The Nativity Story Review
by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)November 29th, 2006
THE NATIVITY STORY
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2006 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): *
Even with its problems, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST sizzled with a heart-felt intensity. In sharp contrast, THE NATIVITY STORY is an exceedingly dull interpretation of the story of Christ's birth. Like a long and lame Sunday school lesson told in a lifeless, monotone voice, it invites slumber rather than interest.
Spirituality? It makes brief appearances in a film that pays it only lip service and appears to care little about the religious themes that inspired it.
One could argue that the movie is promising since it is directed by Catherine Hardwicke (THIRTEEN) and it stars Keisha Castle-Hughes (WHALE RIDER), as Mary, but their work in this production provides a rather convincing argument that their one good movie each may be nothing more than a fluke. In Castle-Hughes's partial defense, one could point out that all of the acting in THE NATIVITY STORY ranges from energyless and bland down to borderline silly. (The script's revisionist text has The Three Comedians replacing The Three Wise Men.)
Speaking of the script, the dialog is a consistently awkward blend of quasi-modern lines with biblical excerpts. The result is both clunky and unconvincing.
Although we aren't told the year, even if we didn't know the story, we could guess that it must have happened a long time ago, since it was before the discovery of color. The film's sepia-toned palette, rather than adding an old-fashion authenticity, reminds us of how colorlessly the story is being told. Hardwicke is quite obviously the wrong director to tackle the story, since, in trying to preach only to the choir, she ends up putting the whole choir to sleep.
About the only positive thing that one could possibly say about the film is that you'd like to think that it is well-intentioned. On the other hand, nothing in it supports this theory. Even as a cheap video to show to a Sunday school class, it comes up sorely lacking.
THE NATIVITY STORY runs 1:41. It is rated PG for "some violent content" and would be acceptable for all ages.
The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, December 1, 2006. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Century theaters and the Camera Cinemas.
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Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
