The Second Coming (2003) User Reviews (28)

Worth watching at least once

[julianonions · 8/10 · 15 June 2005]

Apparently the son of god has returned for a second coming. First, will anyone believe him, including the person he is returning in? A couple of miracles later, and people are starting to take him seriously, but he has a message for the world. A few days to write the Third Testament, or its all over.

I thought it was a very interesting drama, that kept me hooked to the end. Some interesting issues approached, and taken on in a new way. Nearly two years on, and still some of the details are quite memorable. The conclusion is quite powerful, but probably not what anyone was expecting, which I think is also good in a drama.

It obviously has religious overtones, and depending where you are on the scale it may or may not fit with your views. However its written as drama, and it keeps the attention focused to the end.

Well worth a watch.

Things that make you go "mmmmmm"

[benc7ca · 8/10 · 8 April 2004]

I rented the dvd (appropriately enough) over the Easter weekend and it made for a very interesting diversion from the usual sappy, soppy, silly "resurrection" of religious movies we get bombarded with at this time of year. The acting was very good and the premise even better. Episode one was excellent and I wondered how the director was going to bring this to a resolution in episode two. Well, I loved the ending but I am, like other viewers, foxed as to how it came about. The peculiar logic of the film was compromised by a sudden revelation I'm not convinced the character would have(or could have) had. Nevertheless, I recommend this to anyone who has had their fill of the Mel Gibson/right wing/heaven- forbid-we-have-an-original-thought treatments of spiritual subjects.

Startling and Brave (spoilers)

[Caps Fan · 8/10 · 16 August 2004]

Maybe only British television could have got away with something like this, or would have been likely to try.

Christopher Eccleston gives us a rousing performance as Stephen Baxter, an ordinary "bloke" from the north of England who, having disappeared on bleak moorland for 40 days and 40 nights, turns up again, claiming to be the Son of God.

Nothing new about that, you might say - plenty of people have claimed that. The difference is that, in Stephen's case, the claim is true and he gives the human race five days to come up with a "Third Testament" or face Judgment Day and possible oblivion. To make sure he gets the world's attention, he throws in a couple of miracles for good measure.

The portrayed response of those around Stephen - friends, foes and in between - is plausible and interesting. I particularly liked Peter Wright as Len Chadwick, the sympathetic policeman placed in charge of protecting Stephen, and Lesley Sharp who, as always, turns in a strong and wholly credible performance as Stephen's nearly girlfriend.

Good music punctuates an intelligent and witty script that sometimes strays towards the cheesy, but usually veers away. The special effects are adequate, but nothing more, though the actual photography is spectacular at times.

I wasn't totally sold on the conclusion - it seemed, somehow, a bit of a letdown, even a copout, but maybe that was inevitable, given the buildup.

The DVD version is divided irritatingly, but that detracts little from the impact of this gripping, mature drama. Strongly recommended.

Rating: 8/10.

Well done ITV - well worth watching

[gribbles1 · 10/10 · 6 August 2005]

Just discovered The Second Coming as a new release in our local DVD store. Was intrigued by the synopsis and thought it was worth watching. I'm so glad we did. Why hasn't this thought provoking film been aired in Australia? This is the sort of drama that would have fallen in a heap without the right lead and Christopher Ecclestone doesn't put a foot wrong. He is an excellent actor and this part allows him to show his range. (Can't understand why the Brits don't like him as Doctor Who!) He is ably supported by Lesley Roache in particular.

Other reviewers have criticised the ending for being lame compared with the rest of the movie. But surely after all you'd been through you didn't want a typical "Hollywood" candy coated ending? This makes you talk and think long after watching.

Highly recommended for anyone who can keep an open mind.

Fantastic

[Withnail_fan · 10/10 · 2 October 2005]

This is well worth the price of the DVD, a brilliant thought provoking TV drama that is a cut above the rest. Starring Christopher Eccleston and Leslep Sharp....it will fascinate and at the same time entertain you. Chris is Steven Baxter the Son of God..who gives the world 5 days to write a third testament or face judgement day!!! Not over the top like a Hollywood blockbuster but down to earth like Steve himself. Although the end may offend some religious people....although this does not include myself i loved the end despite believing in God, it is well worth spending 3 hours of your life watching and thinking.

If the story does not hold your attention then the acting will. Chris Eccleston gives one of his best performances to date....the rest of the cast are also brill too.

A Unique Take on the Second Coming

[ming666 · 15 January 2004]

I saw "The Second Coming" during a business trip to the UK. It was a two part miniseries. I liked the first episode so much I held my trip over a couple of days in order to see the conclusion. I happen to like the Christopher Eccleston, the actor who plays the second coming of the savior from Manchester. He is always great to watch (see "Let Him Have It"; "Shallow Grave", and "28 Days Later") Its too bad he hasn't gotten more recognition in the US. The notion of a nobody slacker being thrust into the center of such a controversy was handled without cliche. I especially loved the resolution in the ending. I highly reccomend it.

Twenty years on and still worth seeing.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 5 February 2023]

Stephen Baxter claims to be The Son of God, explaining that The End of Days is near, unless the people of The World can unite, and produce a Third Testament.

It's hard to believe it's twenty years old, it's a drama that's held up well with time, it was and still is controversial and thought provoking, but it's certainly a dramatic and entertaining watch. You can definitely see 'fantastic' elements that would follow in Doctor Who, Russell T Davies and Christopher Eccleston certainly made a formidable team.

Very well produced, it looks good, especially episode one's dramatic conclusion.

It's certainly well acted, Eccleston is terrific, he's very well supported by Lesley Ash, Mark Benton and a good few others, it's such a good cast list.

I would say I think Part one is definitely the better of the two episodes, most if the good content is there, those scenes where The Demons appear, the man begging for money, and the woman in the car, those are chilling moments. Episode two lacks some of the pacing, but it's still good.

7/10.

More TV like this please

[tommy-114 · 9/10 · 21 June 2005]

Awesome. Granted the ending might not be to everyone's taste but if we could have more TV like this and that has had this much thought and less J list celebrity reality TV game shows on our screens we'd be on to a winner. I didn't know anything about this when i watched it which probably helped me enjoy it so i won't pre-empt your decision be telling you all about it, but in general it gives the viewer an interesting take on religion or more specifically religion in contemporary Britain. I'm not a religious person but found that the content got me thinking long after the show had finished which is more than can be said for most TV programmes. Buy it, watch it, enjoy it. Oh and Eccleston is fantastic.

God exists! But he goes away.

[siderite · 6/10 · 20 August 2005]

=== spoilers!!

I actually did not like this movie. Besides being a miniseries and feeling very long, it presented the son of God like a stupid bloke from Manchester who barely knows what he is doing, unless a divine "download" comes. He performs a few miracles for no real reason, then he does what his girlfriend thought.

I am not religious and actually the idea of a world without religion (however weird that sounds for humans) seems a very good idea. But if God did exist and did come on Earth, I would like him to stay. I mean, what the hell (pun intended), at least he can stay for a few laughs and a beer then go home and leave us alone. God dying (or ceasing to exist or whatever) makes no sense once you know he is there.

I also did not like the choice of actors. Christopher Eccleston is a good actor and I enjoy his movies, but he had no "godly" charisma in this film. And the girlfriend... could have picked a decent looking girl. The TV feel also took the rest of the edge off.

So, if you are in the mood for a Manchester based son of god TV movie with a nietzschean ending, watch this film. As a side note: "God is dead" is found in 126000 pages on google. "God lives" is in 143000. So I guess that settles it :))

Calm down Christians !

[dulcey-howard-384-865723 · 8/10 · 30 May 2012]

This is a drama about how faith affects ordinary people. Those seeking a depiction on how air brushed air-heads get saved or not by some fantastical entity should perhaps try some specialised channel or You-tube instead. That this drama ends advocating the only way forward is to embrace a lack of faith is an interesting concept and should not be seen as threat to those who currently believe. It is expertly acted by all and there is no requirement for super-duper special effects which ITV ( not BBC folks, this wasn't made by them ) couldn't afford in any case. Having said all that, I did find the ending a bit rushed resulting in a trite and sentimental conclusion.

The son of Good (drama)

[mrjoeldiamond · 7/10 · 7 December 2021]

What this drama lacks in scriptural nuance it makes up for by evoking an eerie feeling that may just bolster faith (heavily atheistic ending aside). The dissapointment the second episode caused luckily falls short of the heights of Christopher Ecclestones speeches.

Still Brilliant After all These Years

[amyrourke56 · 8/10 · 6 January 2014]

I had seen this on television ~ ABC probably, but at a friend's house, at the time of release. We talked about that time a few years ago and I was saying remember that Dr Who episode ?..." I've never seen Dr Who." My pal replied and this set of a chain reaction of thinking about it further and consulting IMDb. I'd got it wrong, but thematically right. I realised that I'd only seen episode one and had subsequently devoted myself to the new Dr Who along with great fondness for Christopher Eccleston in his role in 'Cracker' back in the 90s. Add to the mix, the Russell T Davies connection and the crossed wire was well sorted! I found the DVD version in my local library and decided to revisit the experience, solo. Ah ~ the Eureka moment, I'd never seen the ending.

All the performances shine and the writing is fantastic. Lesley Sharp amazes and delights as the voice and face of reason ~ the woman who has to make the toughest decision and live with it. She is the one can see down the road ahead and has a handle on the concept of consequences. It is a post 9/11 piece as well, so that places it in great context also. So much international frenzy and fear that still sits in every airport to this day. The Second Coming ~ the title also a famous poem by Yeats ("And what rough beast, ... Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born? "), stirs the pot something delicious. What do people really believe ? How do they react in a crisis ? What/Who matters most if you think there are only 5 days left ? The fact that it all takes place in Manchester, England, England, makes it all the more potent and powerful.

Qualitatively strong in parts weak in others - but bleak overall.

[skycraft10 · 4/10 · 23 February 2008]

POSSIBLE MINOR SPOILER

It's not a terribly objective review but I just found this movie horribly depressing. Like a lot of Russell T. Davies'

work, it asks more questions than it can answer. His best work (Bob & Rose, Doctor Who) revels in hope against the odds and perseverance even after apparent defeat. These uplifting themes seemed strangely absent here. I suppose the fact that I'm still thinking about it days after viewing is a testament to the quality of the program but the resolution was just too bleak for my tastes.

I would, however, disagree with the reviews I've read complaining that the end feels "tacked on." I think each conclusion follows logically from its premise and the ending represented a sound personal belief that neatly resolved the primary theme of the show. While I never really questioned the progression of events, I felt like there was much that could have been expanded upon. I've also read that it was originally conceived as a four part series instead of two, and it's possible that the truncation has done some harm to the completed piece. However, these flaws appear throughout, in sequences and themes that sometimes feel rough or sketched in.

To his credit Davies is totally unafraid to write big, and you have to admire the sheer audacity and scope of this project. The premise he tackles here is the stuff of movies or novels – it is a brave and ambitious thing to tackle it in the medium of television. Strong points include Christopher Eccleston, who is positively mesmeric in the lead. For me, he was and remains the best reason to watch. The depiction of the Messiah's humanity was brilliant, thought provoking and engaging and a real credit to both Davies' writing and Eccleston's acting. I also thought the depiction of the modern world's reaction to the second coming rang true.

So, two stars simply because I personally want my entertainment to be entertaining. I would rather be uplifted or, at least, distracted by my fiction. I have a whole big real world around me – as filtered through CNN or the newspapers -- if I choose to be horribly depressed. There are definitely less subjective reasons by which to judge this piece but I'm afraid my judgment in this matter is clouded by my emotional response.

Striking.....

[Greg1138 · 21 April 2003]

Yep, the second episode of this two-parter is rather bum-numbing stuff, but it's worth the wait...

Written by Russell Davies - who has stirred up controversy before - this is a "What if?" story about the second coming of Jesus...on it's initial showing in the UK, it was criticised for it's "Blasphemy", which is a little odd since it's nothing of the sort...

Set in Manchester, England, Christopher Eccleston returns after disappearing for 40 days and nights and proclaims that he is the Son of God. I won't spoil things for any viewers out there with the "Is he or Isn't he?" stuff - suffice to say that he finds it somewhat difficult to convince people....

Well worth the price of a DVD to catch this interesting drama...

Great film about religion and Humanism

[clintonreednotestine · 10/10 · 29 July 2007]

I'm a humanist Reverend and have some what of an interest in religious studies and I have to say this is a great film. If you are a believer or a non-believer or just don't care this is a thought provoking film about human-kinds relationship with "GOD." Christopher Eccleston is one of my favorite actors and does a great job of portraying the semi-reluctant son of God. One of the highlights of this film is the interaction between Steve, Ecclestons character, and his friends. Some of his friends believe in him and some don't right off the bat. The way people react is probably very realistic, hard to say since this hasn't happened before. The ending is very good and actually surprising since in America it would never have been chosen, the alternate ending would have been chosen instead.

Great movie

[lilith93 · 9/10 · 25 April 2006]

I really liked this movie, even if I'm not sure what to think of the ending. But one thing I simply love about British movies is that they're brave enough to use actors that don't look like actors. All the characters in the movie look like real people. Not ugly, but not all pretty either. It's one of many things that makes me grateful that this wasn't made by an American studio.

Every actor played their role believably, making you care both about their characters and the story they were in. And the story... well it makes you think. It makes you wonder about your own life and the role of religion in it.

It makes you wonder about the bible, about the role of God in the world. It doesn't try to tell you what to think. I love that Judith isn't a believer at the start. I love that she keeps asking for proof, that she keeps being the voice that says. "but he's just Steve" Because no prophet is ever believed in his own village.

And I love that Steve is a regular guy. Just like Jesus in his time, was just a regular guy until he started preaching. I love the humanity of it, because that's what the son of God is supposed to be. The son of man, as Jesus called himself at least once.

Like I said, I'm not sure about the ending, but really, that's a good thing. It'd be worse if it were an ending you'd be sure of, because then you wouldn't have to think anymore. And that's the great thing about this movie. It doesn't 'tell' you what you're supposed to think.

Behold, I make all things new

[Gretchen_X · 9/10 · 27 April 2023]

**RIDDLED WITH SPOILERS**

I watched this, for the third time since it was first broadcast, on YouTube, and still love it. What a contrast between the lightweight drama ITV is putting out now.

The ending is perfect when you consider what led up to it. It raises some philosophical questions about the nature of God which the viewer *should* be able to handle. It makes Judith, who throughout has been more sceptical and worldly wise than the rather innocent Messiah, the one to whom the solution is finally revealed. But not from God, from her own human mind. And it makes sense, because what greater sacrifice can there be than to not exist and also to have *never* existed. Retrospective existentialism, Madchester style.

It seems to me that some of the critics have no problem with God killing - or allowing to die - his own son but find the idea of his son's suicide distasteful/blasphemous. That makes Judith - a flawed but tough woman who practically orders him to execute his fate - god-like. But if suicide is a sin, what are we to make of Christ's submission to his own killing? And what does the dying ego make of that choice between passive and active sacrifice? I think Baxter, in those last minutes, comes to realise the purity of the latter; that the blame for this death will rest solely with HIM and not (as with Christ) humanity - whose sins no longer need to be atoned for. A world without sin has presumably always been the Christian goal, and Baxter realises the only way he can make that happen is by removing the very concept of sin. An ingenious quick fix against a ticking clock, when you think about it, and nothing like a cop-out. The whole story has worked toward this sublime orchestrated death of the ego.

There's more than a hint at the end that Judith has given birth to Baxter's child and that her husband, the previous faithful guardian, is happily cast in the 'Joseph' role. The story of that child is untold. But, in hindsight, who better to have the third testament revealed to them than the woman who has presumably just become impregnated with God's grandchild?

Marvellous stuff.

Unbelievably awful

[Chancery_Stone · 1/10 · 9 June 2007]

As I don't have a TV, and had never heard of this mini-series, I didn't know what to expect from The Second Coming and hired it purely on the strength of its plot synopsis, which sounded interesting.

Dear God! (Every pun intended.) If someone told me that this had been written by a class of thirteen year olds who had been given the project of turning the second coming into a school play I wouldn't have been surprised.

Why, oh why did they decide to portray Jesus mark II as what amounted to an idiot savant? Is there anything in any of the gospels to suggest this? Okay, an ordinary bloke, but a Great Northern Moron. I don't think so.

Apparently all Jesus did to impress people was his miracles, because according to this take his preaching sure as hell never impressed anyone. Certainly without the night into day stunt Mr Jesus Eccleston would have been floundering without a canoe, a paddle or any kind of following at all.

And the odd little gay polemics put in willy-nilly, without rhyme or reason. Other than, of course, Russell waving to his QAF fan base. Jesus turns up in the pub to recruit 'disciples' (more gormless Northern losers and, of course, the gay writer's standby - the harpy woman, nag, nag, nagging away). Gay rights are rammed down his throat to no real purpose, almost like Russell thought he 'owed it to the lads' to put Jesus on the spot.

I can't really see the real Jesus coming out with "Well, I've nothing against it personally, mate." Only someone truly middle class and woolly could imagine Jesus to be quite this wet.

And don't start me on the ending. 'Please come in and eat rat poison because the only way we can be truly free is if God dies'.

It was like an Eddie Izzard sketch of God as Bill Gates. "Hello, I'm Bill Gates, and now you've pointed out to me that my global domination is cramping your style I'm going to give it all to you, my customers." And eat the rat poison, of course.

I'm often mystified by the ratings on IMDb, but the high rating on this one takes the biscuit.

Never mind Jesus for the new millennium - this is Jesus for brainless MTV lads.

God help us all indeed.

Didn't work for me although well done

[cherold · 2 June 2012]

I'm not going to give this a rating. For personal enjoyment I'd give it maybe a 5, but I feel it's probably better than that.

For me, the problem is I just can't relate to this. After watching the first half, I decided I just wasn't into it, so I read the synopsis, and you know, it's interesting, but I just never found this especially engrossing.

I think the problem is, I just don't care about Christianity. And even though this attempts to really think about religion in a different way, even though it deals with interesting issues, even though it would probably offend a lot of Christians, it's still a movie centered around the Christian god and Satan and that just doesn't interest me. I feel that certain movies rely a lot on deep-seated Christian feeling, and that always fails with me, whether it's The Song of Bernadette, The Last Temptation of Christ or the Exorcist. This is not to say I dislike all movies with a Christian bent - I really enjoyed Come to the Stable and Lilies of the Field - I just don't like movies where you need to care very specifically about Christianity, as opposed to just caring about people.

And that's why I don't feel it's my place to rate this movie, because it's a movie for people who care about this. I'd say it's a movie for people who, at least a little bit, believe in the Christian god (and probably not a movie with strong faith in some other religion, since it basically says the Church of England had it right). I am just not this movie's target audience, and while I found it quite dull, I am willing to believe that others would find it fascinating.

Don't watch. The worst. I want two and a half hours of my life back.

[SergiGalute · 1/10 · 15 November 2006]

I remember seeing this years ago, It had a reasonably promising start, with an interesting premise, but then it degenerated into nonsense quite quickly. Uninteresting characters, failed attempts to add drama and tension, and a bit of simplistic philosophy thrown in too, all culminating in a terrible ending.

Simply, it's trash.

Before I saw this TV film, I didn't think I would ever have any film that I thought was the "worst" I had seen, but after I finished watching this, I knew that from then on, if anyone asked me what the worst film I had ever seen was, I could say without hesitation - "The Second Coming".

Avoid.

Thought Provoking and Somewhat Entertaining

[dsecrest · 24 June 2004]

*****Contains Spoilers*****

This is a 2-episode, made-for-TV, movie. The first episode was gripping. The second episode was a bit tedious, although I found the ending satisfying. It isn't for everybody, though, especially if you are any sort of fundamentalist. If you like to think about religion, though, then you should appreciate the the challenges the script presents.

As is the case with many stories that encompass the "supernatural", the film is engaging as the miracles take place, while much more difficult to follow and enjoy when the time comes to make sense of all that has come before.

The film is somewhat upbeat and inspirational, but that is limited by the atheistic philosophy that is promulgated...

Horrible horrible horrible

[losercoop · 1/10 · 21 March 2004]

In my opinion, the ending is what completely ruined the whole thing. The initial idea of having someone suddenly realize they were the son of god and the second coming was somewhat clever. People started to believe him and his friends became the new disciples. People went nutty, demons were possessing people, all kinds of fun. Of course then it all went wrong. It was bad enough that they had to take on the impossible task of looking through a vast amount of writings to find the "third testament" in five days, but then at the end it became this ridiculous humanist fantasy. I won't spoil it, but I'll just say it comes off as if it were written by a teenager with a very limited knowledge of theology. I hear they are making an American feature version of this story, I just hope they change the eye rolling ending.

... as good as the second coming

[nickooo · 13 August 2003]

I have to say that I found this TV drama to be enormously good - such an original, inventive screenplay. I began watching with my finger poised about the channel-change button, half expecting something very conventional - the jesus wannabe is a looney (but there there is some (un)subtle suggestion toward the end that he might be a little more than that) - or or a final sequence in which jesus karate-chops demons and departs, granting us another two thousand years, but pleading that we try harder at being good. Instead something entirely unexpected - and challenging - is served up. So good to see that some people who write TV screenplays are not only thinking, but want to make us think too. It's also marvellously well acted.

Lame, dull and toothless

[roald-1 · 3/10 · 19 June 2007]

One should have the right to expect from people who make a film about the Second Coming and the Third Testament, that they had read the other two, or at least knew a little more about them than miracles and Judgement Day. This film contains absolutely nothing of relevance for viewers who are interested in Jesus, religion or philosophy -- there is only the standard British social realism with guttural dialects and plump characters in pubs.

Actually, good candidates for a real Third Testament have been published several times - like "A Course in Miracles" or "Conversations with God". They all have thought-provoking new twists and angles for Christian faith and theology.

The most interesting information in IMDb's rating is not the number of stars, but how many people who have bothered to vote. In four years, only 387 people have bothered to vote for this film. As usual, the enthusiasts are the most eager. For comparison, have a look at "Jesus Christ, Superstar" - original version from 1973.

Disappointing

[akuma-7 · 7 July 2003]

Hrm. This miniseries started off so incredibly well, I was really drawn into the story and ideas presented. It was something unique, something daring. The first episode was just fantastic, from start to finish.

However, the second (and final) episode was very disappointing, from perhaps the half way point. There is one huge gaping plothole, in particular, which invalidates the entire last half an hour, including the pretty stupid ending.

Despite what people might say, I don't think the end was intriguing, or even satisfactory, it was just...silly. I won't go into details and spoil it, but for me it just didn't click at all. It's a real shame, because the first episode was, as I said, fantastic.

Also, the character of Judith really, really grated me. She whines constantly, and her behaviour and actions make no sense. The 'revelation' she receives towards the end is completely bonkers, the show doesn't even entertain HOW she could have possibly reached that conclusion (this is the big plothole that I mentioned before).

I think it might be best to just watch part 1, and leave the conclusion to your imagination.