Paul, apôtre du Christ

There's no getting around it - this movie is heavy from start to finish - not a moment of comic relief. It is a very sobering film, showing the terrible toll on lives that can occur when evil tyranny is unchecked. It was a fascinating time in history, and an interesting segment of Paul's life to explore -- rather than his 30 years of ministry and 10,000 miles of travel, we get only a focused glimpse into his final days in Nero's prison, with flashbacks to his original time of conversion.

On the upside: This movie is very well done from a production, acting & cinematography aspect. It keeps you engaged; its almost like watching a mystery unfold, due to its intensity. Jim Caviezel (as Luke), Olivier Martinez (as the Roman prefect over the prison), and Joanne Whalley (as Priscilla) were all brilliant in their roles. I mean, really brilliant. (I also loved Joanne in her role of Claudia in A.D.; and Jim Caviezel became one of my favorite actors after "Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Passion". But Olivier was the real surprise - extreme talent.)

On the downside: Most of the movie feels hopeless. What ever happened to the miraculous power and intense encouragement that Paul operated in during all his years of ministry? I feel that the creators of this movie completely underplayed Paul and stripped him of all the elements that made him who he was in the kingdom of God. That was extremely frustrating, since it presented a powerless, hopeless Christianity, other than to be martyred and receive eternal life. Not very appealing. It made me dislike his character more than like it.

In conclusion, the movie is definitely worth seeing for the artistry and story, if you can handle the context, the embellished story line, and a depressing outlook through most of the movie. But if you only like "feel good" movies, you might want to avoid this one.

It moved slowly at times or was it simply that we expect a higher body count and more explosions in our films? I thought it gained tremendous momentum towards the end and I left feeling very satisfied, uplifted, and quite entertained. This is a very unusual film in many respects. Its very downbeat, almost like film noir...really. Many scenes are quite dark and the lighting effects are really unusual and I found the pleasing. The acting was fine and the and the movie had a very original feel despite everyone knowing about the Apostle Paul and his unique life. I got to say that Christianity has strayed radically from the vision that Paul had!! It was interesting to me how closeups were used in so many scenes. There were some rough scenes including the final ones but that was reality back then and still is in many parts of the world. I recommend this film highly for anyone looking for something deeper that offers a unique perspective on many levels. Definitely worth your time whether you are into religion or not. Good one.

This is definitely a religious movie but isn't overwhelmingly so. For example, it doesn't have the overbearing smugness of the protagonist Christians versus incredibly stupid or evil non-Christians. The characters have much more believable and complex motivations, with the Christians mostly (and properly) motivated by their beliefs. There's enough gray in the characters to make the movie interesting. The suffering of the Christians in Rome sometimes goes a bit over the top but not terribly so. The "miracle", which in many faith movies leads to the dramatic conversion of the antagonist, is well done in this movie and should appeal to a wider audience. The back-story, supporting scenes and resolution are quite believable. One pleasant aspect is that the "miracle" doesn't require divine intervention or stretching credibility but is due to believable skills and application of good Christian values, and is done with credible tension you'd expect from a first-class movie.

Would a non-Christian enjoy the movie? I think so. There's definitely a good story here and the movie is well done. Some reviews note that this may have lessened the religious story and/or focus on Paul, but it makes for a watchable movie without the cringe-worthiness of some more religiously focused movies. Judging from reactions in the audience it's clearly most immediately satisfying for the most faithful and will be well received by that group. For Christians who aren't the most faithful the movie has powerful messages to take away for further reflection.

I've come close a few times: "Saving Private Ryan" and "The Weatherman" are two that I can think of right off the bat that have at least made my eyes well up; but this one...

I legitimately busted out crying in the last few minutes of the film, finding myself overwhelmed with emotion.

If you don't know the story of Paul, it's one of redemption. Of all people to be converted to Christianity, he was perhaps the least likely candidate being that he persecuted the early Church or Christ.

This film isn't a comprehensive study on Paul, but rather the final moments of his life, and the impact that it had on the Church.

Early on in the film, we're shown Paul taken to prison awaiting his execution, and that's where the main focus of the film is. To cover Paul's entire life in the Church would require a massive budget, so it's hard to complain about a film not doing that when the reality is it cost money to make movies, but I digress.

The most amazing things might be what Paul did for Jesus Christ, but the most powerful is his conversion and how he had to fight spiritually in even his last days. We see him revisit his past in flashback sequences that are probably the best interpretation of these events I have ever seen on film. It's beautifully filmed, and tragically dark; but despite the darkness, there is salvation for Paul, and that's what's so touching about the film: salvation is available for everyone, and despite all that Paul had done in his past, he ended up serving God faithfully, right up to his death.

The subplots revolve around a Roman soldier and his sick daughter, as well as the opposition the Church faced, and Luke also finding his place within all of this. The film doesn't shy away from the harsh violence that was inflicted on early Believers either, which makes for simultaneously enlightening and difficult viewing. Much of the film's impact hinges on the final moments, and that's where the emotional punches land; it opts to build up to the ending, even though there are powerful moments before that, some of which are truly unforgettable.

This film is less of a movie in the traditional sense and far more of an experience, as its pacing is slow and methodical but never dull. By the end, I cried harder than I ever had in any movie. I highly recommend this film. It's a film about a very dangerous time in history, and a reminder of the persecution that still happens today, in which many Christians are slaughtered for what they believe.

Watch it!

First off, know what to expect going into this movie. It is not a retelling of the book of Acts and Paul's many exploits. It is about him reaching the end of his life and passing the torch to the next generation of Christians, as they all grapple with the difficulty of following God in the midst of a cruel and evil world. Knowing that, I don't think you will be disappointed.

I rated this a 10 because I don't know if any movie has moved me more than this one did. At least, very few have. It's not perfect, but by the end I was sobbing uncontrollably in the theater. Specifically, seeing the suffering of the persecuted Christians, and especially Paul's struggle with lingering guilt over his part in that persecution, culminating with the final scene (which I won't spoil here).

I'll admit that some of the dialogue, especially earlier on in the film, could probably be better, as could the quality of some shots or the sound mixing in a few moments. But the acting is strong across the board, and the production design and costumes look very authentic. Most importantly, the drama is sustained throughout, and there are profound spiritual insights to be gleaned.