The Christian Bible, one story written over a period of 1600 years by over 40 different authors into 66 separate books, has been read, shared and taught to millions of people all around the world. Although parts and stories from this best-selling and most widely-known book in the world had been converted to film, no one had ever tried to boil the whole story down into a series until executive producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett came together to create the epic miniseries The Bible.
Premiering at 8 p.m., March 3, on the History Channel, the 10-hour production was broken up into 2-hour episodes and will be shown every Sunday night through March 31. Each episode focuses on the lives and stories of some of the more prominent and major Bible characters, beginning with Abraham in Episode One and ending on Easter Sunday with the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Feather will provide a brief review for each of the following episodes. Check back every week through Easter to read the latest update on the series.
Episode One of The Bible begins with a brief account of Creation and the Fall of Man given by Noah to his family on the Ark. The viewer is immediately transitioned into the life of Abraham, an old and righteous man whom God has promised to make the father of many nations despite his lack of a child.
A wide range of the trials and triumphs Abraham experienced are presented, including the tension between him and his nephew Lot, a son born by his maidservant Hagar and by a lack of faith, the miracle of a son that God provided for him through his old and barren wife Sarah and the well-known test of faith and rewarded provision given him by God with his obedience in sacrificing Isaac.
The themes of God’s continually extended mercy and grace despite mistakes play out in the story of Abraham, and often Abraham says, “We must trust in God. The Lord will provide…” Time and time again, the needs in Abraham’s life are met and God?s ultimate promise of descendants numerous as the stars in the sky is fulfilled, regardless of his failures and falls.
With the fulfillment of God’s covenant comes hundreds and hundreds of Israelites, though, and next we see all of those Israelites in bondage to Egypt as slaves. Moses, a man saved by God?s protection and plan for freedom for his people, discovers his identity as a Jew and not an Egyptian and begins to feel a burden for the brothers he sees slaving for Pharaoh. After spending some time away from Egypt, he receives a message from God instructing him to return to Egypt and set his people free.
Moses approaches Pharaoh and demands the release of his brothers, and following a long battle with God involving plagues and punishment for his hard-heartedness, Pharaoh gives up the fight and frees the Israelites. After they have left, he realizes that he has lost his entire workforce and pursues them to bring them back. With his chariots and armies, he traps them against the Red Sea, giving them no hope for escape. Once again, God’s presence and power are made known when He splits the sea, giving His people a dry pathway of escape and wiping out the enemy, Pharaoh?s army, in its recession.
The episode concludes with Moses receiving the Ten Commandments and passing the leadership of the people off to Joshua. The Israelites, led by God for 40 years in the desert, emerge ready to possess new lands as they draw nearer to God?s Promised Land. After a hint at the city of Jericho and the well-known story of its destruction, the episode ends, leaving Israelite spies in danger in Jericho and the audience hanging until the next week.
I did not know what to expect when I turned on the TV to watch the first episode of the film. Sure, it was done in one book with 66 divisions, but how the producers were going to be able to compile it into a movie with a limited amount of time I had no idea. It was a little disappointing to find out that the series was going to be comprised of only ten Biblical stories instead of being an overview of the whole thing, but it is unrealistic to think that the Bible, one of the most detailed and complex stories in history, can be condensed into a ten-hour movie.
The film location was gorgeous and the producers definitely reached their goal of authenticity in the story’s setting, as most of the movie was shot in northern Africa. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the special effects until I found out that Downey and Burnett had brought on the same computer-generated imagery team that did the effects for Gladiator.
Some scenes had extra action not depicted in the Bible, no doubt to draw in the younger American generation, and some parts of the film were played up a bit like a Hollywood action movie, but overall, the story line stayed true to the book. Of course, movie producers will always have their own artistic license, and certain parts of the stories were emphasized to elicit emotion and interest from viewers. The movie is definitely the Hollywood version of the story, but it does a good job of maintaining the attention of viewers of all ages.
The underlying theme throughout the first episode, and according to Downey the whole series, is of God’s presence and provision for His people, and all people, despite their continued mistakes, unfaithfulness and failures. I am looking forward to seeing whether or not that thread will make its way through the whole series like the producers are claiming it does.
Because of the limit on time, there are some definite gaps in the stories, and a viewer who has not read the Christian Bible would certainly be unable to fill in the gaps. However, the series is likely to whet the audience’s whistle and prompt them to read the Bible for themselves.
Aside from minor details and additions to the Biblical plot, I was pleased with the way the Bible was portrayed and thoroughly enjoyed the first episode of this miniseries. I am really glad this love story that God has given to all people is finally being made into a film, bringing the ancient words to life especially for this generation. I would highly recommend this series to anyone, regardless of age or culture.
The Bible will be shown on the History Channel every Sunday night at 8 p.m. through Easter Sunday. The series will be released on DVD April 2, 2013, and can be pre-bought on Amazon.com.
For more reviews, read the Feb. 26 article, Predictable plot leaves audience disappointed (VIDEO).
