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Movies / On DVD / The Gospel of John
The Gospel of John

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The Gospel of John (2003)

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38 %
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Reviews Counted:48

Fresh:18

Rotten:30

Average Rating:5/10

Runtime: 3 hrs

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: A momentous undertaking involving a creative constituency of award-winning artists and esteemed academic and theological consultants from around the world, Visual Bible's THE GOSPEL OF JOHN is an... A momentous undertaking involving a creative constituency of award-winning artists and esteemed academic and theological consultants from around the world, Visual Bible's THE GOSPEL OF JOHN is an ambitious motion picture that has been adapted for the screen on a word for word basis from the American Bible Society's Good News Bible. The story of Jesus' life as recounted by His disciple John, this three-hour epic feature film draws its audience into antiquity by way of meticulous recreation, including an original musical score complete with instrumental sounds of the time. This ambitious motion picture follows the Gospel precisely, neither adding to the story from other Gospels, nor omitting complex passages. Narrated by renowned Canadian actor Christopher Plummer with a distinguished cast from Canada and the United Kingdom selected primarily from Canada's prestigious Stratford Festival and Soulpepper Theatre Company, as well as Britain's Royal Shakespeare Company and Royal National Theatre , it features British actor Henry Ian Cusick in the seminal role of Jesus Christ. John is the best-loved but least understood of the gospels, presenting a uniquely human portrait of Jesus. Intimate and reflective, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN provides audiences with an unparalleled opportunity to understand the tumultuous period in history at the time of Jesus Christ. British actors Stuart Bunce (John), Richard Lintern (Leading Pharisee) Scott Handy (John the Baptist) and Lynsey Baxter (Mary Magdalene) plus celebrated Canadian talents Diego Matamoros (Nicodemus), Stephen Russell (Pilate), Daniel Kash (Simon Peter), Cedric Smith (Caiaphus) and Nancy Palk (Samaritan Woman) are among the highly-praised cast. THE GOSPEL OF JOHN is directed by acclaimed British director Philip Saville ("Metroland"; "Hamlet"; Oedipus the King"), and co-produced by legendary Canadian producer Garth H. Drabinsky ("Ragtime"; Phantom of the Opera"; "Showboat") and celebrated British producer Chris Chrisafis ("The Count of Monte Cristo"; "Reign of Fire"). Executive producers are Emmy® Award winner Sandy Pearl, Joel B. Michaels, Myron Gottleib and Martin Katz. Together they assembled a brilliant creative team including award-winning screenwriter John Goldsmith ("Victoria and Albert"; "Return of the Saint"; "Great Expectations"), veteran production designer Don Taylor ("The House of Mirth"; "Little Voice"), Academy A ward®-winning Sound Mixer David Lee ("Chicago"), Academy® Award winning makeup artist Trefor Proud ("Topsy Turvy"; "Gladiator";"Star Wars") award-winning costume designer Debra Hanson, and highly regarded director of photography and film editors Miroslaw Baszak and Michel Arcand. -- Official Site [More]

Starring: Henry Ian Cusick

Starring: Henry Ian Cusick

Director: Philip Saville

Director: Philip Saville
Screenwriter: John Goldsmith
Studio: ThinkFilm

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Reviews for The Gospel of John

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
tomato
4/2

CT Staff

The "Word made flesh" has now become the Word made visible. In an age of visuals, it might just attract many who would never take the time to read John's gospel.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 25 2006 04:20 PM

Christianity Today

tomato
B

Philip Martin

...a mild, willfully inoffensive film focusing on Jesus' message of love.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 26 2004 03:43 PM

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

splat
1.5/5

Anthony Del Valle

A slugglishly painful, uninteresting film that might be of value to New Testament students who don't like to read words unless they come with pictures.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Nov., 07 2004 12:37 PM

Las Vegas Mercury

splat
2/10

Tony Medley

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 07 2004 07:31 PM

tonymedley.com

splat

Sean Burns

Whatever this is, it sure isn't cinema. There's no adaptation, no reconfiguration of the material from one medium to another.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 16 2004 01:42 AM

Philadelphia Weekly

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 09 2004 02:30 PM

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

splat
2/4

Erik Lundegaard

It's a straightforward, unimaginative narrative, and thus not very memorable.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 02 2004 06:03 PM

Seattle Times

splat
1.5/4

Ty Burr

The sad truth is that director Philip Saville and writer John Goldsmith have made a picture book rather than a film, one that leans so heavily on Christopher Plummer's placid voice-over narration as to be cinematically inert.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 02 2004 06:01 PM

Boston Globe

tomato
3/4

Jeffrey Westhoff

Henry Ian Cusick creates a persuasive Jesus, a savior as happy as often as he is solemn.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 02 2004 09:54 AM

Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

tomato
7/10

Jack Garner

An artful, well-made production.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 01 2004 10:19 PM

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

splat
2/4

Lou Carlozo

Events unfold as chronological vignettes, and there's little room for screenwriter John Goldsmith to reimagine scenes to mine their full dramatic potential.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 01 2004 01:44 PM

Chicago Tribune

splat

Matt Kelemen

Despite claims to the contrary, The Gospel does come off as a three-hour long Sunday School lesson.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 11 2004 04:54 PM

Las Vegas CityLife

splat
1/5

Greg Muskewitz

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 24 2004 07:03 AM

eFilmCritic.com

splat
C-

John A. Nesbit

Emphasis on maintaining the text 'as is' universally renders the effort into an essentially passionless Bible story

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 15 2004 12:51 PM

Old School Reviews

splat
2/5

Andrea Chase

as for the text itself that has the Jews egging Pilate on, well, it is what it is. And that would be less than philo-semetic.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 15 2004 08:22 AM

Killer Movie Reviews

tomato
3/4

Ruthe Stein

Turns out to be surprisingly robust.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 13 2004 04:16 PM

San Francisco Chronicle

splat
2/4

Jeff Vice

The performances are flat and lifeless (Cusick may look the part, but he has no real charisma), and even Christopher Plummer, as narrator, is less than lively, reading in an all too reverent monotone, suggesting even he's having a hard time staying awake.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 13 2004 04:14 PM

Deseret News, Salt Lake City

splat
C+

Robert Denerstein

I found this Gospel long, dull and, for the most part, acted without apparent inspiration.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 13 2004 04:13 PM

Denver Rocky Mountain News

splat
1.5/4

Phil Villarreal

Sunday school by way of traffic school.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 13 2004 08:55 AM

Arizona Daily Star

tomato
3.5/5

Richard Nilsen

Although it might test the patience of the non-believer, for those who take their Christianity seriously, this probably is worth seeing.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 12 2004 05:48 PM

Arizona Republic

 
 
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