Rating: ****
When a Roman named Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), the tribunal in charge of the crucifixion of a man named Yeshua (Cliff Curtis), orders a lance to be put through the suffering man’s side, he feels he has done a good days work and returns to quarters to drink some wine; but in three days, the body has gone missing from the tomb, and according to Pontius Pilate (Peter Firth): “A pack of raving Jews” must be silenced. Clavius and his second-in-command, Lucius (Tom Felton), are now ordered to find the body of Yeshua, in what turns out to be a biblical Holmes and Watson who dunnit.
The investigation puts Clavius and Lucius on the tail of Yeshua’s followers and after interviewing the apostle Bartholomew (a character who has an uncanny resemblance to the Big Lebowski), he stumbles into a meeting where Yeshua is preaching. Clavius is stunned to see the man he ordered lanced, complete with wounds, right in front of him and now begins to question his faith.
The movie offers a unique perspective of “The Greatest Story Ever Told” by examining it from a different angle. Joseph Fiennes does a great job telling that story more by the expression on his face than with his words, and with the exception of the comical “surfing dude” Bartholomew, the film is well acted and casted. The movie makes a fine prequel to the Easter holiday — See it. (examiner.com)
(PG-13/ 1 hour- 47 min / violence – drama)