Risen (2016)
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Director: Kevin Reynolds
Writers: Kevin Reynolds and Paul Aiello
Cast: Joseph Fiennes (Clavius), Tom Felton (Lucius), Peter Firth (Pilate), Cliff Curtis (Yeshua), Maria Botto (Mary Magdalene), Luis Callejo (Joses), Antonio Gil (Joesph of Arimathea), Richard Atwill (Polybious), Stewart Scudamore (Peter), Andy Gathergood (Quintus), Stephen Hagan (Bartholomew), Mish Boyko (John), Jan Cornet (Thomas / Dydimus), Joe Manjon (Simon the Caanite), Pepe Lorente (Thaddeus), Stavros Demetraki (Philip), Selva Rasalingam), Manu Fullola (Matthew), and Mario Tardon (Andrew).
Opening Credits:
Creative License is the artist interpretation behind the story, artwork, the main effect. With that being said i want to open with something important and very crucial to the film making process. Hollywood always uses it in all the films, especially faith based movies. It's always important when you're working on a film to remember the true essence of the story you're trying to tell. The fact remains that a bible story is very different then a novel. Movie directors like to add their own interpretations of the source material, which can be fine, but if it's a faith based film then the only one angry here is the audience, not them, they don't care about how people feel, or want. The audience is the one making or breaking the film, so why? change things to enhance the film. They think by changing things it will make the movie better. It will only destroy the message, and to me and millions of folks will agree as well. Tell the story, without adding situations that did not happen. Risen had a fictional character, which is not to bad compared to other films, but it was like making a mystery man appear out of know where in the bible story, which is a slap in the face to Christians.
The main problem with Hollywood is that they try to make things bigger than life, not an issue if you're creating a story from scratch, but if the material is their, like the bible then don't change anything. Maybe try and enhance the backgrounds, making the environment visually stunning. The wardrobe, the basic attire that makes a film what it is. The effects in some of their films really look disappointing, because they tried to edit, and that is the real problem. Trying to make the scene flow, but what happens when you create something in the story. In Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) they used great actors, but the film was a loss to me. Moses (Christian Bale) had seen the burning bush, and basically when God spoke to him, it was and felt like everything was his imagination, issues with his mental status. To give you a better perceptive on how the audience felt, her are the numbers. 140,000,000, opening day 24,115,934 in the US, world wide it made 259,607,045. Total was 283,722,979 after it was all said and done you take the world wide capital, then what ever your budget was 140,000,000, a grand total of 143,722,979. lets not forget the actors getting paid, ads, etc. the numbers are not there. Granted it was a different time, lets look at the Ten Commandments (1956), Charlton Heston (Moses). 13,282,712 budget, gross of 80,000,000. big deal for that time, and as you can see it kick butt. The point here is that money, budget really doesn't matter if you stay with the source material, especially when it comes to the bible.
Review:
The film opens with the Roman Tribune Clavius (Joseph Fiennes). (The film is set around the time of the crucifixion) walking slowly in the desert. As we walks, he notices a home. The home of an innkeeper. Clavius is tired, but something bothers him. He is greeted with respect, the innkeeper offers him something to drink. Clavius begins to tell his story, he had witnessed something, he needed to tell him, what had happened. (The camera focuses on his face, he gazes into the camera)
The soldiers hold their shields up, Clavius tells them to advance, the opposition had pulled out their bows, striking from above, thousands of arrows dropping hitting the Roman shields, the clank of the arrows hitting the target, only hols the army of men back. The call to advance, the Roman soldiers unsheathe their swords, striking the enemy in front of them. The army begins to fall back, the brute force of the Romans, with a genius tactician at their side bring down the opposition. The battle is over, dead bodies, men had fallen by the sword, the battle is over. Clavius the Roman Tribune rides homeward, where Pilate resides, his commander. Blooded, tired he dismounts his horse, walking over to his home. He tries to settle down, but is called to see Pilate (Peter Firth). Smell of death engulfs him, but Pilate has summoned him, and being late can be disagreeable to him, especially now. The right hand man of Pilate is never late.
The overseer of Rome, at least until the Emperor returns, it is Pilate that resides of this providence. Jewish high priests have come to him, wanting to make sure the followers of Yeshua do not steal the body from the tomb. The priests had heard that in three days he will rise from the dead. An act that must never happen. (Pilate gives them some reassurance, but feels compelled to listen, his rule here will be short if this continues, it must be stopped, an investigation, make sure the body is safe within the tomb).
First let me start by saying the acting of Joseph Fiennes, Tom Felton, Peter Firth, and Cliff Curtis is truly amazing. Granted this is not a Passion of the Christ but, it holds it's own. I like the way it pulled you in as a faith based film. The way it managed to have a story on it's own, i guess that's the creative license part. At least the film makers went in a better direction than Noah did. They managed to just tell the story, even with the fictional character of Clavius. In the bible there were only Roman soldiers protecting the tomb. Yes the film had soldiers as well, but the lead character Clavius was fictional. in fact the Tribunes were ruthless, the right hand man of Pilate would not search for the body of Yeshua, he would send his soldiers, he would be where he was needed the most, which is near Pilate. A Tribune needs to learn as much as possible in order to set foot in the senate, which is the next step.
Pontius Pilate (Peter Firth) the fifth prefect of the Roman providence of Judaea. With that being said he also served under Emperor Tiberius, all these historical people were all in the time of Jesus Christ (Yeshua). The Roman Tribune are usually ready to move up to the senate, which is the character of Clavius. He was sent in the film to watch the tomb, at least the soldiers he had posted did. The ambiance of the scenes in this film did work, it managed to give you a clear picture of what was happening. Pilate wasn't so nice of a guy, in fact he only cared about Rome, which is noted because he was head of the province. The Romans were not very nice, they had to make sure the strength was displayed throughout the province, no matter what occurred.
The number one complaint i have is not that difficult to understand, it's the creative license, it's my biggest problem with Hollywood meddling in scripture. This film is not a written play, or a special effect film, like the Transformers. It's a movie to tell the story of Yeshua and the resurrection. Why? can't they just make the movie like it is. If the source material states there are soldiers present then shoot the film like the source material, and stop with the creative garbage. My main point is if they made a movie about the late President Lincoln, or example and the film makers created a band of pirates that were assumed to be the assassins, I'm sure folks would be a bit ticked off. The point is, just make the film, and it will bring you the capital you need. Changing things will only flatten the numbers in the box office.
I really don't have any other issue with the film. It has great acting, manages to give you some kind of hope. What i mean from that, is Yeshua. Clavius found hope towards the end of the film, you felt that a Roman Tribune would be aggressive, hateful, but that was not the case here. Instead he was understanding, and in some point he knew Yeshua was treated wrong. Maybe not the whole spectrum, but something moved within him. The spirit of the Lord, maybe it was his lack of understanding the situation, which it very well might be the case, because he just saw Yeshua alive. A huge shock for a soldier, and it was impossible situation that he could not explain, and that is hope. The film had that feeling, it was a warm film. It displayed the strength of Rome, and it definitely love from the disciples, and Yeshua as well. The film was really good, although the creative license was a huge deal to me, yes i know i keep complaining about that. The film at least had moments that would make you think twice about your life. The love, understanding, and hope was the message in the film. Clavius had to search for the truth, and what he found was a man that had risen from the dead. He witnessed healing, love, everything he had heard about him, and yet when everything was said and done, he learned and understood why the disciples followed him, The things that make a film great, even though the use of creative license.
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