Journey to Bethlehem

The actors and song were very entertaining, but just a warning when you watch it with your family. They chose to be more liberal than sticking with the Biblical text: 1. Mary is not biblically rebellious in any way. This is not only Antilles cultural but would have caused her to be stoned by Old Testament law. 2. The musical side of the story takes away from biblical account. 3. Mary wants to live her way and for love instead of obeying her family and culture, a western mindset of finding love, again not in the Biblical text. 4. The movie can make you cringe when you know the Biblical text, and cannot recommend it to friends or family due to the liberty by which the movie went. Do you agree if you have seen it?

We love this movie so much that my husband and I saw it twice! Antonio Banderas, does the best Herod I have ever seen portrayed, perfect combination of evil and petulant child in a man size body. If it was any other secular movie, he probably would've been nominated for an award. Also loved Joel Smallbone as Antipater, Herod's son. The choreography was breathtaking. The music is so good that I keep listening to the soundtrack even after seeing this movie. I love the way that humor was used as well in appropriate sections of the movie. I hope it runs in the theater for a long time. Stream it at home if it is not available in the theater, it is well worth it and deserving of the annual viewing as a new Holiday classic.

The script is extremely regrettable. Everything transcendental, the substance of such a beautiful event, has been made ridiculous for the humor of the atheist, anti-Christian masses and even other religions. I can imagine if they did this with Islam... they would have serious problems for it. But since Christianity respects freedom of expression, nothing happens. A disgraceful film. At no time can other aspects such as photography, costumes or performances be considered, if the most important thing is infinitely far from what the Holy Christian Bible tells. A total nonsense. As a practicing Christian, I am very offended.

The directing and strong performances of the leads in Journey to Bethlehem work to make this movie a wonderful experience. It takes you on the emotional journey that Mary and Joseph went through, brought to life quite convincingly by several well choreographed musical numbers and dramatic scenes. Antonio Banderas as a paranoid King Herod and the portrayal of angel Gabriel were two of my favorite characters. Joel Smallbone as Antipater, one of Herod's sons, danced up a storm with Roman Soldiers while singing a catchy song, In My Blood, a song that expressed his own emotional conflict. Even though I know the story, this fresh re-telling and the pace of the movie kept me engaged throughout.

Journey to Bethlehem is a light-heared, family musical that beautifully captures the spirit of Christmas and the nativity. If you find yourself walking out of this movie without a sense of joy and wonder at the greatest gift ever given, you might be named Ebenezer. Journey to Bethlehem highlights the reason we sing Joy to the World and is destined to become a Christmas classic for years on end. If you havent seen Journey to Bethlehem Movie yet, run, don't walk, to your nearest theater and have the joy at the birth of Christ crash into your life. You will laugh, you will cry, but most importantly, you will experience the awe and wonder of the incarnation in a fresh and powerful way!!

No spoilers that spoil the story but there may be some. Producers of this musical try to convince the public that they have preserved the essence of the Biblical account of the birth of Jesus to a young virgin girl. We'll yes, there are pieces of the true story included. But this is not a documentary, it is a musical, and even more, a Broadway/Hollywood style musical show and as such it naturally "adjusts" the story for the sake of show business by taking artistic license with the facts found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. For those who easily dismiss the Bible story as just another fable the show will likely prove entertaining and exciting. Great music, dancing which sometimes is fun and other time hard to watch because it's simply done to make a joke out of the people (Roman soldiers). What is excluded is mixed with what is grossly misrepresented tells "The Greatest Story Ever Told" so that many who don't know the true story will end up confused or leave with a wrong understanding of the story. Mary is portrayed as older than she probably was. Joseph is much younger than the real Joseph who was a business owner not a carefree ..ager. The Magi did not arrive on the night Jesus was born or even days and maybe weeks before as depicted in the musical. Herod May have been a Bafoon but not quite the crazed lunatic seen in the musical. The importance of the announcement given first to shepherds (who had very low social standing) is an essential fact just left out in order to present three Magi as goofy old men. Thankfully the baby Mary delivers is represented as the Son of God, King of Kings. Elizabeth and Zachariah are honorably portrayed. For those who know the story of Jesus' birth, the elements are there but not always in the right place. The production is very well done. The actors are all professional and convincing. It is obvious that the musical was shot where Judean villages like Bethlehem and Galilean villages like Nazareth did not exist.