The best way to accurately give a review of this look at Genesis and the Bible, is to call it a film based on "literary license" or "poetic license" for the motivation of characters involved.
For example, when one reads Genesis, one can't find a reason to legitimize the deceit Jacob shows in stealing from his brother.
This also lead to the quandary of how it was recorded in the first place. If Jacob was just a selfish thief, why would the first people who recorded the story even say he was justified? This film sets out to give plausible explanations for such questions.
Are they the correct interpretations? Who knows? They certainly fit the criteria of "credibility" for the way in which the stories are recorded.
That's because we not only deal with the stories, but with the people who record them, and who listen to them.
The men make mistakes, but learn from them.
I was most impressed with the saga of Jacob.
The most disappointing to me, was the story of the twelve sons of Jacob. I understand why, though. Very few films have the time to delve into twelve characters. It's natural to show Reuben's first born mistakes, and the cruelty of Simeon. Here, the cruelty of Levi is left out, probably because there is a need to go to the important fourth brother of Judah.
All in all, it's a credible rendition that is worth watching, if only to agree or disagree with.
For example, when one reads Genesis, one can't find a reason to legitimize the deceit Jacob shows in stealing from his brother.
This also lead to the quandary of how it was recorded in the first place. If Jacob was just a selfish thief, why would the first people who recorded the story even say he was justified? This film sets out to give plausible explanations for such questions.
Are they the correct interpretations? Who knows? They certainly fit the criteria of "credibility" for the way in which the stories are recorded.
That's because we not only deal with the stories, but with the people who record them, and who listen to them.
The men make mistakes, but learn from them.
I was most impressed with the saga of Jacob.
The most disappointing to me, was the story of the twelve sons of Jacob. I understand why, though. Very few films have the time to delve into twelve characters. It's natural to show Reuben's first born mistakes, and the cruelty of Simeon. Here, the cruelty of Levi is left out, probably because there is a need to go to the important fourth brother of Judah.
All in all, it's a credible rendition that is worth watching, if only to agree or disagree with.