Summary
- There are a wide variety of Jesus movies that range from traditional biblical epics to more nuanced and creative approaches to the story.
- Some of the best Jesus movies highlight the role of Mary in Jesus' life and explore unique perspectives on his story, such as through satire, character studies, or experimental filmmaking.
- These films aim to showcase the awe-inspiring power of Jesus, his miracles, and the impact he had on his communities, making him a popular figure in cinema, particularly among the Christian community.
There has been a wide variety of films about Christianity's Messiah and son of God since the birth of cinema, and the end result is some of the best Jesus movies ever made. As far back as the silent era, several films have been made about Jesus Christ, and he still remains a popular figure within cinema, especially among the Christian community. There are plenty of movies that provide deep, epic retellings of Jesus' life, and while a lot of these films range in quality, they all strive to showcase the monumental life and power of Jesus of Nazareth and the miracles he brought to his communities.
Many films that depict Jesus's life tend to be made as biblical or historical epics told with a sense of grand scale, and while these films are often incredibly well-written and directed, some of the best Jesus movies stray away from these typical depictions and create a more nuanced or creative approach to examining Christ. Whether it be through hard rock musicals, outrageous satirical comedies, or small indie dramas that use Jesus as a character study, there are a plethora of different types of movies that provide unique perspectives on Jesus' life.
30 Mary, Mother of Jesus (1999)
- Stream on DirecTV
Director: Keith Connor | Runtime: 1h 28m
A 1999 made-for-TV drama, Mary, Mother of Jesus is a story through the perspective of Mary (Pernilla August), the mother of Jesus (Christian Bale), told from his birth to his crucifixion. While not a completely faithful adaptation of the New Testament, the film was praised for highlighting Mary's vital role in Jesus' journey and how their relationship ultimately shaped Jesus to become the person he becomes. Cinephiles will also enjoy seeing a young Bale before he became an A-list actor.
29 Son of God (2014)
- Rent or buy on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video
Director: Christopher Spencer | Runtime: 2h 18m
An adaptation of the ten-hour History Channel miniseries, The Bible, Son of God is another biblical epic that chronicles the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth (Diogo Morgado) and all the miracles he created throughout his journey. Son of God stands out as the story is told from the perspective of John who was the last follower of Christ. While mainstream critics were not very receptive to this film when it came out, various Christian organizations gave positive reviews, and it became the seventh-highest-grossing Christian movie of all time (via EW).
28 Jesus - The Film (1986)
- Unavailable to stream
Director: Michael Brynntrup | Runtime: 2h 7m
One of the strangest films ever made about Jesus, Jesus - The Film takes a more experimental and surrealist approach to tackling Christ's story by utilizing hyper-stylistic imagery and abstract concepts. This 1986 film consists of 35 episodes directed by different German filmmakers with each episode serving as a loose interpretation of the many stories in the New Testament that chronicled Jesus' life. Primarily shot on Super 8 cameras, the film explores a lot of strange concepts such as Jesus becoming a vampire in one of the most unique depictions Jesus' life.
27 The Thorn (1971)
- Unavailable to stream
Director: Peter McWilliams | Runtime: 1h 33m
Also titled The Greatest Story Overtold and The Divine Mr. J, The Thorn is a religious satire starring Bette Midler that criticizes how much Christianity and Jesus Christ have become commercialized in the name of religion in American society. While the film itself is an entertaining comedy, what is equally interesting as the themes this low-budget movie tackles is the legal issues that The Thorn faced. The film was accused of titling and advertising itself in a way that subtly exploits Bette Midler and her fame considering she was the only known actor in the cast.
26 The Messiah (2007)
- Unavailable to stream
Director: Nader Talebzadeh | Runtime: 1h 22m
Directed by Iranian filmmaker Nader Talebzadeh, The Messiah is an interesting film as it tells the story of Jesus' life from an Islamic perspective and has Iranian actor Ahmad Soleimani Nia playing the role of Jesus of Nazareth. The film specifically uses the Qur'an, as well as Christian gospels and other religious texts, to craft its story. Additionally, the film has two separate endings: one that mirrors the ending of the New Testament in the Christian Bible and one that follows the ending of the Qur'an.
25 The Robe (1953)
- Stream on Flix Fling
Director: Henry Koster | Runtime: 2h 15m
The Robe is a 1953 American biblical epic that follows the story of a Roman soldier named Marcellus Gallio (Richard Burton) who was involved in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In the film, Marcellus wins Jesus' tattered robe in a game of dice but soon realizes that the robe has more power than it seems as he eventually transitions from a battle-heartened Roman soldier to a comionate follower of Christ. The film has an all-star cast of famous classic actors such as Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, and Michael Rennie, and all the actors do an excellent job convincingly portraying these complex characters.
24 The Encounter (2011)
- Stream on Tubi
Director: David A. R. White | Runtime: 1h 25m
The Encounter tells the story of five strangers who all are struggling to overcome their own individual inner conflicts. One day, they travel to an old diner where they are confronted by the owner of the restaurant, who also claims to be Jesus (Bruce Marchiano). At first, the five men don't believe him, but as they delve deep into their inner demons and confide in each other's company, they slowly begin to believe that the man is in fact Jesus, and by the end of the film, they are reborn as new, purified beings.
23 The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964)
- Stream on Tubi and Freevee
Director: Pier Paolo Pasolini | Runtime: 2h 17m
A word-for-word adaptation of the Gospel of Matthew, this Italian drama film follows Jesus and all the miracles he performs along his journey before ultimately being crucified and resurrected by the end of the movie. This faithful adaptation of the New Testament closely examines not only the awe-inspiring power of Jesus, as he is seen throughout the movie performing miracles such as curing the blind and exorcising demons, but also Jesus' disciples and why they ultimately dedicate their lives to following this man to the point that they genuinely believe he is the son of God.
22 The Nativity Story (2006)
- Rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV
Director: Catherine Hardwicke | Runtime: 1h 41m
From the director of the financially successful first Twilight film, Catherine Hardwicke's The Nativity Story tells the story of Joseph (Oscar Isaac) and Mary (Keisha Castle-Hughes), the parents of Jesus, and their dangerous journey to Bethlehem as they are being hunted down by the evil King Herrod (Ciarán Hinds) who wants to kill Mary and prevent her from giving birth to Jesus. With gripping performances from its all-star cast, the film is focused less on Jesus and more on his parents and the sacrifices they made to ensure his birth.
21 Jesus of Nazareth (1977)
- Stream on Tubi and Peacock
Director: Franco Zeffirelli | Runtime: 6h 22m
With a runtime of almost six and a half hours, this gargantuan biblical epic provides a detailed history and commentary of everything that happened in Jesus' life. While Robert Powell is excellent as Jesus of Nazareth, the cast of Jesus of Nazareth is filled with several high-profile actors who give equally compelling performances such as Ian McShane as Judas, James Earl Jones as Balthazar, and Christopher Plummer as Herod Antipas. The film received two Emmy nominations, one for Outstanding Special Drama and one for Outstanding Performance by a ing Actor in a Drama Special for James Farentino who plays Peter.
