À la poursuite du passé

I almost always avoid to compare movies to the novels they're based upon. You can't film a 600 page book and stay true to the text. That film would be 10 hours long, have endless dialogue scenes and be terribly boring. So I do agree, a screenplay writer has to simplify the story. But `Jesus Video' goes way too far to be acceptable. The book offered an amazing story (time-traveller presumably filmed J.C. Superstar, surely envied by Cecil B De Mille, but where did he leave the camera for the world to see?), many new ideas and surprising turns. Andreas Eschbach, the author, had a very clever way of never letting you easily guess what will happen next. His characters think a lot about the problems of time-travelling and the origins of religious belief, a fascinating concept. The movie script abandoned all creative ideas and all logical thought that made the book so impressive, instead it replaced them by a stupid action story we have seen a thousand times before: hey, that guy stole something that rightfully belongs to us! Let's chase him, torture him, kill him! Thus, a breathtaking story full of suspense was turned into a violent, boring 3 hour movie. 3 hours should be plenty of time to develop a clever storyline! Why were the producers scared and preferred to waste the huge potential? For example, the professor (in the book) is in a difficult situation, standing between his employer and the hero (his student). In the end, he is the key figure to the solution. In the movie however, they somehow didn't know what to do with him, since they wanted to rewrite the ending anyway (with another big explosion if possible), so somebody just shoots the professor in the middle of the film without any convincing motive. Bang, bang, one character less to write lines for, story even more simple from now on. The movie's only virtue is: every five minutes, somebody fires a gun to keep you awake.

This is definitely not a candidate for the `worst film ever'. It just is so depressing that this particular novel offered something we rarely get to see: new ideas, no cliches! But the movie doesn't use ANY of these ideas and delivers a below average action movie (I voted 3/10) instead. Such a waste of potential is annoying.

In opposite to a few other reviewers here, I think the actors did okay (within the limited possibilities the script gave them). Naike Rivelli reminded me so much of her mother, screen legend Ornella Muti, in the early 1980s. I'm looking forward to see more movies with this talented young lady, but please not `Jesus Video 2 - Pontius Strikes Back"!

This is not another Nazi film, although is is German, and it is eerily similar to Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Based upon a novel by Andreas Eschbach, you get two contrasting opinions on the film compared to the book. At over three hours, you will think you are reading a novel, rather than watching a film.

It is a suspense thriller/time-travel movie. Archaeologists find bones that are carbon dated at 2000 years, but there are amalgam fillings in the teeth and a rod in the leg that can only be seven years old. In addition, there is a plastic bag withe instructions for a video camera that is not even on the market.

Only one explanation, and the German title, Das Jesus Video, gives a better clue to what was going on.

While the archaeologists are trying to decipher the riddle, there is a group led by a man in a secret organization descended from the Spanish Inquisition, much like Silas in The Da Vinci Code. Both have no qualms about killing for Jesus.

Lots of action, and great stunt work, along with blood and torture, as the two groups go after the video camera that allegedly has the face of Jesus. Some surprises at the end, as expected, which add to the mystery.

I have seen a 2 hour version of this movie and found it nice and enjoyable entertainment. The story flowed well and was interesting. Having seen perhaps too many movies, the plot was somewhat predictable, but nice, nonetheless.

In common with many action movies, we see the hero being beaten up, shot at, tortured ... and still running around in the end. Had it been me, I probably wouldn't even have survived the main character's first drop. Contrary, however, to many action movies, there was a story and the story did not get lost in the action. Dialogues were more than some stupid grunting and one-liners ... there was an attempt to make this story if not believable, then at least acceptable.

All in all, a nice movie ... It got my attention enough to want to read the book.

This is a reasonably good, fast paced action/adventure/time travel thriller. Here in Australia, it was screened by SBS (without commercial interruptions!) as 4 one-hour segments over 4 weeks. There have been enough strongly negative comments about this film, and enough low ratings, that I suspect it has been shown in different edits in different places. The four-hour edit I saw was suspenseful and compelling, the acting and production were good, and there weren't any more plot holes than your typical thriller, and fewer than many more popular films. It was good enough to bring me back for each part after I accidentally switched it on half way through the second part. If you like a good adventure/thriller, and don't mind a bit of blood and a (fairly standard) time travel premise, and can catch the four hour edit, give it a go.

This surprisingly well made German two-part mini TV series is a worth while and entertaining action adventure.

During an archeological dig in Israel a student discovers an artefact that doesn't belong in the time period of the find along with clues to a missing piece that might have profound implications on the history as we know it. What follows is a suspenseful hunt by different organisations to find the missing piece and use it for their purposes.

Well scripted, acted and directed with some shortcomings towards the end.