a movie review

THE NATIVITY STORY

( a scene from the movie)

The producers of THE NATIVITY STORY must have had a difficut time deciding on the filming of this movie. The plot has been known since the year the film industry has been on its infancy. But still the cameras rolled and Alliance Atlantis released the finished product. The cast boasted  no heavyweight Hollywood stars.

It had a brief run last December, since  Christmas centers on the essence of the movie. Again, who would care to watch a movie since everyone was busy Christmas shopping? Even me, a die hard religious movie collector deliberately missed it because I know I will buy the video anyway. Then DVD it was released on the last week of March when the Holy Week was just around the corner..Again .who would want to watch a Christmas movie during Holy Week?

Nevertheless I bought a copy and I watched it. I did not watch it in one sitting because the beginning was quite slow and the costumes and settings reminded me too much of JESUS OF NAZARETH ( minus the cameos of famous stars)..But when the climax commenced I did not pick up the phone even when it rang. I  I had to see what would happen although I already have an idea of what will happen....

I have to give credit to the makers of the movie; putting their money into a project they know might fail. However, right after the movie ended, I did not switch off the DVD player at once. I went on to check the cast, the director ( Catherine Hardwicke who was also one of the producers.).Means probably she put back into the production expenses whatever pay she had. But I would say she did a terrific job with the movie. And presently, I can tell the DVD sales seem to be soaring.

The movie centered around Mary, the Mother of Jesus, Son of God. The role was played by Keisha Castle-Hughes who looked strikingly similar to Olivia Hussey who played the same role in FRANCO ZEFFERILLI's JESUS OF NAZARETH the 6 hour made for television. Oscar Isaac did justice to the role of Joseph, the foster father of Jesus. The three Kings are in this movie, and so is the donkey ( it had some funny moments with Joseph during their longjourney to Bethlehem ) then there is an angel with no wings, the bad guy Herod, and his son and namesake Herod Jr.

Mary looked very down-to-earth, unlike the images we see her now a days like the Lady of Fatima or lady of Manaoag. In the movie, the instant Jesus was born, all 3 planets in the heavens aligned themselves and a very blinding light filled the cave where Jesus was born. The background music was a full orchestral score with choral tracks. I was expecting to hear OH COME ALL YE FAITHFUL but it never came. The digital effects at the very moment of Jesus birth was so overwhelming. Come to think of it, this is a Christmas movie. All the basic elements of a church Christmas eve pageant are here..

But yes, the music director used some familiar carols right at the finale scenes. I recognized Lullay, Lullay (the Coventry Carol ) when Herod's goons had started their infamous massacre of the infants. Silent Night, finally burst out in the last scene showing the Holy Family treking against a desert scene on their way to Egypt.---#