The Book of Daniel

Bon film !

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Bon film !

source: The Book of Daniel

The Book of Daniel dramatizes the Biblical record of the same name, and does so very well. Built primarily around the story of the Hebrew people's captivity in Babylon and under several different kings, the movie uses the narrative of its title character to portray how even when all seems lost, God is still with His own. The film is fundamentally quite well done, very well-written and refreshingly respectful of its Scriptural source, but as this is clearly a low budget production there are inevitably some cinematic weaknesses. There are no earth-shattering special effects and the overall sweep is somewhat limited. Quality of acting varies, though fortunately both of the actors portraying Daniel--Andrew Bongiorno as the "young" Daniel and Robert Miano as the "old" version of the same--are outstanding and capture the essence of the Biblical character excellently. Conversely, much of the rest of the cast seems a bit cobbled together, with a lot of bizarre American-English accents thrown into the supposedly Middle Eastern setting. Lance Henriksen is the most recognizable "name" actor in the cast, and while there's no doubt Henriksen is an outstanding performer it's questionable if he's the best choice to play the Persian King Cyrus, who holds a great respect for Daniel and fulfills Biblical prophecy by allowing the Hebrews to return to their homeland. It's also a bit disappointing the movie never explores the more Apocalyptic prophecies in the latter portions of the Biblical book, though including them would certainly have meant expanding the scope of the film considerably. But these are small criticisms, and overall The Book of Daniel is an inspiring and often moving cinematic portrayal of one of the most fascinating figures of the Old Testament. And the movie's overarching message--that God will always take care of His people, no matter how hostile or wicked the world around us seems to be-- remains a relevant one today and for all time.

I was very surprised by this film. When it first started I wasn't too sure about it. I was concerned that it was going to be poorly made. But after a few minutes it sucked me in! It helped make the story of Daniel come alive so much and I found myself really enjoying it!!

The Book of Daniel may not have an epic budget, but it is well made and supported by a really good cast. The casting of the young and elder Daniel is very effective, with Robert Miano giving an especially affecting performance. The direction is assured, with a script that shows obvious understanding and engagement with the Old Testament, and which takes its time to fully convey Daniel's stories of the four Kings. A very good film that is well worth seeking out.

If it wasn't for Rolf Saxon, i wouldn't have gotten the DVD for it. I'm not a biblical enthusiast or even knowledgeable about Daniel and his story as a prophet. The cast is first rate with Rolf Saxon as King Nebud; Lance Hendricksen as Cyrus; Leo Gallagher as the astrologer and other actors. The film was directed by a woman, rare these days. She seems knowledgeable about her subject and the film. First, there is a lot of dialogue on par with a Shakespearean drama. If you're not into biblical movies, you may not appreciate it as much. I enjoyed the features especially the bloopers and behind the scenes as well.

I watch all Bible based movies available to me, half fall far short of my hopes for accuracy. This little low-budget gem won me over, so I purchased it for my library. Yes, there are some cheesy scenes looking out over Babylon, but they're few and short lived. Yes, some of the editing was careless (a bloodless sword being withdrawn from Belshazzar's body), but it is faithful to the story presented in the first six books of Daniel, and most of the performances are well done and sensitive to the characters. I find Bongiorno's younger Daniel as wonderful to watch as Miano's elder Daniel. Saxon's Nebuchadnezzar is a very nuanced performance (and my favorite of the four kings covered). If the magicians, enchanters, and sorcerers seem a bit campy, go grab a Coke from the fridge, and they'll be gone when you return. I give this production a ten for its effort, an eight for execution. NONE of this praise can translate to the horrible effort of PureFlix "Book of Esther", one of the worst Bible movies I've seen. That should have had a sword run clean through it. It nearly made me break out in hives for all it's egregious failures on every level. PureFlix movies can range from the great effort of Daniel, and Ruth, to the dregs of "Esther" and the mediocre "Blink of an Eye". I suggest viewing free before considering purchase. We all have different expectations for worthy viewing.

This work certainly has a deep respect for the source material and holds true to the mythology of Daniel. Unfortunately, the acting falls flat and is at times downright laughable with the notable exception of the main actor who plays "Old Daniel". I would have liked to see more true to life human reactions to the rather momentous actions taking place along with some deep explorations of humanity in the face of the inevitable rather than the wooden one-dimensional characters presented. It is worth watching if you are looking to get a better feel for the characters in the biblical myth this movie is based on and may even invoke a numinous pondering on the deeper theological questions underlying the literal narrative but don't expect to be blown away. However, flat acting aside, this is still a deeper movie than most of what is coming out of Hollywood.