alex-gardiner1
I have just bought this on DVD from Amazon after years of failing to find it on Netflix, Prime or youtube. In my opinion it's a really wonderful dramatisation of the Easter story - and Joseph Mawle is the best Jesus I've ever seen. He looks very similar to the image on the Turin Shroud, and I wonder if this was deliberate? That face . . . those eyes. But he also manages to portray a man who is also a son of God, which is no mean feat. All in all, a fantastic production that seems to have not got as many plaudits as it deserves - for anyone wanting to watch something at Easter to remind them of what it is really all about, you can't go wrong with this :)
g_waller
This mini-series is entertaining and, for the most part, well-acted with good sets. Joseph Mawle (Jesus), James Nesbitt (Pilate), Penelope Wilton (Mary, Jesus' mother) and, especially, Ben Daniels (Caiaphas) are very convincing in their respective lead roles, and the supporting cast also work well. The account gives the audience a good grasp of the political and social environment of the events portrayed. The dynamic between Jesus and Judas is interesting, as is that between Judas and Caiaphas. The Road to Emmaeus sequence toward the end is particularly well done as is (spoiler) the appearance of Jesus to his disciples. (spoiler ends)However, there is little else in 'The Passion' to recommend it to anyone seeking an accurate account of the last week of the life on earth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many important characters and events are left out (For example, What happened to Nicodemus, one of the ruling council who visited Jesus by night, and later helped Joseph of Arimathea in the burial of Jesus? Many biblical accounts are changed beyond recognition. One expects better from a project produced by the BBC (with HBO), who could have quite easily stuck to the truth and still have produced a good drama. For accuracy, I would recommend the Jesus Film (1979), based on the Gospel of Luke, which is available to view online free.
