Paul, Apostle of Christ

     I had the honor of being one of the first people to see Paul, Apostle of Christ, and if the sniffling of noses and tissues wiping away tears along with a standing ovation are any indications, this might be one of the best and one of the most impactful Christian films ever made.
  The story takes place during Paul's imprisonment in Rome during the persecutions of Christians. The Christian community is naturally living in fear as they hide from Roman soldiers while also helping anyone they can in the city. Luke, played by Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ, Person of Interest), takes it upon himself to speak to Paul and write letters of encouragement to the Christian communities. However, the Roman prison warden starts picking up on what they're doing, and it then becomes a battle between love and persecution.
     The story takes liberty with the biblical account of the famous New Testament writer by adding characters and story elements to make for a better drama, but don't let that turn you away from it. Unlike Noah and Exodus: Gods and Kings, the liberties taken help elaborate the biblical messages of Paul's letters. The movie's overall message is to love your neighbor even when they hate you, and the movie shows how hard that can be. Some Christians want to fight back, and others want to flee. When given the option, Paul choses to stay and love his enemies. He was willing to be beaten and abused because he loved his beaters and abusers. Despite adding extra content to the story, it doesn't detract it from the message of the Bible.
     For those not used to lots of dialogue in movies, this film can feel really long, but give it a chance. The story of Paul of Tarsus is still very relevant to today's audience. It's a story of turning away from hatred. It's a story about standing firm in your beliefs. It's a story about love. This is not your typical Christian movie with a happy ending, but it is a movie about facing darkness and showing it Light. And millions around the world could use a movie like this.

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