Journey to Bethlehem is an exceptional movie that everyone must see! It is bound to be a Christmas classic until Jesus comes back to take us all home! The acting, music, costumes, scenery, props, and script, are incredible. The production value in this movie puts most Hollywood productions to shame. It’s so refreshing to see Christian movies being made at this level, and I hope that it leads to more. We’ve watched the movie more than once as a family, and the soundtrack can be heard coming from more than one room!
What brought us to watch Journey to Bethlehem?
The nativity story and the amazing cast which includes Antonio Banderas, For King & Country’s Joel Smallbone, and his wife Moriah are what drew us to watch the movie. We were not sure what to expect as it was a musical about the birth of Jesus, but we were blown away!!! Unable to watch it in the theatres, we bought the movie from YouTube, and watched it on New Year’s Eve. I can’t imagine a better way to end one year and start the next! We were struck on so many levels at how awesome this production was; every component of this film is top notch, so I knew I had to share it with the world!
Christian movies:
Most Christians are more than aware that watching a Christian movie can be risky. As a trained actor, singer, and musician, I have a great respect for all the aspects that go into making a movie. I also have great respect for Christian film makers that put their all into spreading the gospel. Unfortunately, the acting and production quality in a lot of Christian movies is not great. I think most would agree that watching a Christian movie, can be a little like playing Russian roulette. I’m thrilled to say that this is not so with Journey to Bethlehem!!! The acting was top notch all round, even the extras were great! The cast sucked us into this amazing story, providing us with a deeper understanding of what these people went through.
The Cast:
Antonio Banderas did not disappoint with his commanding vocals and superb acting performance in bringing the maniacal Herod to life. Joel Smallbone held his own alongside Antonio with his great performance as Antipater, Herod’s son. Their voices worked so well together, and their chemistry was unbelievable. Moriah was wonderful as Mary’s sister Deborah. I loved her playfulness and her voice of course is lovely.
I was so impressed with Fiona Palomo who played Mary, and Milo Manheim who played Joseph. My kids knew who they were, but this was my first introduction to them and they were perfectly cast! They really brought their characters to life, and provide a new level of sympathy with their plight. Their voices were outstanding in both quality and the emotion they brought to the score. The Three Wisemen played by Rizwan Manji, Geno Segers, and Omid Djhalili made an outstanding comedic group. Their singing voices were perfect for their characters, and brought an element of fun and pathos that helped this movie to really shine.
Stephanie Gill (Mary’s sister), Antonio Cantos and Maria Pau Pigem (Mary’s parents) lovely performances conveyed the real challenges Mary’s family faced in a way I hadn’t considered. We tend to focus on Mary and Joseph’s sacrifice, and don’t consider what it might have been like for their families. Yael Belicha (Elizabeth) and Jose Maria Rudea (Zachariah) provided wonderful insight into the loving couple that helped Mary through a very challenging time. Lecrae gives a very humorous and powerful portrayal of the angel Gabriel. Every member of this cast was phenomenal in their roles, so kudos to the casting director and production team for assembling this outstanding cast!
The Journey To Bethlehem Score:
As a lifelong musician, a movie, play, or musical’s score is very important to me. The Journey to Bethlehem score written by Adam Anders, Nikki Anders, and Peer Astrom knocked it right out of the park! Who knew that pop music would blend so easily with an adventure that happened over 2,000 years ago? They managed to combine well-loved hymns to come up with something even more extraordinary.
Mary’s Getting Married, is a fun romp with her sisters as they convince a very sceptical Mary that her arranged marriage will be a good thing. Good to be King is Antonio Banderas’s tour-de-force number that radiates his powerful singing voice and hypnotic acting range. It is not an easy piece to sing with its varied tempos, but Antonio and the cast nailed it! Its catchy tune is so much fun, I never get tired of hearing it.
Can We Make This Work?
Can We Make This Work shows the inner battle that Mary and Joseph have with accepting their arranged marriage. I was raised in a Christian home, so I know the nativity story well, but it never occurred to me that Mary might not have wanted to get married. Of course, the story line uses artistic license, but it totally makes sense. Why would an arranged marriage have any less effect on a woman in Mary’s day than it would today? This just made Mary an even more relatable person for me. Their resolve to make their marriage work because it was what God wanted for them, showed why God chose them to be Jesus’ parents. The emotion in their voices made this an incredible song that really struck home for me.
Mother to a Saviour and King brought tears to my eyes. I think every Christian can relate to this one, as we all need a saviour. It also gives us a glimpse of what it would have been like for her to be carrying Jesus. The genius of how this was written shines through. The emotion in the music gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. The Ultimate Deception does the same thing for Joseph. It allows us to see the battle going on in his mind in deciding to stay with or leave Mary. Milo’s performance is rock solid. The passion of his acting and singing, plus the choreography powerfully conveys his turmoil. I love this song, and can’t help but turn it up when it comes on.
More witty and powerful songs.
Three Wise Guys is the fantastically fun song for the Three Wise Men. This song allows them to ingratiate themselves with Herod and get his help in finding baby Jesus. Not an easy song to sing with its changing tempos and witty repartee, but they pull it off with ease. This hilarious number provides some much-appreciated levity to the movie, and shows off the actor’s talents as well. In My Blood is Joel Smallbone’s big number that shows off his incredible acting and singing voice. He laments his father’s behaviour and wonders if he’s doomed to be the same. The music and lyrics are so powerful, and the choreography only adds to the experience.
We Become We is a charming song between Mary and Joseph on their wedding day. It’s reminiscent of Can We Make This Work, but now they’ve chosen to make it work no matter what happens. It’s so lovingly done, and only endears me more to them. The Nativity Song is a powerhouse that sends shivers down my spine and brings me to tears every time I hear it. Starting with Silent Night and moving into O Holy Night, it really ties everything together. When Lecrae declares “Behold they shall call Him Emmanuel, God with us!” I lose it. It’s just so beautifully orchestrated and emotion packed, that my family hands me the scotties every time! This song alone can’t be missed, it’s simply a masterpiece.
The production
Journey to Bethlehem was written by Adam Anders and Peter Barsocchini. They did an incredible job bringing this well-loved story to life. As mentioned before, there is some artistic license used, but I completely agree that they stayed true to the gospel message. I love how they brought us into Mary and Joseph’s lives in such a profound way. Making it a musical was a bold choice, but it totally works! Adam Anders direction of this movie is spot on. He chose a wonderful cast, great location, wonderful orchestrations, fabulous costumes designed by Lena Mossum, and spectacular sets designed by Angela Marin. The entire production crew did their jobs to the nines. I can’t say it enough, this movie is a masterpiece.
It’s so amazing that Sony pictures is allowing Christian movies to be produced under their banner. I’m also very grateful to all the production companies that invested in this movie so it could become a reality. All your hard work paid off ladies and gentlemen, you created something truly great, so thank you from the bottom of my heart!
I hope this review inspires you to see Journey to Bethlehem. You can rent or buy it from YouTube, and Amazon.com. I recommend buying it, as you will want to watch it again and again. The soundtrack is available on Itunes, Amazon.com, Spotify, and whichever music app you like to listen to.
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