Paulo, Apóstolo de Cristo

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.

The story of the Apostle Paul is told in unflinching realism. The story of Luke's time in Rome with Paul is told in very realistic terms, even as the lack of documentation requires a degree of artistic license.

The movie does a good job in following the historical narratives laid down by several noteworthy Roman historians including Tacitus, Suetonius, and Josephus. The narrative also closely aligns with the Greek historian Cassius Dio's narrative. Those who would doubt the authenticity would do well to read these classic and period narratives first.

The major theme is quite obviously the role of compassion and love, even amid great tyranny, in vanquishing evil on human and personal levels. No one can doubt the tyranny of Emperor Nero, who not only is widely blamed for the infamous burning of Rome, that not only destroyed a quarter of Rome, but severely damaged about 80% of the city, but for the outrageous use of Christians as scapegoats for the act. Nero ordered all of the horribly evil events shown in this film.

Artistic license was taken with regard to Luke's healing of the Prefect's (modern day prison warden's) daughter, but the context of the act itself is entirely in keeping with documented medical acts performed by Luke. By what is known of the second generation apostle, Luke was a very well trained physician, likely in Greece, but perhaps in other areas as well. He may have been among the best trained physicians of the Mediterranean area at the time he lived.

Regardless of the reasons why, we know that Paul was afforded a level of good treatment not widely provided to those condemned by Nero to die. So, we know that something caused this positive consideration even by those ordered to flog and ultimately behead Paul.

While we cannot prove by historical narrative that Luke's healing of the Prefect's daughter took place, the action is entirely consistent with Luke's life as well as Paul's. Frankly, regardless, it was just beautiful storytelling!

It was nice to see the writers treat the healing in a classical medical manner: diagnosis, immediate treatment, and recovery treatment. The purpose of the telling in this film is to bring forward the concept of compassion and love as methods of turning enemies into friends. In that purpose, the event is realistically portrayed, and strikes a profound message. Today, doctors are expected to treat anyone who is affirmed, including an enemy.

Most scholars agree that what is presented in the film's epilogue is accurate, that Luke authored the Biblical Acts of the Apostles. In that regard, the telling of the interaction between the two is a powerful and gripping narrative at the heart of the film's success. This film is primarily about the teachings of Paul even as it explores the life and actions of Luke. In that regard, it serves as a valuable addition.

The lamentable truth is that the person who writes the narrative, in this case Luke and his Acts of the Apostles, is often relatively unknown compared to the lives he chronicles. We know that Luke was very well educated in the Greek system, and the author who wrote the Acts of the Apostles wrote in a manner of a well educated man.

So, while we cannot verify that the precise events carried out by Luke happened as portrayed in this film, the facts that Luke met with Paul during this time, and chronicled the life of the Apostles, including Paul, is without serious doubt. To that end, this movie tells a beautiful story in a most realistic manner.

In that way, it serves as a most valuable chapter of storytelling in a modern era with great evil, such as ISIS, trying to regain a presence in the world. The film noticeably portrays a powerful redemption with the Prefect, but not with Nero. In that regard, it does not attempt to say that all men are reachable through salvation, but that those who seek it shall find it!

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 movie is far better than your typical Bible or 'faith-based' movie; I admittedly had some low expectations going in to see it and was very surprised by a quality film with a beautiful message. Not for one second did I feel that this was preachy or 'Bible-beating'... it was more pure and authentic and humanist. The acting is top notch, with Jim Caviezel, Faulkner, and Olivier Martinez really giving some nuanced and layered performances. Nobody phoned in their roles, you could sense a level of passion and commitment to the story. The music was also excellent, a gorgeous score that was paired with some nice cinematography and production design. The movie looked good and sounded, but importantly - it felt good. Lots of films in the devotional genre tend to end up being mere dramatic recreations of the gospels, but this one, while delivering authenticity, was not as concerned with delivering a 'live-action experience of the Bible' so much as striving to express the true message of Paul. That message, the one that is basically Christ's Sermon on the Mount, is the crux of the film. This gives it an emotional heft that is quite poignant. I wasn't so moved by the characters' actions and the story in so much as what they were feeling in their hearts and what they were expressing. Dammit this movie hit me right in the feels and I already know it will linger with me for days. That is a good sign that I just participated in some human art. Won't win any Oscars, and sadly probably won't light up the box office but this is a fine and beautiful movie with an important and relevant message for the world today.

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.