Movie Review - The Nativity Story

by Alex Popp

Here's a Christmas movie that we should review!



Her child would change the world.

"The Nativity Story" is the lousy version of the story of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem to give birth to Jesus Christ, directed by Catherine Hardwicke.

Why do I call it lousy?  Some may find this just a reminder of what Jesus did for us, but there is a lot of inaccuracy that draws your mind away from the story.  For example, the Bible says that a multitude of the Heavenly Hosts filled the sky, praising God.  How does a multitude translate as one?  I also wish they had put it in Hebrew and the other languages that were used at the time and location of this historical event, like "The Passion of the Christ."

I'll leave the inaccuracy for a minute to another thing that offended me.  You may think I'm dumb for cringing at this, but Jesus was shown naked.  Sure he was only a baby, but still he's our Savior and I find it disrespectful.

But the thing that disappointed me the most about the movie was that there was trouble getting to Bethlehem because Joseph and Mary didn't want to marry each other.  Does anyone remember this incident in the Bible?  Didn't think so.  God's Word says specifically that they were, in fact, engaged.

They really could have done a great deal better if they had stayed with the Bible.

Rated PG for some brief scenes of violence.

Two stars out of four for "The Nativity Story."

Review by Alex Popp.