| Overall Grade: |
B |
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| Story: |
B |
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| Acting: |
B |
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| Direction: |
B |
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| Visuals: |
B- |
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Just when you thought you were saved...
by Leo - The Lion (movies profile)
Sep 19, 2007
8
of
13 people found this review helpful
See the movie that's controversial, sacrilegious, and blasphemous. But if that's not playing, see The Life of Brian. Brian is a baby born on the original Christmas. First, the three Wise Men accidentally go into his house, instead of Jesus'. Fast forward to the year 33 A.D., where Brian (Graham Chapman) is a regular Jew, who hates the Romans who take over and lives with his overbearing mother (Terry Jones). He falls into the hands of the People's Front of Judea and is fighting against the Romans. Soon he becomes mistaken for the Messiah. Well, at least it has more of a plot than The Meaning of Life.
Better than Meaning of Life, not as funny as Holy Grail. During the first two thirds of the movie, the laughs came steadily. During the last part of the film, the laughs teetered off a little. And, since most of the plot is about Brian being mistaken for the Messiah, it came surprisingly late in the film, maybe around halfway. Of course, it couldn't be considered a Monty Python film if it didn't have the trademark animation. The opening credits (which also sported a better song than Meaning of Life) had kooky animation, as with the animation/claymation halfway through, where Brian gets `rescued' by a spaceship.
Let me make this clear. This is satire/comedy and I know it is satire/comedy. For me though and me only, I was horrified by the last third of the film. I personally hold Jesus Christ on a pedestal like many others do and they do want to see anything bad happen to him. Imagine someone took a person, object or issue you personally held close to your heart and satirized it. It could be very hard for you to view. I love satire on organized religion as much as anybody else but I personally feel that the life and spirit of Christ cannot be contained in someone's interpretation (forming one's own religion based on teachings and life of Christ) so I find the satire hard to watch. Christ has many, many, many followers and they dearly respect them. I truly understand why they were up in arms back when "Life of Brian" was released.
I understand satire to be a creative commentary on some particular issue. The user who broke my comments down suggests that I didn't know that this was a satire. Satire needs a basis and the Four Gospels were the basis for it. Like I said earlier, it is hard for me to deal with that (I guess I am opening myself for being targeted, so fire away!). On other subjects, I don't mind satire but when it comes to Christ's life as the basis and even though he is not the central character, I find it hard to swallow.
One more thing, I never suggested that we return to the Inquisition. I would want to strangle myself I ever suggested that. My point was along the lines of banned work. Works like "The Divine Comedy" were banned because they suggested things that went against the Catholic Church and "Life of Brian" is a direct challenge (whether they meant it to be or not: I am thinking not!) to the authority at that time if it had been released at that time. Since "The Church" was in charge at the time, they did not have a sense of humor and people were savagely tortured to the point of death (the boys of Monty Python could have suffered like that). I am suggesting that the world in our own time is more accepting of to the thoughts and words of satirists and comedians than ever before. The Inquisition was retributive in ways I cannot fathom. The methods they used that I can fathom make me want to die. I would bury myself in a garden plot with a funnel over my mouth to breathe as just a small punishment for suggesting "a return to the 'good ol' days of the inquisition'. The Inquisition was as bad as those suffered under the likes of Amin, Pinochet, Pol Pot, Stalin, Hitler (insert others here if you can think of any). May The Inquisition Forever Stay Dead!!!
So, in conclusion, I find "Life of Brian" to be a funny movie for the first 2/3 and it heads steadily south by the end on my above reasoning. I think the boys of Monty Python have created a comedy/satire that will forever stand the test of time. Many, many, many movie lovers love this movie. I think it is a great comedy myself in several ways (jokes, writing, direction, acting are well-done). As a movie, it entertains but as a satire it fails.
Jesus Christ has whethered satire before and people have cheapened the Crucifixion and Resurrection in ways I cannot imagine and those cheapenings have been much worse. All in all, "Life is Brian" is somewhat small in the scheme of things.
If you like this movie, I also recommend: Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers in Goldmember and Scary Movie 1, 2, 3 & 4. |
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