The Savior (2014) – review by Bible Films Blog

The film not only stars Israeli-born actor Shredy Jabarin in the lead role – which is of itself, I believe, something of a first – but all the dialogue is in Arabic.

Whilst Jabarin’s ethnicity and the filmmaker’s decision to opt for a Middle-Eastern language are more quasi-authentic than fully authentic, it does make watching the film interesting and its certainly more authentic than the Hollywood Jesuses with their blue eyes and blond hair.

Moreover it’s not a bad little film. Jabarin’s performance as Jesus may not quite be divine, but there’s hardly a step out of place and he manages to add gravitas without getting dull or stodgy over being overly severe. Jesus smiles occasionally but he always feels like a man with a bigger, more pressing vision on his mind.