The Nativity

My wife, Christine, and I were part of a invited group that saw a sneak preview of the Nativity last night. Described as a movie even that Pope would watch because it premiered at the Vatican, it is an average film at best. (Maybe Benedict XVI realized that which is why he was out of the country when it showed!)

Perhaps for younger children it at least is a fairly good representation of Christ's birth and the journey that Mary and Joseph travel. Still, you know that you've not achieved much as a filmmaker when the best characters in this story are the wise men. Keisha Castle-Hughes, who plays Mary, is bland and lifeless throughout most of the film -- presenting her as way too serious.

There is no way you can do this story without being a bit sappy and the Nativity does not disappoint in that regard. Even Christine -- who enjoys sappy with the best of them -- thought it was a bit over the top to have the shepherds and wise men all at the birthplace at the same time, with of course, the star shining down on them all.

We also thought it was incredulous to have eliminated the Magnificat from the storyline (note: this is the response Mary has to Elizabeth's "Hail Mary, full of Grace. The Lord is with You!" (see Luke 1:46-55). Still, perhaps producer/director Catherine Hardwicke realized like we did that Keisha Castle-Hughes could never have pulled if off. Hearing her say, "My soul does magnify the Lord . . ." just would not have been believable.

Perhaps the most amusing and entertaining part of the whole evening was listening to a local Christian radio promotions person who was part of putting on the event introduce the film by saying, "This is the first Christian film since the Ten Commandments!" Nor sure what planet this guy has been on. Another example of how the use of Christian as an adjective is problematic.