It moved slowly at times or was it simply that we expect a higher body count and more explosions in our films? I thought it gained tremendous momentum towards the end and I left feeling very satisfied, uplifted, and quite entertained. This is a very unusual film in many respects. Its very downbeat, almost like film noir...really. Many scenes are quite dark and the lighting effects are really unusual and I found the pleasing. The acting was fine and the and the movie had a very original feel despite everyone knowing about the Apostle Paul and his unique life. I got to say that Christianity has strayed radically from the vision that Paul had!! It was interesting to me how closeups were used in so many scenes. There were some rough scenes including the final ones but that was reality back then and still is in many parts of the world. I recommend this film highly for anyone looking for something deeper that offers a unique perspective on many levels. Definitely worth your time whether you are into religion or not. Good one.
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asinyne31 March 2018
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There's no getting around it - this movie is heavy from start to finish - not a moment of comic relief. It is a very sobering film, showing the terrible toll on lives that can occur when evil tyranny is unchecked. It was a fascinating time in history, and an interesting segment of Paul's life to explore -- rather than his 30 years of ministry and 10,000 miles of travel, we get only a focused glimpse into his final days in Nero's prison, with flashbacks to his original time of conversion.
On the upside: This movie is very well done from a production, acting & cinematography aspect. It keeps you engaged; its almost like watching a mystery unfold, due to its intensity. Jim Caviezel (as Luke), Olivier Martinez (as the Roman prefect over the prison), and Joanne Whalley (as Priscilla) were all brilliant in their roles. I mean, really brilliant. (I also loved Joanne in her role of Claudia in A.D.; and Jim Caviezel became one of my favorite actors after "Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Passion". But Olivier was the real surprise - extreme talent.)
On the downside: Most of the movie feels hopeless. What ever happened to the miraculous power and intense encouragement that Paul operated in during all his years of ministry? I feel that the creators of this movie completely underplayed Paul and stripped him of all the elements that made him who he was in the kingdom of God. That was extremely frustrating, since it presented a powerless, hopeless Christianity, other than to be martyred and receive eternal life. Not very appealing. It made me dislike his character more than like it.
In conclusion, the movie is definitely worth seeing for the artistry and story, if you can handle the context, the embellished story line, and a depressing outlook through most of the movie. But if you only like "feel good" movies, you might want to avoid this one. -
CharbelRahme10 June 2018As a christian, I totally recommend this movie for people who read Paul's letter and know about his life with the early christians communities. The screenplay was well written and was faithful to the scripture, which makes the movie a great witness to the life of Paul who changed after the apparition of Christ to him when he was on the way to persecute believers in the middle east.
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l-piotrowski24 March 2018I saw this movie today and thought it was good, with excellent acting, and location (filmed in Malta which was the place of one of Paul's journeys). The movie doesn't sugar coat the persecution the Christians of that era had to endure, shirk away from divisions within the early church community or difficult questions being asked by those living in those times. The story line drags in a few places but for the most part it is a movie worth seeing in a theater.
I saw a 5pm show and sadly there were only about 10 people at the most there, so hopefully more will attend future screenings. -
MovieMan197524 March 2018This movie is far better than your typical Bible or 'faith-based' movie; I admittedly had some low expectations going in to see it and was very surprised by a quality film with a beautiful message. Not for one second did I feel that this was preachy or 'Bible-beating'... it was more pure and authentic and humanist. The acting is top notch, with Jim Caviezel, Faulkner, and Olivier Martinez really giving some nuanced and layered performances. Nobody phoned in their roles, you could sense a level of passion and commitment to the story. The music was also excellent, a gorgeous score that was paired with some nice cinematography and production design. The movie looked good and sounded, but importantly - it felt good. Lots of films in the devotional genre tend to end up being mere dramatic recreations of the gospels, but this one, while delivering authenticity, was not as concerned with delivering a 'live-action experience of the Bible' so much as striving to express the true message of Paul. That message, the one that is basically Christ's Sermon on the Mount, is the crux of the film. This gives it an emotional heft that is quite poignant. I wasn't so moved by the characters' actions and the story in so much as what they were feeling in their hearts and what they were expressing. Dammit this movie hit me right in the feels and I already know it will linger with me for days. That is a good sign that I just participated in some human art. Won't win any Oscars, and sadly probably won't light up the box office but this is a fine and beautiful movie with an important and relevant message for the world today.
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Set in Rome after the burning of Rome, Paul is accused of burning half of Rome to the ground, but many Romans come to believe elsewise. This movie chronicles Paul's journey of faith from Damascus to his execution, and speaks of the many letters Paul wrote, which would later be part of The Holy Bible, which Constantine brought about after the battle of the milvian bridge.
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John_T_Chance23 March 2018This is everything it should have been and more. It's a completely textured and riveting tale of the early church and St. Paul and St. Luke's role in the development of Christianity. Wonderfully written, it thoroughly explores the trials and tribulations of what was facing Christians in the early days. It's not hamfisted or cheap in any way and does captivate on an emotional level if you are a person of faith. As presented, the viewer has no idea what was going to happen unless you are already familiar with the story. The performances are simply amazing.
By the end of the film, there is a genuine interest in actually following up and searching out Paul and Luke's writings and words of wisdom...that in and of itself is not only a proper tribute to the men themselves but also to the people that crafted this film. Subtlety as well as conviction wins the day here and I'm better for having watched this film. How many movies can you say that about? Fight the good fight, finish the race and keep the faith... -
pgoggins-527-56873510 April 2018The gist of this film is there are lots of shots which make the actor look like Paul in a Caravaggio painting.
They omit almost his entire career as an evangelist, which is odd for a biopic, but understandable considering it was probably very low budget. Oddly, they didn't deal with the likelihood that Peter was in Rome at the same time.
Fact is, no one knows how Paul died. The conviction for treason in this film is complete fiction. He was arrested, not for being a Christian, but rather for creating a disturbance at the temple in Jerusalem. Some say, as a Roman citizen, he was not held liable for the charges, and lived out his days in Western Europe.
It's all a guess.
Still, the script in this film was awful. The crisis wasn't well sold, and the relationships weren't well developed. Conflict was sold like cheap candy. Don't buy it. -
erhelvering25 March 2018First off, know what to expect going into this movie. It is not a retelling of the book of Acts and Paul's many exploits. It is about him reaching the end of his life and passing the torch to the next generation of Christians, as they all grapple with the difficulty of following God in the midst of a cruel and evil world. Knowing that, I don't think you will be disappointed.
I rated this a 10 because I don't know if any movie has moved me more than this one did. At least, very few have. It's not perfect, but by the end I was sobbing uncontrollably in the theater. Specifically, seeing the suffering of the persecuted Christians, and especially Paul's struggle with lingering guilt over his part in that persecution, culminating with the final scene (which I won't spoil here).
I'll admit that some of the dialogue, especially earlier on in the film, could probably be better, as could the quality of some shots or the sound mixing in a few moments. But the acting is strong across the board, and the production design and costumes look very authentic. Most importantly, the drama is sustained throughout, and there are profound spiritual insights to be gleaned. -
icreate-125 March 2018I struggled to stay awake through the first half. It's the story of Luke writing the Book of Acts. Taking place in A.D. 67 during Nero's evil persecution of the Christians, it does depict the gruesome treatment of the followers of Jesus very graphically. I would have done more flashbacks on Paul's life. I expected a better storyline and I would have put more action in n the beginning to keep the view enthralled. Wait for the DVD.
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"Paul, Apostle of Christ" is one of the worst movies I have ever seen in a theater. I'm a Christian, I love movies, and I adore Jim Caviezel. It's a sin to tell a lie, so I must tell you that this film is so bad I have to wonder if someone decided that Christian movie fans are so desperate that we will support badly-made films. Movies offer many features: soundtrack, script, costumes, setting, star-power. If you are in a not-great movie, often you can focus on one aspect if another aspect is lacking. Nothing in "Paul, Apostle of Christ" works.
The script is barely there. Paul languishes in a Roman dungeon. Romans torture Christians. Christians wonder how they should respond. Paul and Luke chat about the old days. And that's about it. At one point, a lovable Christian is sent on a mission, and given all the attention being paid to him, you *know* he's not coming back. The foreshadowing is painfully obvious.
Paul's captor, Olivier Martinez, has a French accent so thick you could spread it on brioche. Every time he opens his mouth you have to struggle to understand what he is saying, and to stifle a giggle. No one else in this film has a French accent.
The film was shot in Malta, among ancient ruins that look like ancient ruins. The marble is overrun with ivy and foliage growing out of cracks. People in Ancient Rome did not live in "ancient" Rome, they lived in a Rome that was modern at the time. The ruined look of the place takes the viewer out of the picture.
Rembrandt, Bach, and Cecil B. DeMille gave us rousing and inspirational art that treated Biblical themes. We need to embrace that full-blooded tradition and jettison false piety, which makes for bad art. -
brlfrndz7 December 2018I've come close a few times: "Saving Private Ryan" and "The Weatherman" are two that I can think of right off the bat that have at least made my eyes well up; but this one...
I legitimately busted out crying in the last few minutes of the film, finding myself overwhelmed with emotion.
If you don't know the story of Paul, it's one of redemption. Of all people to be converted to Christianity, he was perhaps the least likely candidate being that he persecuted the early Church or Christ.
This film isn't a comprehensive study on Paul, but rather the final moments of his life, and the impact that it had on the Church.
Early on in the film, we're shown Paul taken to prison awaiting his execution, and that's where the main focus of the film is. To cover Paul's entire life in the Church would require a massive budget, so it's hard to complain about a film not doing that when the reality is it cost money to make movies, but I digress.
The most amazing things might be what Paul did for Jesus Christ, but the most powerful is his conversion and how he had to fight spiritually in even his last days. We see him revisit his past in flashback sequences that are probably the best interpretation of these events I have ever seen on film. It's beautifully filmed, and tragically dark; but despite the darkness, there is salvation for Paul, and that's what's so touching about the film: salvation is available for everyone, and despite all that Paul had done in his past, he ended up serving God faithfully, right up to his death.
The subplots revolve around a Roman soldier and his sick daughter, as well as the opposition the Church faced, and Luke also finding his place within all of this. The film doesn't shy away from the harsh violence that was inflicted on early Believers either, which makes for simultaneously enlightening and difficult viewing. Much of the film's impact hinges on the final moments, and that's where the emotional punches land; it opts to build up to the ending, even though there are powerful moments before that, some of which are truly unforgettable.
This film is less of a movie in the traditional sense and far more of an experience, as its pacing is slow and methodical but never dull. By the end, I cried harder than I ever had in any movie. I highly recommend this film. It's a film about a very dangerous time in history, and a reminder of the persecution that still happens today, in which many Christians are slaughtered for what they believe.
Watch it! -
nowackiandrew13 April 2018I was really looking forward to this movie coming out. And I'm thankful that it came out, but I was left thinking that there could've been more here. It didn't really captivate me.
It wasn't compelling. Maybe I missed something here, but I thought this movie was about Paul, and getting the Acts recorded. Instead the movie was more about Luke and what went on in his life, and life outside the prison walls. I wanted to hear about Paul's life more, and the Acts of the Apostles.
It just didn't have that luster I was hoping it would have. That being said, I think it's worth seeing. -
trinaboice28 March 2018Grade: B
In a Nutshell: Just in time for the Easter season, this Christian movie brings Paul and Luke, both faithful followers of Jesus Christ, to the big screen with their unique friendship and affirming messages.
This film is VERY heavy, dark, gory, and even depressing. In that regard, it's very realistic. The film states at the end that is has been "dedicated to all those who have been persecuted for their faith." Christians will leave with a feeling of reverence and increased respect for the early Christians.
While this movie really won't convince non-believers to turn their lives over to Christ, it is another arrow in the quiver of recent Christian movies that build faith and testimony. Christian movies are slowly getting better and I'm grateful that Christian audiences support them in movie theaters.
Two additional Christian movies, a holy trinity of films so to speak, are also in theaters at the same time to celebrate the Easter season: I Can Only Imagine DVD and God's Not Dead: A Light In Darkness (Songs From And Inspired By The Motion Picture).
Tips for parents:
There are a lot of gruesome images of torture, deaths, bodies burning, and suffering. I'm almost surprised that this movie wasn't rated R because of so many brutal scenes. There is a LOT of talking with not very much action. Most children will be bored. It's definitely not a feel-good popcorn movie for a fun Friday night. It is, however, a thought-provoking film that will make you think and feel.
Uplifting theme:
Enduring faith Forgiveness Be the light. Peace begins with you. "Love is the only way." - Luke "We cannot repay evil with evil. Evil can only be overcome with good." - Paul "Men do not die for things they doubt." - Paul "We live for the Lord. We die for the Lord. Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord." - Paul Through suffering, good can come.
Things I liked:
I really like Jim Caviezel. Knowing that he is a solid Christian makes me like him even more, especially as he tries to lend his big star name and talent to Christian movies, which are often seen as amateur and cheesy. Jim Caviezel gave impressive strength to Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The Christ Do you want to know what he did with a lot of the money he earned from that movie? He adopted 3 special needs children. Wow. I like the Giving Films logo and the name "Affirm Films." The production value was very high. Good technical work. I thought the Lord's Prayer scene was powerful. The end was very sweet. Filming was done in Malta, where Paul actually went on one of his journeys. Some humor. Some of the dialogue was full of rich wisdom. I really like it when movie theaters don't instantly raise the lights when a movie ends. Audiences are able to sit and reflect for a few minutes and even compose themselves before the lights turn back on. I really liked the scene where Luke told Paul that he saw Jesus in him when Paul taught the gospel. What a great compliment. Oh that people could see Christ in us!
Things I didn't like:
There are a LOT of scenes in dark corners and dungeons, making it hard to see what's going on. There are also a lot of scenes with whispered conversations, making it hard to hear what's being said. The various accents were distracting. Characters spoke with British accents, French, American, and even one guy sounded Scottish. Paul's famous "Road to Damascus" scene was surprisingly short. I wanted more. Some of the flashbacks could have been done better. It seemed like they were reusing footage to save money. It drags in some places, especially during the first half. My sister and I both got drowsy and had to keep each other awake. That's not good!
Funny lines:
"Come, eat. You must be starving." - Aquilla (John Lynch) "If you're cooking, I don't know if I'm that hungry." - Luke (Jim Caviezel)
"Quit your complaining." - Luke to Paul "They truly were miserable days with you. I do miss them." - Paul to Luke
Interesting lines:
"The Devil sneaks in the darkness here." - Paul (James Faulkner) "All men are a slave to something." - Paul "Where sin abounds, grace abounds more." - Paul "In a moment, you will know you know God's love and I hope it is soon." - Paul "They will know us for our love." - Paul In an online interview with Jim Cazievel, he mentioned how he could watch good Christian movies like Ben Hur over and over. Be sure to watch that movie again this Easter season. It's old, but it's extremely powerful! -
DKosty12326 March 2018This movie starts with Rome burning and an elderly Paul in prison. Then if flashes back to his earlier life. The film then goes back and forth from the present to the past. It is pretty much faithful to the scripture of the bible about Paul.
The scenes filmed in Malta are pretty realistic looking. The filmakers did a very good job of choosing locations and making them look real. It is the fall of the Western Roman Empire after Christs death and all the chaos in this 62AD era Rome is here for one to see.
As for Paul, being one of the last folks alive to actually meet Jesus in the flesh by this time, the story of the writing of the letters of Paul is pretty important The suffering of the Western world seems to all be getting interupted by the actual real life events that marked the decline of Rome in history.
The realism of the presentation makes this worth it. There are scenes that are light and others that are dark which pretty much sums up Paul's live. -
I like movies of faith though I'm not religious. This is one of the better ones to come out recently. The acting, directing, and especially editing are far superior to Sampson, another recent movie of faith which was supposed to be a blockbuster and failed miserably in every imaginable way (including the box office.)
Paul, Apostle of Christ (2018) really does uplift. Whatever you believe, a story of someone willing to endure torture and still maintain his faith, while preaching that great evil can only be conquered by greater good, is someone to be admired. This film can bring tears to your eyes, make no mistake. It can also bolster your resolve to be a force for good. -
ma-cortes22 January 2023Saint Paul and Saint Luke's biopic focusing their imprisonment , Christian persecution and other happenings narrated by means of flashbacks . Biblical epic from the book of Acts a covering the conversion of Saul of Tarsus and his ministry to the Gentiles , now known as Paul . Pursued by fellow Jew Reuben, who wishes him dead, Paul takes the Gospel of Jesus throughout the known world to Rome . Semi-biography of Saul or Pablus of Tarso , generally regarded as one of the most important figures of the Apostolic Age, he founded several Christian communities in Asia Minor and Europe from the mid-40s to the mid-50s AD . Known as Saul the Butcher , the stoning of Stephen was said to have shattered Saul's faith in the Temple . Paul prior to his conversion, persecuted early Christians "beyond measure", as an anti-Christian he was in charge during the time, of their pursuit , more specifically Hellenised diaspora Jewish members who had returned to the area of Jerusalem . Paul's initial persecution of Christians probably was directed against these Greek-speaking "Hellenists" due to their anti-Temple attitude. Within the early Jewish Christian community, this also set them apart from the "Hebrews" and their continuing participation in the Temple cult . Depicting his famous journey through the desert to Damascus. But shortly before reaching Damascus something unusual happens. Saul fell from his horse as though he had been struck by lightning and Jesus speaks to him: "Saul, why do you persecute me?" Saul has gone blind and no longer eats or drinks. He just weeps and speaks of Jesus . His conversion to Christianity and baptism as Paul changed the history of the world. Later on , Paul is imprisoned and Christians in Rome are facing heavy persecution , while is developed some flashbacks dealing with Paulus miraculous conversion and his teachings . It starts when Luke (Jim Cazievel) travels Roma looking for apostle Paul (James Faulkner) , turned in Nero's prisoner due to his enjaillement by Roman officer Mauritius Gallas (Olivier Martinez) , to tell his story before his execution . With darkness seeming to close in, Luke meets with Paul to receive encouragement and guidance for God's people, inspired to write down Paul's story into what would become known as the book of Acts. Their Faith Challenged an Empire !. Where Sin Abounds... Grace Abounds More !. The church's greatest enemy became Christ's most prolific messenger !. Where The Passion ends... the story of Paul begins !.
This is an acceptable film showing the painful life of Apostle Paulus when's imprisoned , as well as other deeds as the cruel pursuits of the unfortunate Christians , martyrdom of Saint Esteban and Saint Paul conversion . Dealing with various historical figures , such as : Paulus , Luke , Nero , Jesus , Mary and Ananias who returned Paulus his sight thanks to the miraculous intervention of God . Being well played by some familiar faces , such as : Jim Caviezel as Luke , James Faulkner as Paul the apostle and Saul of Tarso , Olivier Martinez as Mauritius Gallas , Joanne Whalley as Priscilla , John Lynch as Aquila , among others . The motion picture was professionally directed by Andrew Hyatt .
According to the New Testament book Acts of the Apostles, Paul was a Pharisee ; he participated in the persecution of early disciples of Jesus, possibly Hellenised diaspora Jews converted to Christianity, in the area of Jerusalem, prior to his conversion . In the narrative of Acts, Paul was traveling on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus on a mission to "arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem" when the risen Christ appeared to him in a great bright light. He was struck blind, but after three days his sight was restored by Ananias of Damascus and Paul began to preach that Jesus of Nazareth was the Jewish messiah and the Son of God. Approximately half of the Acts of the Apostles deals with Paul's life and works. Fourteen of the 27 books in the New Testament have traditionally been attributed to Paul. Seven of the Pauline epistles are undisputed by scholars as being authentic, with varying degrees of argument about the remainder. Pauline authorship of the Epistle to the Hebrews is not asserted in the Epistle itself and was already doubted in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. It was almost unquestioningly accepted from the 5th to the 16th centuries that Paul was the author of Hebrews , but that view is now almost universally rejected by scholars. The other six are believed by some scholars to have come from followers writing in his name, using material from Paul's surviving letters and letters written by him that no longer survive. Other scholars argue that the idea of a pseudonymous author for the disputed epistles raises many problems. -
sendjohnadollar-884-76966111 April 2018In the overall cinematic universe, this movie is so boring and disjointed that it should only be viewed in extreme cases of insomnia. On top of that, they dare to call this a Christian movie and that is outright disgraceful. I would think that if one were to set out to write a screenplay about the Apostle Paul, one would have the wherewithal to read at least the book of Acts and if not all, then at least a good selection of Paul's epistles to know his background, how he thought, and what he experienced; reading Romans through Colossians would suffice. Instead, they made up everything and occasionally had Paul tell Luke some random verse out of one of his epistles. No context needed - just quote something to sell it as a movie for Christians. I was so bored that I started finishing these out of context quotes by saying out loud "write that down". I didn't care if I bothered anyone else in the theater because there were only half a dozen of us suffering through this mess together and no one tried to silence me. They to my great amusement, at the end of the movie, Paul says something out of one of his letters (I can't even remember what verse it was). Luke says "say, that's good." so Paul said "Write it down." He stole my line! Bottom line, this movie is awful, it does not portray Paul as he was, it is full of zero doctrine, and is a monumental waste of time. I love Jim Caviezel; he is in some of my favorite movies and is a truly talented actor. I even met him at JFK airport one time because he lives in my home town and he was on his way home after Person of Interest was finished and we were headed home on the same flight. I loved Person of Interest, Frequency is my go-to movie when I'm feeling down, and the Passion of the Christ is an annual event during Lent in my family. It isn't his fault that this script was so bad and editing chopped up what may have been decent in to a jumbled mess. I look forward to seeing him in the future and will just forget this movie exists.
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bryangary659 September 2019..telling of a good story.
Heavy going to start off with, but finishes strong with all three male leads rising to the occasion -
glollis29 March 2018I expected more with descent review. I agree with another review that the movie focuses more on Luke. I expected the movie to focus on the glory and miricles of Paul's life. Instead the movie focuses only on the suffering and is not a good represntation of The Apostle Paul.
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johnt-8413623 June 2018I'm very skeptical of watching a "biblical" movie, because, until now, I have not seen one that I considered almost 100% accurate both biblically and historically (with allowance for necessary fictional dialog). Most screenwriters turn most of a movie into their own interpretation of the Bible. Besides that, most have a decidedly Catholic perspective to them. I would take issue with one or two points of "doctrine," but not enough to matter.
I would recommend this motion picture to anyone interested in the life and times of the Apostle Paul. A few short scenes of violence might make some uneasy, but that's the way the Roman Empire was. -
Richie-67-48585225 March 2018Taking the bible and making movies out of it is not a new concept. I mean we read the bible, listen to it by audio and watch by video, discuss it live and count on it to minister to us as a word from God. I do take exception however when they either read too much into a story or take too much out of one. This is called eisegesis and exegesis principals and dynamics where the reader imposes or takes away from what is presented. This movie takes liberties with these dynamics. The dialog resembles and brings to mind the bible as they use it as script. They add emotions, mood, environment, circumstances and play with it so as to tell the story but only more so. Its called entertainment. Ben Hur, The Ten Commandments (Demilles), Greatest Story Ever Told, Jesus of Nazareth and the King of Kings do an excellent job in using bible sources to entertain making it memorable and believable. But there is a fine line and this movie crosses over it a few times. I would rather read my bible than have it acted out in front of me but either way, if we glean the purpose of it all, we will be just fine. That purpose? TRUTH. We are looking for and searching for the TRUTH. Wait for cable here. I don't recommend this for small children for some scenes and for dialog being complex. Include this as....
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curtnorman24 March 2018The movie should be called Luke and not Paul. It struggles to gain traction, and fails to do justice to a compelling story.
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Actually this well intentioned movie is a bit hard to follow. I prefer a more Hollywood version like Quo Vadis. Firstly, too much is filmed in darkness. The flashbacks are confusing.
It's not too horrific. The actual coliseum feeding of Christians to the Lions is not shown.
It's nice to see Joanne Whaley as Priscilla and James Caveziel as St Luke. Olivier Martinez speaks with a very strong French accent. It's hard to understand and not right for a Roman soldier. Should have been British or Italian.
Interesting for an accurate depiction of what happened but not as enjoyable as the old fashioned more inaccurate biblical epics like Quo Vadis and Ben Hur etc.