Two new films (Risen and Hail Caesar!) on the surface, seem entirely unrelated. Risen focuses on the immediate days after the resurrection of Jesus. While Hail Caesar! takes a turn at trouncing 1950's Hollywood.
But, if you take a look at the one of the main characters from each film, you'll find a very interesting comparison.
Eddie Mannix (played by Josh Brolin) is busy keeping Capital Studios running like a well oiled machine. He's always juggling mishaps on multiple shooting sets. Among them is a film that chronicles a Roman Centurion's response to meeting Jesus face-to-face. (The Centurion is played by George Clooney.)
There's a pivotal scene in Hail Caesar! where the Centurion is in the middle of a desert with his troops. You can feel his throat parching up. Along the road stands Jesus, offering water. Eye contact is established and the Centurion is left intrigued.
Meanwhile, Eddie is back in a Capital Studio's conference room surrounded by a bunch of religious leaders (among them Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox and Muslim). He's asking them what they think of the gospel epic-in-the-making. Do they find anything offensive to their spiritual beliefs?
Cut to the crucifixion scene and an emotionally impacted Centurion is giving a heart-felt speech, looking up at Jesus (who is off screen). The speech goes on and for a few minutes, I actually thought it would culminate in the Centurion echoing what's in the Bible (to the effect of "Surely this was the Son of God.")
No such luck.
This is the Coen Brothers, not Matthew 27:54. They've slipped us a cinematic fast-one.
There is no tear slowly winding its way down the Centurion's cheek. Instead he fumbles his line, letting a profanity slip out.
The Centurion's scenes with Jesus, combined with Mannix's conference room quizzing leave a firm impression of 1950's religion. According to Hail Caesar! it was mostly a side issue, not meant to stir up controversy or thought. Being just one of many challenges that Mannix was juggling at any moment at Capital Studios. (Sidenote: Mannix appears to be a Catholic in good standing with almost daily trips to the confessional.)
Matters of faith aside, I found Hail Caesar! to be entertaining.
It does a great job of depicting the inner workings of 1950's Hollywood. In particular Josh Brolin's handling of Eddie Mannix was right on the money. The film revolves around him and his performance holds it up nicely.
On the other hand, we have Clavius (played by Joseph Fiennes) in Risen.
Clavius is a Military Tribune who arrives in Jerusalem on the day of Jesus' crucifixion. Pilate, at the urging of Caiaphas the High Priest, assigns him the task of guarding Jesus' body. Pilate wants to make sure Jesus' followers don't stage a fake resurrection.
So Clavius has the tomb entrance covered with a mammoth rock, has it sealed and picks two guards to camp out overnight.
The rest of Risen is a fictional depiction of Clavius' encounter with the apostles and then Jesus Himself.
During the course of the film, Clavius, unlike that of the Centurion in Hail Caesar!, actually has an encounter with Jesus that changes his life.
I have to admit during the opening minutes I rolled my eyes at what appeared to be yet another Hollywood film that had Romans and practically everyone else except Jesus talking with British accents. The saving grace was that Jesus (played by Cliff Curtis) actually looked like he was from the Middle East.
But as Clavius' journey unfolded, I was grateful for a fresh perspective on the Resurrection story to include a Roman who was affected by what he saw on Calvary.
Two different films. Two different ways of handling the subject of faith. With two different results.
Both films are worth seeing,
Watch the trailers: Hail Caesar! Risen
Photo credits:
www.businessdirect.com (Hail Caesar!)
www.comingsoon.net (Risen)
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