Risen Parent Guide

Crucifixion is a gruesome business. But Roman Tribune Clavius (Joseph Fiennes) stomachs it in order to move up the ladder of command in the Empire. His ultimate goal is to reach a position where he doesn’t have to deal with death everyday. However, it is the demise of a simple Nazarene that upends this soldier’s world.

Barely back from a bloody battle with Jewish insurgents, Clavius is summoned to Pilate’s (Peter Firth) side and given the task of quelling a local uproar. Egged on by Caiaphas (Stephen Greif) and other Jewish religious leaders, the Roman Prefect has ordered the crucifixion of Yeshua (Cliff Curtis). Now rumors are circulating that Yeshua (Jesus for English-speakers) will rise from the dead after three days. Pilate orders Clavius to make sure that doesn’t happen.

But when the tomb, sealed by Clavius himself, is found empty as prophesied, the Tribune and his adjutant, Lucius (Tom Felton), are sent on a manhunt for a dead body and the disciples accused of stealing it. What Clavius stumbles upon instead is a man, not a myth.

This story, told from the perspective of a non-believer, opens with a graphic skirmish between soldiers and rebels in which characters are impaled with spears, run through with swords and pummeled with rocks. Some bloody injuries are shown, though not as many as you’d expect from this kind of encounter. The grisly depictions of crucifixion and decomposing bodies (which the soldiers are forced to rifle through) portray a sickening reality of ancient life—one that many parents won’t want their children and younger teens to see. It may also explain why several characters turn to alcohol, including a couple of soldiers who become drunk while on duty.

Directed by Kevin Reynolds, the script displays the constant jostling for religious power and political superiority that likely existed between the Romans and the subjugated Jews. Portrayed with rich cinematography, the film also contains solid performances from a strong cast and a gritty feel for the life of a soldier forced to do the dirty work of his commanding officers.

Yet the real struggle in this narrative is not between captor and captive but in the heart of one man who tries to reconcile what he sees with his unbelief, even when the evidence stands right in front of him.

About author

Kerry Bennett

Kerry Bennett is interested in media from both a journalist and parent perspective. Along with authoring articles for several family-oriented publications, she has written for Parent Previews for over 15 years. As a parent herself, she believes parents play a powerful role in teaching media literacy in their homes.