Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Yes.
Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? No.
Score: 3.0/5
Secret ending? No.
Running time: 111 minutes (~2 hours)
“The Young Messiah” is a Biblical drama based on the novel, “Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt.” It centres on a 7-year-old Jesus searching for existential answers. It stars Adam Greaves-Neal (Jesus), Sean Bean (Severus), Rory Keenan (the Demon), David Burke (blind Rabbi), Vincent Walsh (Joseph), Jonathan Bailey (Herod), Sara Lazzaro (Mary), and Christian McKay (Cleofas). It is rated PG.
Disclaimer here: I’m Christian, and I’m rooting for this film to be good. That being said, it’s the characters surrounding Jesus that are so much more fascinating than the title character. It’s difficult to relate to a divine 7-year-old’s search for answers, but you can understand how much pressure is on his parents and relatives to raise him, especially knowing he’s the son of God. His divine powers are without question, but he’s still as vulnerable as any little boy of his age.
Highlights
Cleofas steals the show
Cleofas (Christian McKay) is the fun, boisterous uncle who accompanies Jesus and his family on their journey to Nazareth. His zest for life and enthusiasm for the journey is a welcome contrast to the oppressive seriousness that weighs on Joseph and Mary. Of all the characters, he’s the only one to wholeheartedly embrace Jesus’ role as the Messiah, giving a markedly different perspective to the somewhat dire circumstances they find themselves in.
Joseph & Mary’s internal conflict
Joseph (Vincent Walsh) and Mary (Sara Lazzaro) are under incredible pressure to raise the child of God, and this results in them breaking down at several points. Their fear, confusion, and helplessness as parents is something that all new fathers and mothers can relate to, and is also amplified by the constant persecution by the Romans, who are doggedly hunting for Jesus at every turn. They have no idea how to parent Jesus, resulting in them questioning their choices and whether they’re fit for their role. But it’s this very uncertainty that makes them all the more admirable as custodians of the divine.
Letdowns
Plot and objective unclear
While we know Jesus is searching for something, we don’t know what exactly he’s looking for and how he’ll achieve his goal. This makes the resolution of the plot iffy and unsatisfying, since the information he acquires is something that virtually any other character could have provided. All we know is that he’s headed to a particular destination, but even then there’s no indication of their progress — he just suddenly pops up at the final checkpoint.
Overuse of eyeliner
You know that the Demon (Rory Keenan) and Herod (Jonathan Bailey) are the bad guys because they’re the only two men with exaggerated eyeliner. It’s difficult to take these two characters seriously because they look so flamboyant, and you never really find them a threat to Jesus.
Unconvincing portrayal of Jesus
Admittedly, I’ve got a preconceived notion of how Jesus would behave, even as a child. Still, his religious wisdom and insight don’t match his 7-year-old nature, creating a jarring clash of characteristics. His quest for the meaning of his life seems strange because you don’t believe it’s an issue that matters to him, at his age.
“The Young Messiah” shows Jesus in a light that all parents can relate to, even if the title character isn’t as engaging as he should be.
“The Young Messiah” opens in cinemas 24 March, 2016 (Thursday).
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