The Young Messiah

Last updated

The Young Messiah
The Young Messiah poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh
Written by
  • Cyrus Nowrasteh
  • Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh [1]
Based on Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt
by Anne Rice
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJoel Ransom
Edited byGeoffrey Rowland
Music by John Debney
Production
companies
Distributed by Focus Features
Release date
  • March 11, 2016 (2016-03-11)(United States)
Running time
111 minutes [2]
CountriesUnited States
South Korea
LanguagesEnglish
Korean
Budget$18.5 million [3] [4]
Box office$7.3 million [5]

The Young Messiah is a 2016 biblical drama film directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh and co-written by Betsy and Cyrus Nowrasteh, based on the novel Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt by Anne Rice. The film stars Adam Greaves-Neal, Sean Bean, David Bradley, Lee Boardman, Jonathan Bailey, and David Burke. The film revolves around a fictional interpretation of a seven-year-old Jesus, who tries to discover the truth about his life when he returns to Nazareth from Egypt.

Contents

Nowrasteh acquired the film rights in 2011, and wrote the script along with his wife Betsy Giffen. [1] Chris Columbus developed the film through his 1492 Pictures banner and helped the film financing by Ocean Blue Entertainment. FilmDistrict acquired the US distribution rights in 2013, which were later transferred to Focus Features in 2014. Filming began on September 15, 2014, in Matera and Rome, Italy.

Although the film was known throughout production as Christ the Lord, Focus Features announced on September 1, 2015, that it would now be called The Young Messiah. Nowrasteh said in a press release, "This new title better conveys how our film seeks to present a realistic portrait of Jesus as a child both grounded in faith and consistent with the adult Jesus revealed in the Bible." [6]

The film was released on March 11, 2016, by Focus Features. Reviews were mixed, and the film proved to be a box office bomb, grossing only $7 million against a budget of $18.5 million.

Plot

Seven-year-old Jesus is playing in Alexandria with his cousins when the bully Eliezer beats Jesus and then turns to his female cousin. Satan throws an apple before Eliezer and he falls to his death. Satan turns the crowd against Jesus and they accuse him of cursing Eliezer. His mother Mary saves him from the mob but as he and his cousins hide in the house they ask Jesus to repeat with Eliezer the act he showed them previously: bringing a dead bird to life.

Jesus sneaks out of the house and into Eliezer's home where preparations are being made for his disemboweling and burial. When Jesus resurrects Eliezer, the boy resumes beating Jesus. Eliezer's parents ask Joseph, Jesus and Mary to leave Alexandria saying "Seven years is more than enough".

Joseph tells Mary and his extended family that he had a dream and it is time to return to Israel because Herod is dead. Mary insists on returning to Nazareth instead of Bethlehem. The family departs.

On the road to Nazareth, Jesus's uncle Cleopas is growing more unwell, coughing; Jesus says he cannot heal him because he has been asked not to. As the family rests Jesus walks into an ambush of rebel Jews waiting for a passing Roman cavalry. One of the rebels tries to shoo Jesus away. This rebel pushes Jesus out of harm's way and sacrifices his own life. One of the Centurions saves Jesus from one of the Roman soldiers.

Jesus runs back to his family to find Cleopas delirious by the river Jordan. Jesus cannot resist and moves to heal him. The news spreads and reaches the new Jewish King who orders his Roman Centurion to find the boy healer and execute him.

Jesus and the family encounter a man raping a woman by the roadside. The lady knifes the attacker and kills him. Joseph and Cleopas bury the rapist, and the victim joins the family on their road to Nazareth. They see crucifixions of Jewish rebels.

In Nazareth, Roman soldiers accuse them of banditry and rebellion. Grandmother Sarah shares sweet cakes and good wine with the soldiers. The soldiers spare Joseph and the extended clan.

The centurion returns to Herod in the middle of a belly dancing entertainment. He informs the Centurion that he just crucified a man who told him about the return of Jesus, who has a gift camel.

Jesus is taken to Temple for schooling. He amazes the rabbis with his wisdom and knowledge, but Jesus faints on the way back. Satan torments Jesus as he lies unwell and tells him that his little miracles will mean nothing.

Jesus is restored to health and he asks to visit Jerusalem for Passover. The centurions track Jesus to Sarah's house in Nazareth but they have already departed for Jerusalem. The soldiers extract information about the boy's name. The soldiers intercept the travelers on the road but the family hides in the caves.

Jesus leaves the cave alone in the middle of the night for Jerusalem asking God for guidance and safety. Jesus enters Jerusalem; his parents follow looking for him. Jesus is given some coins by well-meaning pilgrims and he uses the coins to free a sacrificial dove. Jesus finds a blind rabbi and asks about what happened seven years ago in Bethlehem. Satan guides the Centurions to the boy by the rabbi. The rabbi is healed by Jesus.

The centurion corners Jesus and the people in the temple gather around Jesus identifying him as the boy who healed the rabbi. Centurion Severus desists from killing the boy and asks them to leave the temple.

Severus falsely reports to Herod that Jesus was murdered by him. Mary tells Jesus the answers to all the questions he was looking for. Jesus runs to his family.

Cast

Production

Principal photography began on location on September 15, 2014, in Matera, Italy. [7] Shooting also took place in Rome at Cinecittà studios. [8] [9]

According to director Cyrus Nowrasteh, James and Salome, referred in the Bible as Jesus' brother and sister, are portrayed as his cousins. Nowrasteh said that the idea is that they had "sort of been adopted... they all referred to one another as brother and sister in those times." The filmmakers had cross-denominational support for the film's production, and received positive feedback from evangelicals and Catholics alike. Nowrasteh's wife Betsy helped rewrite two scenes taken from the apocryphal Infancy Gospel of Thomas in order to bring them more into line with the Gospels. [10]

The film was recognized by Time as introducing "a new class in the world of Jesus narratives". According to the director, "it wasn't easy material to tackle". [1]

Music

On January 17, 2013, John Debney was hired to compose the music for the film. [11]

Release

The film was previously set for March 23, 2016, release, [12] but on January 15, 2015, Focus Features moved the release up to March 11, 2016. [13] On December 22, 2015, a sneak peek video clip was released on the movie's website. The film met the qualification criteria for the 89th Academy Awards. [14]

Distribution

On June 21, 2013, it was announced that FilmDistrict had acquired the US distribution rights to the film and planned to release the film in March 2015. The film was then being developed and financed by Rise Entertainment, under a five-year deal inked between Rise and 1492 Pictures. [15] 1492 Pictures, Hyde Park Entertainment, CJ Entertainment, and Ocean Blue Entertainment would produce the film, and Hyde Park would handle the international sales for the film. [15] Producers would be Columbus, Barnathan, and Radcliffe for 1492, Tracy K. Price for Ocean Blue, Ashok Amritraj for Hyde Park, and Mark W. Shaw for CJ. [15]

On May 16, 2014, it was reported again that Ocean Blue would finance the film along with CJ, Echo Lake Productions, and Ingenious Media, while 1492 Pictures would produce the film along with Ocean Blue, CJ, Hyde Park and Ingenious. [7] Focus Features acquired the US rights from FilmDistrict, and set the film to begin production in September 2014. [7]

Reception

Box office

In the United States and Canada, the film opened on March 11, 2016, alongside 10 Cloverfield Lane , The Brothers Grimbsy and The Perfect Match . It was originally projected to gross $7–8 million in its opening weekend, however after grossing just $1.4 million on its opening day, estimates were lowered to $3–4 million. [4] It ended up grossing $3.3 million in its opening weekend, finishing 7th at the box office. [16]

Critical response

The film has gathered mixed critical responses. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 50%, based on 38 reviews, with an average rating of 5.60/10. [17] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 33 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [18] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale. [3]

Steven D. Greydanus reviewed The Young Messiah for the National Catholic Register , saying it was smartly adapted by Cyrus and Betsy Nowrasteh. Greydanus said he could imagine watching the film with a mixed group of people of faith and no faith while holding everyone's interest. He says this project could have turned into "the greatest imaginable act of authorial hubris and irrelevance", except that the filmmakers found an elegant solution in drawing on both the Gospels and the apocryphal Gospels, while reworking all the material to bring it into conformance with right beliefs among Christians. Greydanus says that "The Young Messiah offers an imaginative vision of the most iconic and celebrated family in human history that is both surprising and familiar, warmly human and credible yet also different." [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messiah</span> Saviour or liberator of a group of people

In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of mashiach, messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a mashiach is a king or High Priest traditionally anointed with holy anointing oil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messiah in Judaism</span> Savior and liberator of the Jewish people

The Messiah in Judaism is a savior and liberator figure in Jewish eschatology who is believed to be the future redeemer of the Jews. The concept of messianism originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible a messiah is a king or High Priest of Israel traditionally anointed with holy anointing oil. However, messiahs were not exclusively Jewish, as the Hebrew Bible refers to Cyrus the Great, Achaemenid Emperor, as a messiah for his decree to rebuild the Jerusalem Temple.

<i>The Greatest Story Ever Told</i> 1965 film directed by George Stevens

The Greatest Story Ever Told is a 1965 American epic religious film about the retelling of the Biblical account about Jesus of Nazareth, from the Nativity through to the Ascension. Produced and directed by George Stevens, with an ensemble cast, it features the final film performances of Claude Rains and Joseph Schildkraut.

Adherents of Judaism believe that Jesus of Nazareth was not the Messiah nor "the Son of God". In the Jewish perspective, it is believed that the way Christians see Jesus goes against monotheism, a belief in the absolute unity and singularity of God, which is central to Judaism; the worship of a person is seen by them as a form of idolatry. Therefore, considering Jesus divine, as “God the Son”, is forbidden according to Judaism. Judaism's rejection of Jesus as the Messiah is based on Jewish eschatology, which holds that the coming of the true Messiah will be associated with events that have not yet occurred, such as the rebuilding of The Temple, a Messianic Age of peace, and the ingathering of Jews to their homeland.

<i>Jesus of Nazareth</i> (TV series) 1977 British-Italian television drama

Jesus of Nazareth is a 1977 British-Italian epic film and television drama serial directed by Franco Zeffirelli and co-written by Zeffirelli, Anthony Burgess and Suso Cecchi d'Amico, which dramatizes the birth, life, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. It stars Robert Powell as Jesus, and features an all-star ensemble cast of renowned actors, including eight who had won or would go on to win Academy Awards: Anne Bancroft, Ernest Borgnine, Laurence Olivier, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Quinn, Rod Steiger, James Earl Jones and Peter Ustinov.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Star of Bethlehem</span> Biblical star revealing Christs birth

The Star of Bethlehem, or Christmas Star, appears in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew chapter 2 where "wise men from the East" (Magi) are inspired by the star to travel to Jerusalem. There, they meet King Herod of Judea, and ask him:

Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.

<i>The Miracle Maker</i> (1999 film) 1999 British film

The Miracle Maker sometimes subtitled The Story of Jesus, is a 1999 Welsh-Russian stop motion-animated film directed by Derek Hayes and Stanislav Sokolov of the life of Jesus Christ, voiced by Ralph Fiennes. Hand-drawn animated cartoons are used to distinguish flashbacks, parables, stories, spiritual encounters and visions from the main plot, which is all in stop motion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 2</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Matthew 2 is the second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. It describes the events after the birth of Jesus, the visit of the magi and the attempt by King Herod to kill the infant messiah, Joseph and his family's flight into Egypt, and their later return to live in Israel, settling in Nazareth.

<i>Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt</i> 2005 novel by Anne Rice

Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt (2005) is a book by American writer Anne Rice, which depicts the life of Jesus Christ at the age of 7 to 8. Rice wrote the novel after returning to the Catholic Church in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rejection of Jesus</span> Historical rejection of Jesus

There are a number of episodes in the New Testament in which Jesus was rejected. Jesus is rejected in Judaism as a failed Jewish messiah claimant and a false prophet by all denominations of Judaism.

<i>The Nativity Story</i> 2006 American film

The Nativity Story is a 2006 American biblical drama film based on the nativity of Jesus and directed by Catherine Hardwicke. The film stars Keisha Castle-Hughes, Oscar Isaac, Hiam Abbass, Shaun Toub, Alexander Siddig, Ciarán Hinds, and Shohreh Aghdashloo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyrus Nowrasteh</span> American screenwriter and director

Cyrus Nowrasteh is an American-‌Iranian screenwriter, director, and producer of film and television. He has worked on numerous television series and made-for-TV movies including The Day Reagan Was Shot, Falcon Crest, Into the West, and the controversial docudrama The Path to 9/11. He has also directed the theatrical features The Stoning of Soraya M. (2009), The Young Messiah (2016), and Infidel (2020).

<i>The Last Temptation of Christ</i> (film) 1988 film directed by Martin Scorsese

The Last Temptation of Christ is a 1988 epic religious drama film directed by Martin Scorsese. Written by Paul Schrader with uncredited rewrites from Scorsese and Jay Cocks, it is an adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis' controversial 1955 novel of the same name. The film, starring Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Barbara Hershey, Andre Gregory, Harry Dean Stanton and David Bowie, was shot entirely in Morocco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Healing the centurion's servant</span> Miracle carried out by Jesus according to the Bible

Healing the centurion's servant is one of the miracles performed by Jesus of Nazareth as related in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke. The story is not recounted in the Gospels of either John or Mark.

<i>The Visual Bible: Matthew</i> 1993 South African film

The Visual Bible: Matthew is a 1993 film portraying the life of Jesus as it is found in the Gospel of Matthew. The complete Gospel is presented word-for-word based on the New International Version of the Bible. It was directed by South African film maker Regardt van den Bergh and stars veteran actor Richard Kiley in the role of St. Matthew, newcomer Bruce Marchiano as Jesus, and Gerrit Schoonhoven as Peter. Marchiano portrays Jesus as a joyous, earthy, personal man with a sense of humour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Return of the family of Jesus to Nazareth</span> Event in the life of Jesus given in the canonical gospels

The return of the family of Jesus to Nazareth, also known as the return from Egypt, appears in the reports of the early life of Jesus given in the canonical gospels. Both of the gospels which describe the nativity of Jesus agree that he was born in Bethlehem and then later moved with his family to live in Nazareth. The Gospel of Matthew describes how Joseph, Mary, and Jesus went to Egypt to escape from Herod the Great's slaughter of the baby boys in Bethlehem. Matthew does not mention Nazareth as being the previous home of Joseph and Mary; he says that Joseph was afraid to go to Judea because Herod Archelaus was ruling there and so the family went to Nazareth instead. The Gospel of Luke, on the other hand, does not record anything about the flight to Egypt, but says that Joseph had been previously living in Nazareth, and returned there after the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Jesus</span>

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Wikipedia articles on the life and influence of Jesus.

Mark Nowrasteh is an American playwright and screenwriter.

<i>Joseph & Mary</i> 2016 Canadian film

Joseph & Mary is a 2016 Canadian biblical drama film directed by Roger Christian and starring Kevin Sorbo as Joseph. It portrays the birth and early life of Jesus under the rule of King Herod the Great of the Roman Empire in the 1st century and includes an allegory about forgiveness involving the rabbi Elijah, a fictional character invented for the film.

References

  1. 1 2 3 John Anderson (March 11, 2016). "Here's Why Making The Young Messiah Was 'Fraught With Peril'". Time.com. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
  2. ↑ "AMC Theatres: The Young Messiah". AMC Theatres . Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Audiences Booking Trips To 'Zootopia' & '10 Cloverfield Lane'". deadline.com. March 15, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Scott Mendelson (March 12, 2016). "Friday Box Office: '10 Cloverfield Lane' Adds $9M To Its Mystery Box, 'Brothers Grimsby' Bombs". Forbes . Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  5. ↑ "The Young Messiah (2016)". The Numbers. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  6. ↑ Chattaway, Peter T. (September 1, 2015). "First look: The Young Messiah, based on Anne Rice's Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt. (And yes, the film has a new title.)". patheos.com. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 Fleming, Mike Jr. (May 16, 2014). "Cannes: 'Christ The Lord' Gets Green Light". deadline.com. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  8. ↑ Vivarelli, Nick (November 24, 2014). "Rome's Cinecitta Studios Lures 'Ben Hur' Redo And Other Hollywood Pics". variety.com. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  9. ↑ "International Films Production Back in Rome with James Bond Along the Tiber in March". buzzinrome.com. January 12, 2015. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Interview: 'The Young Messiah' Filmmaker Cyrus Nowrasteh".
  11. ↑ "John Debney to Score 'Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt'". filmmusicreporter.com. January 17, 2013. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  12. ↑ McClintock, Pamela (July 24, 2014). "Jesus Movie 'Christ the Lord' to Hit Theaters on Easter Eve 2016". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Focus Moves 'Christ The Lord' Out Of 'Batman V Superman' Weekend". deadline.com. January 15, 2015. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  14. ↑ "336 Films Qualify for Oscars in 2016".
  15. 1 2 3 "FilmDistrict Buys 'Christ The Lord' Pic Based On Anne Rice Novel For 2015 Bow". deadline.com. June 21, 2013. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  16. ↑ "'Zootopia' Turnstiles Still Spinning, But '10 Cloverfield Lane' Also A Hot Destination – Box Office Preview". deadline.com. March 9, 2016.
  17. ↑ "The Young Messiah (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  18. ↑ "The Young Messiah reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  19. ↑ "SDG Reviews 'The Young Messiah'".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.