Paul, Apostle of Christ Movie Review

Paul, Apostle of Christ (2018)

Watch the trailer 
Written by: Andrew Hyatt (screenplay by), Andrew Hyatt and T.J. Berden (story by), based on The life story of Bart Millard
Directed by: Andrew Hyatt
Starring: Jim Caviezel, Olivier Martinez, James Faulkner, Joanne Whalley, John Lynch
Rated:PG-13

Plot
Risking his life, Luke ventures to Rome to visit Paul, the apostle bound in chains and held captive in Nero's darkest prison cell. Haunted by the shadows of his past misdeeds, Paul wonders if he's been forgotten as he awaits his grisly execution.

Verdict
It's easy to see this movie's lofty ambitions, and at the same time exactly how it falls short. It never makes that emotional connection. We don't see the characters do much as there is a lot of conversation. The action that does occur happens off screen, and even when we see the plot begin to unfold, it's an awkward execution that leaves you disappointed.
Skip it.

Review
There is a lot of talking in this movie. The majority of the movie is Paul and Luke talking quietly in Paul's jail cell. While the last half hour has more agency, there are a lot of missed opportunities.

I expected this would delve deeper into Paul's entire life with flashbacks as he's in a jail cell nearing the end of his life. I hoped it might dig deep as he contemplates whether it was worth it. While there is little question he believes it was, that query pushes the viewer to question what they've seen, though biblical based movies are rarely so subtle.
Paul has an amazing story, from persecuting Christians, to his conversion on Damascus road, but this focuses just on his last days in a jail cell as Luke transcribes his story.

We see a quick scene of Paul's persecuting days while is little more than a character with an expression of anguish. We this clip a couple of times before Paul wakes up quickly. I get the implication Paul is haunted by his past, but the movie doesn't underscore the point. It uses the most common of tropes.
Damascus road is a quick blurry shot as he loses his vision  and then Paul blind folded. It's underwhelming as that moment is the key to Paul. The movie never explores what makes him tick, though he does state his ideology often.
James Faulkner does a great job in a limited role. He has the screen presence, but he doesn't get many chances to really act. He just has to sit in a cell looking morose.

Luke is played by Jim Caviezel, who played Jesus in The Passion of the Christ. At first I thought he was reprising the role, but he plays Luke.

Mauritius's accent was a big strange, the actor is French, but he was the only one with that accent and I frequently had trouble deciphering certain words.

 

Many scenes prepare us for action or some kind of larger set piece before the movie cuts away just as anticipation set in. I have to assume it's a budget issue, but so much of this movie felt like what a typical movie leaves on the editing room floor so to speak.

This doesn't develop the characters well. There are sub plots meant to drive home Paul's message of peace and kindness but it doesn't execute them well. If i didn't know Paul and the tenets of Christianity I'm not sure this movie explains enough. Though I don't think it was intended to convert, but more to bring a bible story to the screen.

It reminded me of Risen (read my review), a bible adjacent, historical fiction about a Roman soldier searching for the truth about Jesus Christ. The movie wasn't without faults, but it told a well known story with a fresh perspective. It avoided bluntly telling us the message until the very end where it explicitly states what we should get out of the movie. Paul, Apostle of Christ doesn't spell out the message, but we don't see enough of Paul doing. Parts of this story come from the Bible book Acts, but there isn't enough action in this movie. Seeing Paul implement his generosity and kindness works much better than him telling us it's a pillar of his faith.