"Hank, do you really think that you're going to save, let alone restore your marriage, by putting your wife's wishes above mine? She wants to break up your marriage, Hank. I want to save it."
That... is a line stated unironically by Jesus in this Christian film by Christians for Christians. I have to suppose that neither the writers nor any producers nor the director nor the actors nor the camera man, nor anybody else involved in this production stopped and said "that doesn't sound like something a good person would say".
Some people talk about production values. I'm ready to set that aside in the case of a well done story or, where it's a part of discussion or meditation on a topic, a well done discussion or meditation. This was not well done as a meditation or a discussion.
The matters being touched upon include the problem of suffering, the problem of Hell, and biblical atrocities. That would be all well and good if this movie was at all interested in any of those things beyond coming up with a quick excuse for the almighty. These are questions that have to be struggled with, not just passed off.
I imagine that lack of intellectual depth is why Jesus says things that, if anybody had given half a moment to think about, would be far more at home in the mouth of a deceiving demon than a true wise healer.
And, the characters are similarly lacking in depth. Matters such as an identity crisis and severe abuse exist only for the Jesus character to pass them off as less important than himself, thus adding to the feeling of an evil Jesus.
As to the acting... well, in the part of Jesus I suppose that soft voice might have worked better had the writing not given him such evil to display. But, as it is, it sounds far less like compassionate wisdom and far more like a being that's desperate to seem compassionate despite the, again, evil he's speaking.
It's a shame because the premise has potential for the intent. This could have been done much better. It would have taken people who are more ready to struggle with their theology.
Christians, if Jesus ever says the things to you that he said to these diners, it's not Jesus and you tell that being "Get thee behind me".
