The Parables Retold

We enjoyed the retellings of some of Jesus' parables. They were just different enough to keep us guessing, but they conveyed the points well. And it was interesting to see a modernized idea of the early church.

There were two scenes that might be too intense for children - one of a dead woman and another with a man who is badly beaten. Parents may want to watch before showing it to their kids.

The acting was well done. The story was creative. I would be interested in checking out the Testament series that is supposed to be coming out soon.

It's really encouraging to see people finding new ways for telling stories about Jesus through film.

We are also impressed with the fact that this movie was created on such a low budget. Looking forward to more work from this team. Keep up the good work!

I found this quite by accident through Angel Studios, whom I was familiar with because of The Chosen series, which is also highly recommended.

Set in a (not so distant?) dystopian future, it follows Luke as he's writing the Gospel of Luke and, through his experiences that will become, the Book of Acts in the Bible. Of course, like the aforementioned series, some liberties are taken as action and conversations that do not appear in (or have been updated from) Holy Scripture are included.

Luke and his Biblical companions - members of the Way including Mary Magdalene, James, Barnabas, John Mark and Peter - are on the run or in hiding from the authorities who want to stop the proliferation of any information about Jesus and His teachings. While in flight, five of Jesus's Parables are told, also in modern contexts:

The Sower, The Good Samaritan, The Hidden Treasure, The Talents and The Rich Fool

I'm not sure how I feel about the dystopian environment but am interested in seeing how it plays out, e.g. How well the characters will be developed as in The Chosen, but the Parables are fantastic, every one of them!

Yes, I realize that they were taking the New Testament and placing the actions in some utopian time.

I can't even figure out what was the purpose for making this movie.

It basically is showing how Luke was gathering all his information for his gospel.

Luke's role could have been more of the center and stronger character, for instance, acting more like an inquisitive reporter trying to pull a good story together.

It seemed rather choppy, with the scenes jumping around quite a bit. I know that to pull it together so that it would flow smoothly would require adding much content that is not within the Bible, I'm sure that most people viewing this video are regular readers of the Bible.

The director was trying very hard to include interesting moments, but for me it did not flow very smoothly. I was constantly thinking "where are they going with this?".

For me, the best part was that it finally ended.

Sorry about that, but I feel I wasted two hours.

Was it entertaining? No!

Was it informative? No!

Did it I make ny faith stronger? No!

Did I feel that it showed how the apostles would have felt and acted in today's world? I just couldn't grab that concept either.

I struggle to write this review as I really wanted this movie to excel like other Angel offerings.

The basic premise is fantastic. Put Luke and the other disciples in the modern, though slightly distopian era.

Sadly, the result is slow and is a bit all other the place. I failed to engage in any of the characters.

As others have noted, the modern retelling of the parables is so progressive, it at times appears to diminish the divine.

As a positive, I appreciate that this was a UK production.

I really want to encourage Angel in their endeavours, but this one just misfires. Overall, acting is good, it isn't cheesy, it is fundamentally too long and at the end I'm not sure where we actually landed.

From the creators of The Chosen comes Testament: The Parables Retold, and honestly, this one was a pleasant surprise. Unlike the often controversial inaccuracies in The Chosen, which left me unimpressed, this film brings something fresh and creative to the table.

The story follows the Disciples on the run after Jesus' ascension, hiding from Jewish authorities who are out to kill them. What sets this movie apart is its bold choice to reimagine the narrative in a modern-day setting. Think skyscrapers, soldiers with full gear, walkie-talkies, and industrial warehouses. It's a unique take that brings a new perspective to familiar stories.

The real standout for me, though, was how they wove in Jesus' parables. They were reconstructed beautifully, staying true to their core messages while fitting seamlessly into the modern backdrop. The writing in those scenes was top-tier, making the parables the highlight of the film.

As for the acting, it was decent-nothing extraordinary, but it got the job done. The cinematography wasn't great, but that's expected for a low-budget production. Still, the potential here is undeniable. With the right funding, this concept could truly shine. If I had the resources, I'd definitely back a bigger-budget remake of this.

In short, while it's not without its flaws, Testament: The Parables Retold is a creative and thoughtful reimagining of biblical stories, and it's worth checking out.