Bible - Matthew
|
List Price: Our Price: $9.98 You Save: $9.97 (50%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of The Visual Bible - Matthew
Movie Review: Very Helpful
Summary: 4 Stars
We occasionally use this DVD at our church for a scripture reference instead of a power point slide. The video quality isn't the best, but the acting is good. I'd recommend it.Movie Review: Another view's Impact
Summary: 3 Stars
My wife and I both watched this new version of the gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew. We've watched many professional productions of Biblical "stories" and they cannot be seriously commented on without deep consideration. A "simple review" in my opinion, is based on a person's visual and emotional perceptions of the presentation, kind of how we rate everyday movies and TV shows. We watch it once, with a possibility of watching it again IF, we "liked it". If we don't like it, my wife and/or I will often shut it off and send it back to the rental service unwatched. If we DO like, a lot, we will rent it again and again or, buy 1 or more copies for ourselves and others. When it comes to SERIOUS productions that AFFECT OUR LIVES like Biblical presentations there is a great deal more involved than if we simply LIKE IT or not.
Do the actors fit the part as we expect, and/or the Bible clearly portrays them?
Is there a lot of un-Biblical filler where the Bible has been silent, in either WORDS or ACTIVITIES?
Do we detect an overshadowing influence or tendency to modify the clear teachings of Biblical scripture?
To my mind, anything that we take as seriously as Biblical FACT in life MUST pass rigorous tests as compared with Biblical content before any judgement involving "sharing the presentation" is concerned.
Concerning This version of THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, I would have to say that my wife and I both had immediate and similar responses to both the actor portraying Jesus AND those portraying His disciples. This version is certainly a DEPARTURE from the NORM. I recommend a serious viewing of the presentation as I might JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR or GODSPELL. There is much that can be learned by a well read Bible student from viewing a presentation of Jesus which is DIFFERENT THAN THE TRADITIONAL PORTRAYAL. The downside is that this portrayal is different enough that it could actually end up being a BE TRAYAL to viewers who are not "already grounded by KNOWING the voice of the CHIEF SHEPHERD.
So, I would NOT recomment it to unbelievers or people seeking the ONE WHO HOLDS THE KEYS OF LIFE AN DEATH, Jesus Christ.
RK Fries
Movie Review: Worst "Jesus" Ever
Summary: 3 Stars
The guy who played Jesus in this movie was the worst. He didn't have a commanding presence at all (unlike the actor from the Gospel of John who was fantastic), and that, among other things, made it impossible to respect "Jesus." The actor has a grating voice and "Jesus" comes off like a total wiener, the kind of guy you want to run away from. He groped everyone in sight like a weirdo, and he laughs all the time like an imbecile. Because of "Jesus'" non-stop groping and laughter, this is not a faithful presentation of scripture. Would it be faithful to the Gospel of Matthew if an actor playing Jesus picked his butt the whole time and said everything word-for-word but said it sarcastically? No. The actor may as well have done that because his strange "Ned Flanders" rendition of Jesus' demeanor totally mutilated the word of God. (pun intended)
The only reason I rated it 3 stars instead of 1 star is because everything else about the movie is alright, minus some corny acting here and there, but the "Jesus" gets a big fat F!, and since Jesus is the STAR of the Gospels this movie is right on the dividing line between tolerable and intolerable. If you are going to introduce someone to the gospel, please, do not show them this movie.
It's too bad they casted the actor they did, because this movie could have been really great.
Movie Review: Overly Happy Jesus
Summary: 3 Stars
Over all, I'd give it a 6 out of 10 rating.
The two major problems -- (1) the juxtaposition of a later-day "narrator" Matthew with the actual events in the Gospel (as opposed to the vastly superior Gospel of John, where the narrator was heard, but never seen); (2) the happy-clappy, perpetually smiling and backslapping portrayal of Jesus, even when the event at hand would indicate that he was unhappy or sad or angry or frustrated or concerned. After a while, all the laughing and smiling is off-putting and totally unrealistic to any real person, even the realest of persons, i.e. Jesus. Portraying him as if he were an insincere politician or tele-evangelist (sorry if some folks actually find tele-evangelists genuine and sincere - a few are, but a few also give off the appearence of snake oil salesmen) or hippie is not a way for folks to find him appealing. He was similar to the hippie Jesus in Godspell, but in a different way, of course.
Jesus obviously had (has) a great deal of personal dynamism and charisma, but the Gospels themselves show that he was not ALWAYS laughing and smiling. I would have to rank this Jesus below that of The Passion of the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and Gospel of John (better than the 50s and 60s versions though).
Movie Review: Interesting
Summary: 3 Stars
While watching this movie I couldn't help but thinking "Might Jesus have said it that way?" "Would Jesus have thought that was funny?"
Then I thought...maybe.
I had always wondered if Jesus laughed, I imagine he must have and if so, what made Him laugh? This movie portrays Jesus as a regular person...laughing, playful, loving...
I could also see how some folks might take offense...as at times I thought it went too far, making Him seem a but silly, and very carefree. Like nothing bothered Him. True to the Word, it was powerful to watch (had a Bible right next to me the whole time) I was a bit dissapointed at some scenes Van Den Bergh chose to narrate instead of show us, I would have liked to have seen his interpretation of Satan during the temptation sequences...What can I say? You can't have it all.
I'm not sure if these conflicting feelings had anything to do with the fact that I had always pictured Jesus as a more serious person, not here to make people like Him but to set things straight.
In any case, this version of Jesus' life made me think...which is what I liked about it.