Set in Jerusalem in AD33, this is the tale of Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), a Roman tribune tasked with finding the body of Yeshua (Cliff Curtis) to destroy the rumours that he is the Messiah.
For Yeshua, read Jesus. It's a tale we know well, but Clavius has yet to discover the truth. His hard bitten Roman intellect, born out of military service and harsh necessity, refuses to accept the supernatural tale unravelling before him. Pontius Pilate (Colin Firth) exerts increasing pressure, needing to quell unrest before the Emperor arrives. What follows is a well played and involving detective story, as Clavius pursues clues and suspects in search of the truth and a body.
His search eventually leads him to a spiritual awakening, and the film changes. It's no longer a detective story. It's a story about something much bigger and I don't need to tell you what that is.
Fiennes is very good as Clavius. Convincing both as the put upon tribune, under pressure to solve the mystery of the missing body, and as the man for whom everything changes.
For this viewer, this is an interesting take on an oft told tale, from a very different perspective. If you are an atheist without an open mind, this probably isn't for you. Otherwise, I'd recommend it.
For Yeshua, read Jesus. It's a tale we know well, but Clavius has yet to discover the truth. His hard bitten Roman intellect, born out of military service and harsh necessity, refuses to accept the supernatural tale unravelling before him. Pontius Pilate (Colin Firth) exerts increasing pressure, needing to quell unrest before the Emperor arrives. What follows is a well played and involving detective story, as Clavius pursues clues and suspects in search of the truth and a body.
His search eventually leads him to a spiritual awakening, and the film changes. It's no longer a detective story. It's a story about something much bigger and I don't need to tell you what that is.
Fiennes is very good as Clavius. Convincing both as the put upon tribune, under pressure to solve the mystery of the missing body, and as the man for whom everything changes.
For this viewer, this is an interesting take on an oft told tale, from a very different perspective. If you are an atheist without an open mind, this probably isn't for you. Otherwise, I'd recommend it.