The Second Coming

Rating:
Summary: A brilliant, haunting film
Review: Here's one for "Doctor Who" fans. Why, you may ask? Because it was written by Russell T. Davies, writer and executive producer of the new DW series due from the BBC in 2005, *and* stars the fantastic Christopher Eccleston, who will portray the new Doctor.

But don't just see it for that. See it for the fact that it is a truly fantastic premise, so well executed, with an ending that will haunt you for days and weeks.

Rating:
Summary: A brilliant, haunting film
Review: Here's one for "Doctor Who" fans. Why, you may ask? Because it was written by Russell T. Davies, writer and executive producer of the new DW series due from the BBC in 2005, *and* stars the fantastic Christopher Eccleston, who will portray the new Doctor.

But don't just see it for that. See it for the fact that it is a truly fantastic premise, so well executed, with an ending that will haunt you for days and weeks.

Rating:
Summary: An astounding movie!
Review: I saw this a long time ago on the Showcase Channel, having heard about it through the local TV-Guide-ish magazine. Man, was I blown away by the quality and beauty of this film. It's about a man who one day claims that he's the son of God and that he will be bringing the Second Coming. At first nobody believes him, but then as he starts performing miracles, people start realising that this might be the real deal. I won't ruin the ending ( it's your job to watch it! ;) ) but that part gets to me every time. It's a true piece of work, and a film that deserves much more loving. It's definitely worth your time.

Rating:
Summary: An astounding movie!
Review: I saw this a long time ago on the Showcase Channel, having heard about it through the local TV-Guide-ish magazine. Man, was I blown away by the quality and beauty of this film. It's about a man who one day claims that he's the son of God and that he will be bringing the Second Coming. At first nobody believes him, but then as he starts performing miracles, people start realising that this might be the real deal. I won't ruin the ending ( it's your job to watch it! ;) ) but that part gets to me every time. It's a true piece of work, and a film that deserves much more loving. It's definitely worth your time.

Rating:
Summary: Left nothing but fog in my brain and a hole in my wallet
Review: I'm a great fan of apocolyptic and futuristic drama -- everything from 1984, to Twilight Zone, to Mad Max -- and I know when the message is profound and communicated effectively, and when it's not. In this instance, a couple of special effects scenes that convince the world the second messiah has come, combined with a bit of dialogue about mankind's need to clean up our act lest the end come, adds up to nothing memorable except frustration and disappointed expectations. Those behind this item may have had something to say, but it got lost along the way and left only a highly idiosyncratic story line and dialogue which is likely better understood by the writer than by anyone else. I know many different kinds of critical thinking people, but can think of few of them who wouldn't be well advised to avoid this one.

Rating:
Summary: Left nothing but fog in my brain and a hole in my wallet
Review: I'm a great fan of apocolyptic and futuristic drama -- everything from 1984, to Twilight Zone, to Mad Max -- and I know when the message is profound and communicated effectively, and when it's not. In this instance, a couple of special effects scenes that convince the world the second messiah has come, combined with a bit of dialogue about mankind's need to clean up our act lest the end come, adds up to nothing memorable except frustration and disappointed expectations. Those behind this item may have had something to say, but it got lost along the way and left only a highly idiosyncratic story line and dialogue which is likely better understood by the writer than by anyone else. I know many different kinds of critical thinking people, but can think of few of them who wouldn't be well advised to avoid this one.

Rating:
Summary: Thought provoking, but not satisfying.
Review: The two-part television movie called the Second Coming appears to be influenced by one of the great poems of the 20th Century by William Butler Yeats. The following lines of Yeats' poem The Second Coming that are appopriate for the film are these: Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are filled with passionate insensity. Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand.

The revelation at hand is that Steve Baxter, the main character in the film, is the Son of God. Standing in the middle of a soccer field at night, he tries to tell the assembled crowd in Manchester, England that he is God's son. No one pays much attention to him until night turns into day at the soccer field. This miracle astounds the crowd and can be seen for many miles, drawing the attention of the media.

Baxter becomes an immediate, world-wide celebrity. He challenges the people of the world to send him something he calls The Third Testament, a new rule for mankind. Within the space of a couple of days thousands of testaments are sent to Manchester. Steve can't possibly read them all and quickly gives up trying. In frustration he announces that the end of the world is at hand. Soon after Steve's announcement, everywhere on earth people believe that Doomsday has arrived. As Yeats says, Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.

A day or so later Baxter is sitting in a pub with his friends when a bomb explodes, destroying the entire pub, but not Steve or any of his disciples. Steve believes that this second miracle is a sign that he is indestructible, and it appears for a time that he is correct.

This brief plot summary is all that I can share without spoiling the ending of the film. At this point in the story I was intrigued. The miracles I described did occur in the film. Baxter might be who he says he is. Unfortunately, as Yeats says, The Best (Steve and his disciples) lack all conviction while the worst (devils hiding in some of the citizens of Manchester) Are filled with passionate intensity.

The director of what turns out to be a most confusing plot seems unable to cope with Yeats' vision. From truly miraculous occurrences we move inexplicably to the conclusion that God is dead and we are on our own to make the best of things. How we arrive at this ending, given the evidence at hand, was a disappointment to me. Instead of a denial of the reality of the dramatized miracles, the director needed to be true to Yeats' last lines: And some rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches toward Bethlehem to be born?

At its best, the film The Second Coming is thought provoking. At its worst it reduces a complex vision to a made for television sitcom.

Rating:
Summary: Very Thoughtful
Review: This is fantastic stuff. There aren't many pieces of drama that could tackle material like this and work and be challenging for people of a wide variety of religious beliefs -- but I believe it does.

It doesn't come with any easy answers, and the questions it raises for you will stick with you for a very long time.

Rating:
Summary: Very Thoughtful
Review: This is fantastic stuff. There aren't many pieces of drama that could tackle material like this and work and be challenging for people of a wide variety of religious beliefs -- but I believe it does.

It doesn't come with any easy answers, and the questions it raises for you will stick with you for a very long time.

Rating:
Summary: The best that TV can get...
Review: This is great television - two episodes (an hour and fifteen minutes each) produced for British television about a man in Manchester suddenly becoming aware he's the son of God. And he is. Not full of easy answers, but full of ideas instead, and assumes the viewer has a brain and wants to use it. The speech made by the main character once he has the attention of the world is outstanding and riveting.

The main character is instantly likeable and perfectly acted by Christopher Eccleston, while the villains (normal people encouraged by devils) give you the chills, even as they're somehow blissfully ignorant of what they're doing. Not well known in North America, but highly recommended as some of the most worthwhile, memorable television I've ever seen.