The Nativity

Sky are showing the film The Nativity Story as part of the Christmas line up. It tells the Christmas Story as authentically as possible although it does begin with slaughter of all children under two something that happened some time after the birth of Jesus. It is quite brutal so if you are looking to have a warm cosy experience this is not the film for you. The poverty and subjugation to Herod and Roman rule is there to be seen.

“Betrothed to much-older Joseph (Oscar Isaac), Mary (Keisha Castle-Hughes) must remain a maiden for one year, but she subsequently receives a visit from the angel Gabriel, who tells her of her destiny. When Joseph and now-heavily pregnant Mary journey to Bethlehem for the Roman census, they face a threat from King Herod, whose obsession with an ancient prophecy endangers soon-to-be-born Jesus.”

The film was released on the 1st of December 2006 and premiered at the Vatican on the 27th of November 2006.

It received mixed reviews on its release. I watched it last year and tried unsuccessfully to watch it again. It tells a good faithful story of the incarnation of Jesus and the events surrounding the story. But there is something missing. I’m not quite sure what it is. I don’t think the sets are very good and cinematography is lacking any sparkle what so ever. It left me as a devout Catholic feeling rather flat and uninspired so I don’t know how it plays out for other people. As one critic said it’s too tepid to shed any light at all. Yet having said that it utterly faithful to the events and doesn’t shirk from the reality of the Christmas story, it is no Christmas card depiction.

It’s a worthy and well meaning film but in the end it’s a  bit like the curate’s egg, good in parts.

Two stars.


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