The Book of Daniel

I watch all Bible based movies available to me, half fall far short of my hopes for accuracy. This little low-budget gem won me over, so I purchased it for my library. Yes, there are some cheesy scenes looking out over Babylon, but they're few and short lived. Yes, some of the editing was careless (a bloodless sword being withdrawn from Belshazzar's body), but it is faithful to the story presented in the first six books of Daniel, and most of the performances are well done and sensitive to the characters.

I find Bongiorno's younger Daniel as wonderful to watch as Miano's elder Daniel. Saxon's Nebuchadnezzar is a very nuanced performance (and my favorite of the four kings covered). If the magicians, enchanters, and sorcerers seem a bit campy, go grab a Coke from the fridge, and they'll be gone when you return.

I give this production a ten for its effort, an eight for execution.

NONE of this praise can translate to the horrible effort of PureFlix "Book of Esther", one of the worst Bible movies I've seen. That should have had a sword run clean through it. It nearly made me break out in hives for all it's egregious failures on every level.

PureFlix movies can range from the great effort of Daniel, and Ruth, to the dregs of "Esther" and the mediocre "Blink of an Eye". I suggest viewing free before considering purchase. We all have different expectations for worthy viewing.

This account of the life of Daniel traces his encounters in Babylon with 4 Kings. Nebuchadnezzar the Great, Belshazzar the Foolish, Darius the Deceived and Cyrus the Shepherd. It is faithful to scripture and gives insight into the prophecies of Jeremiah and Isaiah as well as words on the lips of Daniel from the Psalms, especially in the Lion's den. Daniel gives us a great model and inspiration to how to live wisely and well in a secular society. His tact, respect and patience are good examples for those who serve in public office. Worth watching at any age and then to dig into the scriptures for the latter chapters of Daniel 7-12 which are not covered in this film.

The Book of Daniel may not have an epic budget, but it is well made and supported by a really good cast. The casting of the young and elder Daniel is very effective, with Robert Miano giving an especially affecting performance. The direction is assured, with a script that shows obvious understanding and engagement with the Old Testament, and which takes its time to fully convey Daniel's stories of the four Kings. A very good film that is well worth seeking out.

For those who wish to see biblical movies this is a real treat. The story is well done even if some of the acting is flawed, e.g. One of the wise men of Babylon looks and talks like the comedian Galager smashing watermelons. I view this movie in the context of available biblical movies if you come from the perspective of the spoiled movie watching public of today and have little knowledge of the bible then the movie is poor. But for us who watch every biblical movie its not "One Knight with the King" or Charlton Heston's the "Ten Commandments" but it is second tier and one of the most enjoyable bible movies off all time. Enjoy all who have bible knowledge and have seen all the biblical movies. You'll appreciate this one greatly.

If it wasn't for Rolf Saxon, i wouldn't have gotten the DVD for it. I'm not a biblical enthusiast or even knowledgeable about Daniel and his story as a prophet. The cast is first rate with Rolf Saxon as King Nebud; Lance Hendricksen as Cyrus; Leo Gallagher as the astrologer and other actors. The film was directed by a woman, rare these days. She seems knowledgeable about her subject and the film. First, there is a lot of dialogue on par with a Shakespearean drama. If you're not into biblical movies, you may not appreciate it as much. I enjoyed the features especially the bloopers and behind the scenes as well.