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MOVIE REVIEW: Mary Magdalene

Garth Cremona (RIP)

Rooney Mara stars as the Biblical woman who followed Jesus and became the Apostle of the Apostles.  Growing up in a loving family who fish to survive Mary had a strange way about her, her family are trying to find a suitable match for her, but something is telling her that she is meant for something bigger.  When her family believes that she is possessed by a demon they try an Exorcism but when that looks as though it will claim her life they ask the Healer Jesus to help her.  This leads to Mary joining Jesus and the Apostles as they try to spread the word of God and talk about the new Kingdom.

Growing up in Ireland during the 80’s our education was left to the Christian Brothers, if you don’t know them, they were pretty much the bullies of the educational system.  They would terrorize their students and were violent towards us too.  Their religious education told us that Mary Magdalene was a Prostitute and someone who was pitied by Jesus.  This is the line of the church for 1500 years until 2016 where they finally admitted that she was basically an essential part of Jesus and his posse.  The Catholic Church has always wanted to keep women down.

Anyway.  The film is a beautiful piece of cinematic elegance and the script is sympathetic to the story of Christ.  I have to tell you that if the story of Christ was put across to us during our education as realistically and as wonderful as this film then I’d probably think more of the Church.  I do believe in God, but don’t believe in any religion, I believe that living a good life and being kind to others is my religion.  Rooney Mara just outstanding as Mary, so subtle and her eyes tell more of a story than most actresses can do with a full script.  Each performance in the film benefits it.  Peter, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, is his normal steady self, playing Peter as a dedicated and sometimes militant believer.  Playing Judas is Tahar Rahim and this portrayal gives a new depth to the man that we all believed was a traitor, here he is shown as a believer who is trying to force the new Kingdom.

Joaquin Phoenix plays Christ, and its the first time that I’ve seen Christ so conflicted, there is the inner peace that everyone who has played him before has, but there is that unknown element to his character.  Accepting that he is the Son of God but knowing that he is a man.  One of the more entertaining stories of Christ, for me growing up, was his losing it at the Temple with all the people buying and selling.  Here that story is brought to a very energetic reality with Phoenix going full on as he attacks those bringing shame to the house of worship.

Mary Magdalene is a wonderful film filled with magnificent performances.  If you believe or not in the stories of the Bible being true this is still a great story.  A young woman defying her family expectations to follow a path that will ultimately lead to the loss of her teacher.  She then has to overcome the hatred of his Apostles as she is the first to see the Risen Christ.  Seeing this on a big screen gave the massive scope to the landscape as they travelled through the country.  I’m sure that this is going to be a big draw for Christians around the world and in the same breath bringing some talking points that will start arguments.  We forget that the basic message of Christ was love one another, no matter what, love one another.  This is a film that takes you out of the entrenched religious belief and tells a story that you don’t know in a very entertaining way.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Director: Garth Davis
Writers: Helen Edmundson, Philippa Goslett
Stars: Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Chiwetel Ejiofor & more…See full cast & crew

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Garth Cremona (RIP)
Comic book creator and movie reviewer. You can find out more at www.dublinwriter.com
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