Jesus Christ Superstar

Jesus Christ Superstar

Our Price: $32.99
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $4.50 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details

DVD details

DVD Reviews of Jesus Christ Superstar

DVD Review: Good, but flawed
Summary: 3 Stars

Though I like this movie, it is flawed in some major ways:

1. Jesus seems ambivalent and unsure about why He is to die and about God's (His Father's) purpose for His death. This is an unnecessary detraction, for Webber & Rice seem to be familiar enough with the Gospels so as to recognize that Jesus spoke of and understood the sacrificial & atoning purpose of His death. Ultimately, a Jesus who doesn't know why He is dying becomes inexplicable, not just to Himself, but to those hearing and/or watching the story. Rewriting some of His lines could help this film/play immeasurably in this regard, even if it was having Jesus coming to realize the purpose of His life and death as He walks the path He walks - i.e., a gradual increasing understanding, rather than an early-realized one. To just reduce his death to that of an innocent good man who wanted to establish God's kingdom of love, who for whatever reason "forgives" those who are crucifying Him because "they know not what they do," leaving us to ponder what meaning that might have for our lives - as some humanistic portrayals of Jesus do, and as Webber & Rice seem to do here - is, to me, a fatal flaw. It leaves Jesus as a puzzle for humans to figure out in whatever way is "meaningful" to them. As much as I like much of this film, this is - as I said - a fatal flaw.

But ... when Jesus and the crowds come to Jerusalem, and they sing "Hosanna" and then in one verse sing, "Hey, J.C., J.C., would You die for me?" the image freezes for a second on Jesus's face as He drops His smile and realizes that indeed He will have to die for them. It's a fantastic shot.

2. The implication or suggestion that Mary Magdalene had or sought to have physical relations with Jesus. If, per the Gospels, she was one from whom Jesus had cast out seven demons and/or one whose many sins Jesus had forgiven, her relationship to Him would be other than as portrayed in this film. Apparently Webber & Rice wanted to portray a different Magdalene.

3. Pilate seems too sympathetic to Jesus, and too desirous of saving His life. But Brian Dennen is a superb Pilate, or a superb rendering of this characterization of Pilate!

4. The Jews (not just the Jewish leaders) turn on/against Jesus too quickly and too violently after He is arrested, moreso than the Gospel records seem to indicate, I think. In the Gospels, Jesus indicates that it is the Chief Priests and the Scribes and the Pharisees and the Elders who will turn Him over. The people had some part in this, but not so strongly as the film portrays.

5. Jesus acts angrily toward Judas in a couple scenes, once when confronting him about Mary Magdalene, and again when He sends him away to betray Him. This doesn't fit the Gospel tale, but it does make sense if, per my first criticism, Jesus is confused about the reason He must die and views it as fate and knows that Judas is fated to arrange His arrest (and this does seem to be Jesus's view, per his statement to Pilate after Pilate has had him flogged and tries one last time to save His life - and Jesus tells him that it's all "fixed"). Carl Anderson is a fantastic Judas, though, maybe the star of the show.

These flaws in the characterizations of Jesus and Mary Magdalene (and slightly in Pilate's case) ultimately make the whole work flawed, in my opinion, and if someone would rewrite some lines, I think it could be truer to the Gospels and just as powerful (though maybe there'd have to be some redoing of "angel" Judas's chorus-accompanied song & dance number to Jesus of the show's theme song after Judas has died and before Jesus is crucified - I still don't quite get that scene).

Description of Jesus Christ Superstar