Jesus in the Movies
A lot of buzz was generated about Mickey Rourke’s turn as Randy “The Ram” Robinson in The Wrestler. Many writers compared his performance and role to The Passion of the Christ (read blogposts here and here), implying that he was a Jesus figure in the story.
Jesus Christ has been portrayed literally and figuratively in film since images were first committed to celluloid. Apart from Jim Caviezel’s amazing performance in The Passion of the Christ, I enjoy the Visual Bible Matthew, where Jesus is shown as a joyous Savior.
One of my favorite Jesus figures in film is the role of Lt. Jim “Yankee” Reardon in To End All Wars. In an outstanding performance by Kiefer Sutherland, Reardon is a powerful example of the sacrificial nature of the love of Christ, a man who takes on the sins of others and accepts their suffering.
What are your favorite film Jesus roles or moments? What is the most startling and provocative Christ figure you’ve observed?
