La genèse

The concept of Genesis sounds excellent--a retelling of Jacob's story from the Hebrew scriptures set in Africa, which might very well be where the story actually took place. In fact, the film is visually overwhelming--vast, barren, rocky desert violently interrupted by massive rock formations rising hundreds of feet above the plains. The movie's vision is furthered by the beautiful cast and colorful, traditional African costumes.

The story, however, is difficult to follow or to care about, even for a man raised on Sunday School bible stories. I expected the movie to add life to a biblical text that sometimes seems distant and old, but I was disappointed. The actors seemed unable to fill the huge desert spaces, and the narrative was fragmented by flashbacks that were often long and difficult to connect to the main narrative.

Although I didn't end up liking the movie, it is still worth seeing. There are moments of splendor, humor, and humanity, and it is sometimes fascinating to experience the biblical stories sifted through the distinctive filter of African folklore. As with any movie, you'll have to be the final judge.