Paul, Apostle of Christ

Cast: Jim Caviezel, James Faulkner, Olivier Martinez, Joanne Whalley and John Lynch 
Director: Andrew Hyatt 
Rating: PG-13
 
Synopsis: James Faulkner stars as the Apostle Paul who suffers alone in a Roman prison, awaiting his execution under Emperor Nero. At significant risk, Luke the Physician (Caviezel) visits the aged Paul to comfort and tend to him—and to question, to transcribe and to smuggle out Paul’s letters to the growing community of believers. Amid Nero’s inhuman persecution, these men and women will spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and change the world.

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Reviewer:  Laura J. Davis
 
In a world where persecution towards Christians has grown at an alarming rate, Paul, Apostle of Christ, provides a much-needed example of how today’s church should be reacting to those who oppose her.
 
Director Andrew Hyatt has produced a movie of hope that will stir the hearts of those who call Jesus their Saviour, to a new level of commitment. From the opening scenes, it is hard not to make comparisons of the brutality of Nero’s circus, to the current level of persecution towards Christians from terrorist groups like ISIS. And while much of the cruelty Paul and the early churched endured was horrific, it was their faith, dedication and obedience to Christ in the face of such adversity that makes this a movie you don’t want to miss.
 
While the movie centres on Luke (Jim Caviezel) visiting Paul (James Faulkner) in prison during his later years, we are still given a biblically accurate flashback on how he came to Christ, leaving those who are unfamiliar with Paul’s story with a clear sense of who he was and why he changed his ways. The knowledge that Paul himself was a terrorist out to destroy Christians is not lost on the viewer, making his conversion all the more moving and relevant.
 
The only drawback to the film was the sound. I found myself straining to catch every word as it seemed that in almost every scene the actors tended to whisper. So if you are hard of hearing, you may want to watch this in a theatre with closed captioning.
 
Despite that, I found Paul, Apostle of Christ, to be filled with moving performances and a script that drove home the fact that Christians are known by their sacrificial love for others, making this movie all the more poignant in the face of increased animosity towards the church today. It opens March 23, just in time for Easter. You don't want to miss this one!

Film has been provided courtesy of Sony Entertainment Releasing Canada (Affirm Films) and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

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