Lots of violence, much of it quite bloody, as the Romans persecute the Christians. Much occurs offscreen, though the results are shown in detail and there's audible suffering. It's very violent, with an emphasis on brutality. Much of it is implied rather than shown directly, including repeated visual references to the murder of an unarmed child and the marching off to execution of women and children for a crowd's amusement. paul Romans brutalize Christians, including burning them to death -- burned bodies are shown, and victims screams in agony. Other than the violence, iffy content is virtually nonexistent; a scene takes place in a brothel, but nothing graphic is shown, and while characters do drink wine, it's never to excess. Messages include persistence, perseverance, and fidelity to your beliefs. His friend, the physician Lukevisits Paul to write his story, which would eventually become part of the Bible's Luke-Acts. The Roman Mauritiuswho oversees the prison, worries about the declining health of his own daughter. Meanwhile, two peaceful leadersof the brutally persecuted Christian community that Paul helped found in Rome work to get their followers out of the increasingly dangerous city before a splinter group commits retaliatory acts of violence. By attempting to create a suspenseful apostle of christ and in highlighting bloody religious persecution, this Biblical drama pays short shrift to its own subject. Viewers come in late to the story of the titular Paul, Apostle of Christ. He's essentially a supporting character whose previous life as a killer of Christians is conveyed in brief, unenlightening flashbacks. Per the Bible story, he's struck blind by God, then opens his apostle of christ to a new life as a Christian proselyte. The filmmakers don't get into the paul reasons for that choice, instead presenting the semi-parallel story of jailer Maritius Martinez and the possibility of his own eventual change. Like that wellspring of modern Biblical films,Paul focuses more on brutality than redemption. It's quite a cinematically accomplished endeavor: The production design, costumes, and cinematography are all beautifully executed. And it boasts a veteran cast, with Martinez compelling as the only character who undergoes anything like a transformation. The question is, exactly what story does it mean to tell. The best of practical Christian values are celebrated -- charity, nonviolence, compassion -- but the dirty work of coming to those beliefs after being steeped in other methods is glossed over. The deep darkness of Paul's past is only alluded to via bloody memories; what allowed him to behave that way. The Bible's heavy-handed device for changing his heart is hardly the most dramatic storytelling choice. And the ticking clock on the Christians' escape from Rome feels put on, not moored to anything. Paul is a beautifully executed re-imagining of the Bible story, but it lacks real insight into human behavior. Is a specific religious message conveyed on-screen. Did you recognize the themes of and. Which has a greater on you. Considering the film's structure and emphasis, what apostle of christ you think of the title. What did you learn about Paul. What's your impression of his life?.
