Barabbas (2012 TV Movie) User Reviews (10)

The parts I saw were uneven...but I look forward to seeing it all someday!

[redbolter · 5/10 · 20 April 2014]

I only saw part of this--near the beginning, but it looked like Billy Zane was having some real fun chewing the scenery. I found that surprising considering the subject matter seems to call for a more somber treatment. (Enjoyed seeing it none the less, and Zane will be the reason I see this in its entirety at some point--I loved the long hair and the bellowing--and the quips, though they probably don't belong here.)

The production values were such that I wish I could have seen this in high def. I appreciated the inclusion of both the Jewish 'rebel' and Roman points of view, while also touching on the plight of the slaves, the impoverished and the diseased. (Though I don't know how deeply the film went on any of these matters.)

I don't know how this ended, but I hope things worked out well for young Ester and old Barabbas!

Biblical Billy the Kid

[tomsview · 4/10 · 29 September 2014]

I was hoping this movie would be better than it is. Even if you don't know the book or the 1962 film version, this movie still has to be disappointing.

It is very loosely based on Pär Lagerkvist novella, which tells the story of Barabbas, the bandit who was chosen over Jesus Christ by the people of Jerusalem when given the choice of releasing one prisoner during Passover.

Pär Lagerkvist novel is a moving and thoughtful work. The 1962 Dino De Laurentiis production, although it added a great deal of action to the story, caught the tone of the novel, emerging as a moody, almost surreal epic.

Unlike the book and De Laurentiis' movie, this made for television version starts before the crucifixion. We quickly learn that Barabbas (Billy Zane) is a real tearaway. He either hangs out at a brothel in town or with his gang in the hills. If they'd packed six-guns back then, he'd have shot up the place. Although the Zealots are involved in guerrilla warfare against the Romans, Barabbas is more interested in holding up the odd caravan or two.

There are a number of lacklustre sword fights with the Romans - the production seems a little light on extras - and Barabbas and his crew cook up a scam to rob the promoter of a local gladiatorial show. This sequence, more than any other, undermines the film. Seemingly inspired by the "Spartacus" TV series, it's unbelievable and is reminiscent of the ridiculous action that used to turn up in the old Italian sword and sandal movies of the 50's and 60's.

Eventually Barabbas is caught. Condemned to death then spared while Christ is crucified, Barabbas starts to question why he escaped death, and meets Christians whose faith seems indestructible. Although this crisis of conscience could have given the film a little depth especially after he learns of Christ's resurrection, the script goes off on another flight of fancy, as Barabbas becomes Barabbas PI.

After dressing up in Roman uniform he interrogates the soldiers who were on guard at the tomb of Jesus. Arriving in Rome after a side trip as a slave in a copper mine, Barabbas is sent undercover by Pontius Pilot to find his niece who has become a Christian, knowing that the sect is about to be blamed for burning Rome. However Barabbas inadvertently betrays them. He lands in prison awaiting execution. The last few scenes have the gravitas lacking in the rest of the film as Barabbas sacrifices himself and is then crucified.

Filmed in Tunisia, the scenery looks authentic enough although the film lacks scope and size. But it's the uneven script that sinks it, with much borrowed from other films - not all good ones. A pity really, because Billy Zane actually made a pretty good Barabbas.

Overlong TV rendition starrred by Billy Zane as the man set free when Jesus was crucified

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 3 April 2021]

Television version about the famous novel by Par Lagerkvist , Nobel Prize in Literature , about the known character was spared of the cruxification of Jesus . Barabbas : Billy Zane is juzged and condemned and subsequently freed by Pontius Pilate : Filippo Nigro , while his wife Claudia : Anna Valle, requests for Christo : Marco Foshi . Along the way , Barabbas is haunted by the image of Jesus for the rest of his life, and falls for a good girl : Cristiana Capotondi , combats on arena against sadistic gladiators, upheavals versus Romans and anything else . What happened to the man of violence in whose place Christ was crucified!. The man of violence in whose place Christ died !. The picture that begins the other big ones leave off !.

Standard gory religious spectacle follows the life of the Zelote Barabbas whom Pilate freed when Jesus was condemned to die . Production enough but short in credibility , being shot on location in Tunisia . Billy Zane plays the legendary thief whose physical and spiritual journey starts at the Crucifixion and goes on in the Roman arena with a period in the deep mines in between , ending in a personal sacrifice . Acceptable Italian cast as Anna Valle , Hristo Shopov , Paolo Seganti, Filippo Nigro , Lorenzo Balducci, Marco Foshi , all of them attempt to move this epic along , but fails , though with a good deal to recommend . In the movie appears several Biblical characters as Pontius Pilate and his wife Claudia , Virgin Maria , Mary of Bethany, Lazzaro, St Peter , St Marco, and , of course, Jesus Christ .

This is an inferior version to classic 1961 , one of the most stylish and successful epics of the Sixties directed by Richard Fleischer with Anthony Quinn, Silvano Mangano , Jack Palance , Vittorio Gassman and Ernest Borgnine . This 2012 recent retelling was professionally directed by Roger Young , though with no much originality.

Billy Zane

[Kirpianuscus · 26 May 2016]

it is his film. and that is the virtue and the sin of movie. because Billy Zane, far to be Anthony Quinn, does a decent job looking to explore his characters nuances. but the script and many actors are not the most inspired choices. sure, it is a nice adaptation of a great novel. a religious film who has not the ambition to be great. a picture of a time, a way and a discovery . the history of a man's change. few beautiful scenes, the landscapes and the desire to suggest more than present are the good points. but maybe not enough for define Barabbas more than a TV exercise to remind a book. because, after its end, Billy Zane seems not be only the lead actor but the only actor. because the realism used in few scenes not covers the absence of convincing dialogues.so, an adaptation of Barabbas. not the best.

How many quarries are there in Tunisia?

[rodder-3 · 3/10 · 27 June 2019]

The film never gains any depth, momentum, coherence or credibility. It's a mess from beginning to end. Ridiculous characters, character behaviour and historical scenarios, and it appears it was mostly filmed in stone quarries in Tunisia.

At times it's a like a bad parody of Life Of Brian! Simply awful film in every department, give it a miss unless you have masochistic tendencies.

Not Bad, Could Be Better

[KatharineFanatic · 7/10 · 9 May 2013]

I'm a Roman/Judean history nut, so when this came out, I had to see it. Three hours later, I have mixed thoughts.

The Good: the plot! It has its shaky moments but overall, this is a decent script. Barabbas comes across as a cynical, self-serving man who undergoes a change of heart and finds redemption. Pilate's wife, Claudia, also has a decent role, far bigger than any other depiction of her ever made—although I can't say the end of her story made me happy! Wandering in and out of different biblical events was also fun.

The Strange: can someone explain to me why Pilate has a beard? It wasn't fashionable for Romans at the time. He's also much too short to be a believable governor, considering Barabbas is about a foot taller. Why does Ester one minute tell Barabbas fornication is a sin against God, then turns around awhile later after following Jesus around and fornicates with him? Also, even though thirty years have passed by the end (which the film doesn't tell us, and most people ignorant of the time period wouldn't know), no one gets any older except Peter… why is that? The Bad: the acting! I'm not sure if it was foreigners struggling to speak in English rather than Italian that turned in such a crop of mediocre and sometimes downright painful performances, or that they just have no talent, but almost no one in this production is memorable. Zane is better than most but still hams it up a bit; I also wonder why Hristo Shopov is wasted in a minor role. He's played Pilate twice before (in Mel Gibson's film, and in a foreign follow-up), so it's strange they wouldn't let him do it again, particularly given that he has five times the presence and "governor-ness" than "this" Pilate. Also, something is "off" in this Jesus, but I'm not sure what; it's slightly creepy in places.

The Result: is a decent film hampered by its low production values; if you can overlook that, it's enjoyable, moving, and quite often surprising in where it leads.

Barabbas

[a-29488 · 5/10 · 12 April 2021]

It didnt feel as if there was enough story to keep the film going , I found myself fast forwarding bits towards the end.

Cliché rubbish, I'm afraid, with faked cartoonish accents that none can bear,

[nzswanny · 4/10 · 14 April 2017]

Easter is dawning, and right now I'm going on an Easter film marathon, and I happened to stumble over this film. I am sad to of, because I have experienced a horribly put together film because of it.

The faked accents for the Romans were absolute rubbish, I found myself rolling my eyes continuously as they kept yapping away as if they were in some sort of kid's cartoon. The accents sounded so fake, that I just had to cover my ears at times to stop myself from laughing at the completely horrible acting...and I thought 1985's Revolution had bad accents!

This film had an incredible huge amount of clichés. It's like the filmmakers haven't even read the Bible, because this film is completely out of spirit of it. There is loud, blockbuster music in this film (which is one cliché I really despise) and it is completely out of tone of what the Bible is. Also, I watched the film and I counted 37 clichés, which I won't bother to list. The dialogue in this film is mostly clichéd as well.

Did I mention how bad the acting was?

I can't believe that Billy Zane signed up for this cliché rubbish.

The film that this film was aiming for was a blockbuster. I don't like the style of blockbusters, and I'm a bit fussy when it comes to them, but I congratulate the director, I guess, for actually succeeding in what he was aiming for. Just a quick tip, Roger Young: don't aim for blockbusters. Aim for a good film, with good pacing and a fine soundtrack. This film, unfortunately, has bad pacing and a cliché, loud, blaring soundtrack because you wanted a blockbuster. I hope you're happy.

So, hmmm...now to list something good about this film.

Well, all the basic ingredients were there. The camera-work, the sound design and the costume design were all well done, so at least the film got that right. But the substance of the film is horrible, completely out of tone of the Bible, and not deserving of it's length. I rate this a 4.1/10, not a 3.1/10, because I think that if you are into those blockbusters you get in the mainstream cinema, you'll probably really enjoy this. If you, however, are looking for a good quality film with good actors, avoid this. If you are a TRUE Christian who has read the whole Bible, I'm pretty sure you won't like this, either.

If you're looking for an Easter film with quality, watch 2014's The Saviour.

A reasonable effort

[safenoe · 8/10 · 15 September 2016]

Billy Zane (from Titanic) does a decent job as Barabbas in this TV remake of the one made a few decades ago in the swords and sandals era (Ten Commandments, Ben Hur, Spartacus "I'm Spartacus!!!", "No I am!!! "No wait, I'm Spartacus!!!). I haven't seen the original one so I wasn't sure what to expect.

The scenery was quite impressive and almost quite authentic, and Billy's range of emotions came through. I sometimes how many people on set are born again Christians, but they contributed well to this production that explores the life of Barabbas who was spared from crucifixion, and instead Jesus Christ was sent to the cross to die for the sins of the world. The movie doesn't explore the resurrection of God's Son, but it covers well what could have been with Barabbas.

common

[Vincentiu · 14 October 2013]

it is an TV religious movie like many others. the sins are not very great, the performance is not bad and Billy Zane has the chance to do a credible character. the game with the New Testament facts is regrettable but seems be only part of director vision about subject. the serious problem remains the dialogs and not the best choice for Jesus role. but for a hunter of Bible adaptations is a nice title. maybe for the force of few images, the acting of some actors or for the atmosphere. only observation - it is an inspired option to not have great expectations. because it is only a common religious film, not the best novel adaptation but good occasion to remember an old useful story about search of faith.