"Risen" could've been subversive

There's a somewhat subversive idea lying behind "Risen" (2016, USA), co-written and directed by Kevin Reynolds: that Jesus' (referred to in the film as "Yeshua") resurrection on the third day after his death on the cross wasn't really a miraculous event, but was rather an anomalous act, that is, his body was stolen by his disciples to give the false impression of the second coming of the Messiah. From this hypothesis, the director and co-writer Paul Aiello go on to spin a biblical "detective" tale in which a highly-regarded Roman tribune named Clavius (played by Joseph Fiennes) does the investigation, upon the orders of the Roman chieftain Pontius Pilate, into the body's "whereabouts" after it disappeared from the thoroughly-sealed and -guarded sepulchre. The film manages to be interesting and engaging in this instance, as Clavius interrogates all possible sources of information - which include the disciple Bartholomew and the prostitute Magdalene - on who took Yeshua's body and where it could've been kept. It's the classic case procedural - only in this scenario, instead of the modern noirish urbanscape, we have an ancient holy land as the setting;and instead of a world-weary cop or detective, we have a relatively-unengaged Roman soldier doing the investigative work. 

Yet, despite its inherent subversiveness, the screenplay doesn't really go full throttle in exploring the philosophical nuances of the mystery of the resurrection. It's like the surface is merely scratched, but no attempt is really made to delve further into the layers of the provocative matter, which could've made for a more intellectually-challenging yet satisfying viewing experience. Our curiosity is just piqued, but the search for enlightenment isn't entirely fuelled. "The Life of Brian" or "The Last Temptation of Christ" this film certainly isn't. What could've been a radical treatise on the death and resurrection of Jesus has become a somewhat wasted opportunity. But then, it might just not be the filmmakers' intention to make "Risen" that "deep". After all, this is still a Hollywood offering, coming from the director who made such flicks as "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" and "Waterworld". 

It doesn't help that the lead performance turned in by the usually intense Fiennes is rather underwhelming and uninspired. As the one doing the probing into the "missing" Yeshua, the actor rather gives the impression that he's not particularly interested in the subject of his investigation, that he's merely going through the motion of it all. It's as if there's completely no stake involved for him in the affair. We would've probably cared more for Clavius if he either showed signs of weariness at his task or displayed an obsessive pursuit of his goal - but there's just no sign of either extreme on his character. He amounts to nothing more than a seashell with empty air. That's why when that moment of spiritual conversion takes place (supposedly a decisive character arc in Clavius), it comes off as not entirely convincing, forced at best. It's as if to say that after all the rigorous and persistent probing, in the end not everything can be reasoned away, that one only has to see through his/her heart and keep the faith in things not readily visible to the eyes. Point taken as we have no qualms about characters undergoing a change of faith, it's only that since the film has already initially laid the steps toward subversion, it would be more interesting if it ultimately went head on to that direction. 

Another qualm about "Risen" is its treatment of the 12 apostles (not including Judas anymore because at this point, the man already took his own life). As Jesus' faithful followers and as the men whom he has initially called upon his resurrection in order to spread the good news, it's somehow strange how the film makes them appear to be indistinguishable from each other in terms of their own teachings and how they interact with the Messiah (except perhaps for Bartholomew and Simon, whose parts in the film are provided with humor, but this doesn't really amount to much). The 7 dwarfs in the Disney film have more character than the 12 apostles here! But then, it's probably not the filmmakers' intention to provide an additional character study of each of them, as "Risen", after all, is more about Clavius himself. 

The striking thing about "Risen" though is the character of Jesus himself. Though appearing only in a handful of scenes, Cliff Curtis as Jesus (or Yeshua) is such an awe-inspiring presence and perhaps the most authentic-looking Christ we've seen in the cinema so far. Such "rare" moments as seeing Jesus smile or kiss one of his apostles have a certain irreverent charm to them. But don't get me wrong, over-all "Risen" is still pretty entertaining to watch and provides a somewhat different perspective on Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. That it avoids high-end moralizing and opulent pageantry common to biblical epics of yore is somehow to be admired. 

A Roman tribune does a detective job in Kevin Reynolds' "Risen"