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On following him - through Whom all things are possible
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November 1, 2020The life of Jesus Christ been portrayed in numerous films, with Franco Zeffirelli’s Jesus of Nazareth and Mel Gibson’s The Passion of The Christ ranking among the most popular treatments in recent memory. Now there’s a new entry that has already met with broad approval despite its unique marketing efforts.
Rather than a single epic film, The Chosen was released as an ongoing series, beginning with eight episodes for download or streaming through its own app. What’s more, the entire project is being crowdfunded, and ongoing appeals already are close to subsidizing a second season.
What makes The Chosen unique is its presentation of every character with both complexity and gentle humor. Nicodemus appears early as a Pharisee intrigued by reports of Jesus; Peter and Andrew are partners in a fishing enterprise who struggle to cover their taxes and care for their loved ones; Matthew is depicted as having high-functioning Asperger’s syndrome, a clever device that suits his skills as a tax collector and adds another layer to his status as a misfit in Jewish society. Jesus Himself is not the gravely serious Messiah of other films, but an approachable and personable figure with an attractive smile.
The dialogue isn’t straight from the Douay-Rheims Bible, and the script goes beyond the confines of Scripture to relate a plausible back story to the Gospel narratives. There are touching moments, and there is repartee without sacrificing reverence — and it all works. Beautifully filmed and paced, the series has met with seemingly universal praise among viewers.
Thus far there is nothing in The Chosen that raises red flags for Catholic viewers, but it will be interesting to see how events such as Christ’s appointment of Peter to lead the Church and the institution of the Eucharist are presented in later episodes. But judging from the season already released, this is solid family viewing that has the power to enrich faith and reinforce the truth that we, too, have been chosen to follow Him.
