Framescourer
It opens - and for half an hour, runs - like an educational programme on the Old Testament, although not without humour. The movie finally begins to grow wings when the biblical cant gets dropped. In a scene of mixed success Martin Donovan (Jesus) decides to renege on kicking off the Apocalypse and the final quarter of an hour is a sort of humanist 'what's all the fuss about?' play-out, gilded with optimistic conjecture against a (retrospectively, miserably ironic) long shot of the WTC twin towers.Apart from Donovan's authority, the acting is split. There's the thespian melodrama of the rest of the cast: this, though formally contrived for biblical presentation, is appropriate for the modern, paranoid comedy that Hartley's aiming at. But I was also pleasantly surprised at the contribution of PJ Harvey (credited thus, and in danger of existing within the film solely as the pop star entity she is, not least in a set piece scene in a record store and a perilously patchy soundtrack to which contributes). She remained cool - a sort of disingenuous lack of focus - in the manner of many pop icons who have taken to film (I'm thinking the Jagger of Performance here) but nonetheless maintained a convincing integration with both cast and project.Ultimately affirmative, but this bittersweet essay is a bit too much like one and relies more on the perseverance than the imagination of its audience. 4/10
bob the moo
Jesus returns to earth at the end of 1999 with Mary Magdalena in order to carry out the law as approved by his father opening the book of life and judging the living and the dead according to the law. Meanwhile Satan amuses himself in a bar with a gambler and the good-hearted waitress that has taken to looking after the man. However Jesus has second thoughts and begins to wonder if the letter of the law is a fair approach to take to the humans who have perverted the meaning of what was laid down so many years ago.I have seen this twice now. I watched it a second time because I had completely forgotten what it was about since my first time my second viewing revealed why this was the case. The film is very arty in presentation, which is partly due to the use of the digital video which allows blurring etc as part of the production. It is also arty in content to the extent that it feels like a student film where they are trying to be deep but only succeed in being pretentious. The plot is not fully explained and any theological reasoning done by Jesus and Satan is best only touched on as deeper thought on the dialogue exposes a weakness and lack of clarity in the logic.The acting is also art-school type that is a surprise to me as a Donovan fan. I know the subject didn't help but I felt he didn't bring Jesus to life (pardon the phrase!). Ryan's Satan is worse as he hams it up never more laugh inducing when he stops to talk into microphones planted all round the street! PJ Harvey is an interesting Mary but not a good actress. The two humans in the leads (Simonds and Nikaido) are interesting but not really used to any great effect. Their strand of the film is the most interesting but is lost in the latter stages of the film.Overall I accept that this is an experimental film but I had hoped for more from such a talented group the director along had made me watch it. However the end result is a cross between a pretentious student film and a poor arty theatre production.
dogsrus-1
I found this on the shelf and swooned with joy !! I danced up to the counter, slapped down my money and ran home! You know what?! I fell asleep less then half way thru! Tried again the next day...YAWN!! What the heck !?!! I could NOT watch it! I love all the other stuff he's done (I didn't see the one with the monster in it yet). What gives? Is it me? Or him? So sad. Boo hoo. P.S, I did like the camera work.
meanmrugly
This movie is one of a kind. All of the Hal elements are there. Dramatic pauses, unique camera work, off beat score, memorable one-liners (Satan: "Natural disasters...very profitable").Even Martin Donavon as the tortured J. Christ who suddenly realizes that revenge is not redemption. There is a humorous scene where Satan and Jesus meet at a bar, do a couple of shots, and discuss the future of the world. To some (Christians), this movie may seem a bit blasphemous. But that is because they are too busy putting Jesus on some pedestal while forgetting that the Bible says he was just as much a man as a god. And the Mormons love it, even though Jesus questions who they are in the film. Looking forward to Hal's next full length feature, No Such
AD
