This movie has an intriguing premise, is beautifully photographed and well acted, but just falls short of being exceptional due to a by-the-numbers terrorist sub-plot.
Did Jesus Christ rise on the third day? This story is based around the discovery of the skeleton of a crucified man hidden behind a secret wall in a recently excavated tomb in Jerusalem. When Jewish archaeologist, Dr. Sharon Galban, played by the elegantly beautiful Olivia Williams, discovers the remains, it sets off a chain of events involving the Israeli Government, the Roman Catholic Church and Palestinian terrorists. Concerned that the discovery will undermine the basic tenet of Christianity i.e. the divinity of Christ, the Church sends priest and ex-army intelligence officer, Father Matt Gutierrez (Antonio Banderas), to investigate.
The power of the film is in the taboo nature of the mystery. But when you think about it, the story of Jesus, even at its most traditional, is surrounded by great mystery - "The Body" merely taps into that mystique.
Based on a novel by Richard Sapir, this isn't the first story to feature a new revelation about the death of Christ. Irving Wallace in "The Word" and Robert Ludlum in "The Gemini Contenders" had a crack at it as did Robin Maugham in "The Sign". The big revelation is usually that Christ did not die on the cross in the accepted manner. Nearly all the novels involve violent reaction to this piece of news from vested interests. Some also include an opt-out option; even "The Body" leaves a touch of doubt in our minds as to the identification of the skeleton.
"The Body" is fascinating when it sticks to the attempts to understand the significance of the skeleton, and what it means for the Christian faith. I would have been happy if all the drama had been derived from that situation; Derek Jacobi as Father Lavelle epitomizes the inner conflict the discovery causes, and the scene where he can no longer live with the thought is quite eerie.
However, the filmmakers probably felt that keeping the film at such a cerebral level would lose a wider audience; so half of the film involves terrorists who are trying to control the discovery for their own ends. This aspect of the story almost feels like a different film and although the action scenes are well staged, they are also predictable.
Antonio Banderas handles the complex role well. He is a priest under pressure - tempted by weakness of faith on the one hand and weakness of the flesh on the other when he discovers that Dr. Galban's most interesting artefacts aren't all hidden in the tomb.
The powerful elements in "The Body" make up for the weaker ones, and technically it's hard to fault, with terrific locations, and an atmospheric score by Serge Colbert. I have watched it a couple of times now; it's intriguing central story gets me in every time.
Did Jesus Christ rise on the third day? This story is based around the discovery of the skeleton of a crucified man hidden behind a secret wall in a recently excavated tomb in Jerusalem. When Jewish archaeologist, Dr. Sharon Galban, played by the elegantly beautiful Olivia Williams, discovers the remains, it sets off a chain of events involving the Israeli Government, the Roman Catholic Church and Palestinian terrorists. Concerned that the discovery will undermine the basic tenet of Christianity i.e. the divinity of Christ, the Church sends priest and ex-army intelligence officer, Father Matt Gutierrez (Antonio Banderas), to investigate.
The power of the film is in the taboo nature of the mystery. But when you think about it, the story of Jesus, even at its most traditional, is surrounded by great mystery - "The Body" merely taps into that mystique.
Based on a novel by Richard Sapir, this isn't the first story to feature a new revelation about the death of Christ. Irving Wallace in "The Word" and Robert Ludlum in "The Gemini Contenders" had a crack at it as did Robin Maugham in "The Sign". The big revelation is usually that Christ did not die on the cross in the accepted manner. Nearly all the novels involve violent reaction to this piece of news from vested interests. Some also include an opt-out option; even "The Body" leaves a touch of doubt in our minds as to the identification of the skeleton.
"The Body" is fascinating when it sticks to the attempts to understand the significance of the skeleton, and what it means for the Christian faith. I would have been happy if all the drama had been derived from that situation; Derek Jacobi as Father Lavelle epitomizes the inner conflict the discovery causes, and the scene where he can no longer live with the thought is quite eerie.
However, the filmmakers probably felt that keeping the film at such a cerebral level would lose a wider audience; so half of the film involves terrorists who are trying to control the discovery for their own ends. This aspect of the story almost feels like a different film and although the action scenes are well staged, they are also predictable.
Antonio Banderas handles the complex role well. He is a priest under pressure - tempted by weakness of faith on the one hand and weakness of the flesh on the other when he discovers that Dr. Galban's most interesting artefacts aren't all hidden in the tomb.
The powerful elements in "The Body" make up for the weaker ones, and technically it's hard to fault, with terrific locations, and an atmospheric score by Serge Colbert. I have watched it a couple of times now; it's intriguing central story gets me in every time.