TV review: 'Killing Jesus' is a clunker

Kelsey Grammer is King Herod in National Geographic's "Killing Jesus,

'Killing Jesus,' 

7-10 p.m. Sunday (March 29) on the National Geographic Channel Repeated at 10 p.m. and at 7 and 10 p.m. April 10.

What do you want from a movie called "Killing Jesus"? The National Geographic Channel, adapting the book by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard, promises a political and social, rather than religious, retelling of the life and death of Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, the movie opens with a sequence that feels like parody: Kelsey Grammer as King Herod, in terrible wig and fluffy fake beard, roaming around, seeming to channel Scrooge from "A Christmas Carol."

It's hard to take "Killing Jesus" entirely seriously after that, despite the grim fact that it counts down to a crucifixion. Like "Killing Lincoln" and "Killing Kennedy," also from O'Reilly books, "Killing Jesus" is apparently satisfied to look and sound vaguely cheesy.

That's too bad, because the attempt to educate viewers about Roman politics and life in Israel could be noble. A documentary would be a better vehicle, though, than a movie that called on screenwriter Walon Green ("Law & Order: Criminal Intent") to script Bible-sounding yet strangely contemporary dialogue for its characters.

Beyond Grammer, who luckily doesn't have an ongoing part in the story, the cast of "Killing Jesus" includes Rufus Sewell as Caiaphas and Stephen Moyer ("True Blood") as Pontius Pilate.

Eyebrows were raised at the news that Haaz Sleiman, the Lebanese-American actor who plays Jesus, was raised Muslim. At least, for once, the actor looks the part.
I'm not giving "Killing Jesus" any stars, not because it deserves a zero but because the response here is bound to be so subjective. I found it a clunker, but if you think you'll enjoy it, if you liked the book, your reaction may differ.

If you're iffy, though, a far better Bible miniseries is just around the corner. The classy, 12-hour "A.D.," a sequel to "The Bible," begins next Sunday on NBC.


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