Quickie Movie Review: "The Book of Daniel"

Rated: Not Rated (Dove approved for ages twelve and up)
Starring: Lance Henriksen, Robert Miano, Andrew Bongiorno, and Leo Gallagher
Released: 2013

Synopsis: The Old Testament book comes to life in this Pure Flix Biblical drama! Daniel is praying to God for the rebuilding of the Temple, only to be threatened by the soldiers of King Cyrus.  When Cyrus finds out who Daniel is, they sit and eat a meal together, and Daniel tells stories of three different kings: Nebuchadnezzar, the powerful; Belshazzar, the foolish; and Darius, the one who was tricked.  More than merely stories from Daniel's imagination, they're accounts of how he served kings with the help of the one, true God.

My Review: Daniel is one of the most interesting books of the Bible; I'm not sure if I would have gone with the approach that the makers of this movie did, but, it works quite well.  The soundtrack is fitting and the actors do a great job.  I particularly liked the scene with the writing on the wall, which featured "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin" in some awesome calligraphy.  However, the budget for this movie was obviously modest; the scene with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace looks like a cutscene from a Super Nintendo game.  Christian cinema fans will likely enjoy this; I'm not sure if others will.

Content Concerns:

• Sex: A guy is referred to as a eunuch, and a woman is referred to as a harlot. 4/5
• Nudity: None. 5/5
• Language: None. 5/5
• Violence: A man is held at swordpoint; another man is fatally stabbed, though not graphically.  It is implied that three men are torn apart by lions. 3/5
• Drugs: Wine is consumed several times, including by Daniel in one scene. 3.5/5
• Frightening/Intense Scenes: The writing on the wall; the lions' den; a king seizing a throne. 3/5

Score: 3.5/5