Movie Magazine recently released an interesting article about… “Call them what you will. ‘Christian,’ or ‘faith-based’ or ‘inspirational/spiritual/ministry’ films are good business in 2016.” The article covered the success of the spiritual films, the slow response from Hollywood to get on board, and the production companies and distributors who are benefitting from this rising interest.

Risen couldn’t be more well-timed because the movie – from Sony’s Affirm Films division – has a huge audience excited to see the film. One reason involves the story by Paul Aiello (with a screenplay by Kevin Reynolds and Aiello) that brings a new slant on a story unfolded in one way or another in so many other films. Risen reveals the Biblical story of the Resurrection -- but through the viewpoint of a non-believer. 

“We wanted to do something completely different from what had come before, so I came up with the idea that Risen would be told as a detective story,” said Reynolds, who also directs.

Risen begins as the crucifixion of Jesus (called by his Hebrew name, Yeshua in this film) is nearly over. Pontius Pilate (Peter Firth), the governor of the Roman Judaea province, did not want to be the one to declare that Yeshua was to be crucified, but bowed to the will of his followers. Since he’s been plagued by the Jews about this horrendous act, he sends his Roman officer Clavius (Joseph Fiennes) to the crucifixion site to make sure it’s finished.

It’s clear from the first scene that Fiennes was the perfect choice for this role. Clavius gave 25 years serving the Roman army so he’s hard-boiled. Fiennes scans the area focusing on faces like that of Mary Magdalene, and scrutinizing the bloody body of Yeshua still hanging from the cross. Clavius’ eye’s freeze as he narrows in on the drooping face of Yeshua. A memory that will follow Clavius throughout his compliance to Pilates orders.

When the prophecy of the Jews that Yeshua will rise again appears to be true, Pilate is even more insistent that Clavius, with his aide Lucius (Tom Felton, Harry Potter’s classroom nemesis Draco Malfoy), is to find a body to prove Yeshua is dead.

But as he meets and studies the disciples and investigates the scene of the removed stone from the grave, Clavius begins to think that Yeshua is who he claims to be. While he seriously -- and with a stone face -- watches Mary Magdalene (María Botto) when she tries to explain why they follow Yeshua, Clavius and Yeshua stare at each other with no movement in their faces.

When things get too heated, the disciples take off for Galilee. Actors chosen for their roles excel in creating a tight knit group that loves Yeshua and enjoys helping others as they’ve been taught. Each one is different in their loyalty and personality. When Peter (Stewart Scudamore) gets in a spat with Clavius over offering the officer some water, his intent to save the man is clear. Stephen Hagan as Bartholomew brings a delightful sense of humor as he plays jokes on Pilate and Clavius. When the disciples move towards Galilee, their interaction with Yeshua is sparse. But when he shows up in the midst of several miracles, Clavius becomes a changed man.

Cliff Curtis, who descends from the Maori (the indigenous people of New Zealand), turns in an exceptional portrayal of Yeshua. He felt this role was the challenge of a lifetime. For the four-month-long shoot he and Fiennes avoided eye contact except when cameras rolled.

“We didn’t spend any time together and I think that served to make our meeting on screen more energized and palpable,” Fiennes recalls. “We were often in the same room but never engaged, and somehow that made it more exciting when we did finally have full contact on screen, verbally and emotionally.”

“Whether you believe he was the son of God or not, Yeshua was an extraordinary human being,” Curtis said. “He changed the way humanity perceived life itself, so it’s been an incredible honor to be portray him. I could only approach the role with gratitude and humility.”

In addition to the unique storytelling, the wonderful direction and casting, the actual filming is another element that makes Risen feel authentic.

Risen was filmed in Spain and Malta, previously the key shooting location for Reynolds’ 2002 swashbuckler The Count of Monte Cristo. Reynolds insisted on capturing Risen’s action scenes “in camera,” rather than relying on digital visual effects so everything would appear that these events actually happened. A lot of the sets were actually old Roman sites and ancient tombs. The climactic Sea of Galilee sequences were filmed primarily in the Almería province along the coast of Spain, which featured miles of pristine white-sand beaches and crystal-clear turquoise water.

“We didn’t use a lot of CGI because we wanted to get across the feeling that these events actually happened,” Reynolds said.

“Cliff Curtis really is up there on the cross, hanging there for days and days and days. And then we went into catacombs that actually were used during this ancient period,” said producer Mickey Liddell.

As far as the faith elements go, Christians will be captivated. Non-believers will vary in reactions. Some critics have rated it poorly (which, behind their words about the filmmaking, seems more like a rant on not wanting to be a believer).

Mentioned in the film’s notes is that while remaining true to New Testament teaching, Risen incorporates a contemporary tone that also accommodates the sensibilities of skeptics, and Reynolds deliberately designed his presentation of the Resurrection so that moviegoers could form their own conclusions about the events depicted on screen.

“I’ve always wanted to tell a story like this where it really feels like a big Hollywood movie,” said producer Liddell. “Obviously we want the faith community to feel that they’re represented in the right way. But if you’re not a believer, all the action and great dramatic moments offer so many other reasons to be entertained by Risen.”

“We don’t really want to tell anyone what they should believe,” said the director. “People can use this film as a vehicle to examine their own spirituality, or just enjoy the story purely from a cinematic standpoint.”

(Released by Sony Pictures and rated "PG-13" for Biblical violence including some disturbing images).

Review also posted at www.reviewexpress.com.