The Parables Retold

We follow Dr Luke in a modern retelling of the book of Acts as he learns & writes down all the stories he's gathering about the life of Jesus.

At times it's a little corny but overall a very good modern take on The Gospels.

Listed below are the parables retold in this new modern way if you want to cross reference them with the Bible.

The parables: #1 parable of the seeds Matthew 13:1-23 #2 storing treasures in heaven Matthew 6:19-21 #3 parable of the Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-37 #4 parable of the hidden treasure Matthew 13:44 #5 parable of the talents Matthew 25:14-30.

A very good story developed on a TINY budget.

I struggle to write this review as I really wanted this movie to excel like other Angel offerings.

The basic premise is fantastic. Put Luke and the other disciples in the modern, though slightly distopian era.

Sadly, the result is slow and is a bit all other the place. I failed to engage in any of the characters.

As others have noted, the modern retelling of the parables is so progressive, it at times appears to diminish the divine.

As a positive, I appreciate that this was a UK production.

I really want to encourage Angel in their endeavours, but this one just misfires. Overall, acting is good, it isn't cheesy, it is fundamentally too long and at the end I'm not sure where we actually landed.

The casting tells you right away that the production team want to show you certain race is all good and others are either not so or a mix-bag at best. There is only one plot-line. The pace is slow. The acting is not bad but is not compelling. Cinematography is average. But I give it credit for trying to relate the ancient stories to modern viewers by putting it in a modern settings. In my opinions it is not so simple because people act in the social and cultural context of the time, it is going to be off in some way when you try to inject presentism to historical events such as "Hamilton" did.

From the creators of The Chosen comes Testament: The Parables Retold, and honestly, this one was a pleasant surprise. Unlike the often controversial inaccuracies in The Chosen, which left me unimpressed, this film brings something fresh and creative to the table.

The story follows the Disciples on the run after Jesus' ascension, hiding from Jewish authorities who are out to kill them. What sets this movie apart is its bold choice to reimagine the narrative in a modern-day setting. Think skyscrapers, soldiers with full gear, walkie-talkies, and industrial warehouses. It's a unique take that brings a new perspective to familiar stories.

The real standout for me, though, was how they wove in Jesus' parables. They were reconstructed beautifully, staying true to their core messages while fitting seamlessly into the modern backdrop. The writing in those scenes was top-tier, making the parables the highlight of the film.

As for the acting, it was decent-nothing extraordinary, but it got the job done. The cinematography wasn't great, but that's expected for a low-budget production. Still, the potential here is undeniable. With the right funding, this concept could truly shine. If I had the resources, I'd definitely back a bigger-budget remake of this.

In short, while it's not without its flaws, Testament: The Parables Retold is a creative and thoughtful reimagining of biblical stories, and it's worth checking out.

We enjoyed the retellings of some of Jesus' parables. They were just different enough to keep us guessing, but they conveyed the points well. And it was interesting to see a modernized idea of the early church.

There were two scenes that might be too intense for children - one of a dead woman and another with a man who is badly beaten. Parents may want to watch before showing it to their kids.

The acting was well done. The story was creative. I would be interested in checking out the Testament series that is supposed to be coming out soon.

It's really encouraging to see people finding new ways for telling stories about Jesus through film.

We are also impressed with the fact that this movie was created on such a low budget. Looking forward to more work from this team. Keep up the good work!