Movie Review: "Paul: Apostle of Christ"

Synopsis: In first century Rome, evil Emperor Nero rules with an iron fist.  Those who follow Christ live in hiding and fear for their lives; Nero has been casting those of the Way to the lions because of their faith.  Paul, world-traveling missionary, is imprisoned and nearing the end of his life.  Luke, a doctor and fellow believer, visits him in prison.  When military commander Mauritius' daughter is sick, he is desperate to save her...but, nobody seems to be able to help.  He has heard that Luke is an amazing physician...but, he can't bear the thought of having one of those Christians set foot in his home.  Will he be able to save his daughter...and learn the error of his ways?

The Good: For a Christian movie, the production values here are incredible.  It really took me back to the time of Acts, which, ironically, was where I was in my Bible reading plan when I started and finished this.  The actors all did amazingly well, and this flick doesn't shy away from showing the brutality that those of the Way faced back in the day.  There is some blood, but much of the more intense violence is implied...which can leave quite the picture in your mind's eye.  Showing Paul's past haunting him was a plus; I'm a Christian now, but, I had a rather troubled childhood as well, despite being raised in a faithful home.  So, when his deeds in his younger years haunted him, that just makes me identify with him all the more.  All in all, this was excellent, except...

The Bad: I had a hard time getting into this at first; the jumping around made me feel like I was watching a clips show instead of an actual movie.  Plus, though Jim Caviezel did well as Luke, hearing his voice made me think I was hearing Jesus instead, as he does the voice of Christ in The Word of Promise audio Bible.

Conclusion: Other than Jesus, who is your favorite person in the Bible? I've heard answers ranging from Peter to Abraham to even Samson.  (I don't understand the reason for the latter answer; he may have been really strong...but he was also a rather messed-up guy, and undone by a woman.)  For me, that answer is Paul, because he is a lot like me: a checkered past, a passion for expressing ideas through words, and a head for Scripture.  This film illustrates his life very well; though I've seen other cinematic interpretations of his life, this one ranks above the rest.  Just make sure that you stick to it when you decide to watch this; it may be a bit hard to get through at first, but it's worth it.

Score: 4/5