This DVD review is for the second DVD release of The Gospel of John. The original DVD release was a 3-disc set. This review covers the 2-disc version. In this DVD set, there are two different cuts of the movie. Disc 1 is the original three hour theatrical release and disc 2 is an edited two hour version. The Gospel of John is a feature presentation that chronicles the life of Jesus Christ from the New Testament. However while it is dubbed a feature film, it feels more like a documentary. The film uses a mix of narration and enactment to depict various chapters in the story of Jesus. Henry Ian Cusick stars as Jesus Christ and along with many other actors and actresses they enact the events described by the narrator (Christopher Plummer). Together, the scenes form a three hour streamline movie that feels more like a documentary.

Individually the segments are done fairly well. The events and the characters are acceptable in their portrayal and performances. The acting is generally good, but there are several nonessential roles whose performances are questionable. The stories covered include all chapters from John, from the inception of Jesus' disciples to walking on water to the crucifixion to the rebirth.

While the individual segments are interesting, the overall picture is not nearly as entertaining. As a three hour feature film, the story can be a little hard to endure. Unless you are really curious about the life of Jesus, it will be a very long three hours. The problem the movie runs into is that it lacks the same punch and appeal of most Hollywood feature films. There just isn't a lot to attract viewers. Comparing it to a recent production about the life of Jesus Chris, The Gospel of John is much tamer than The Passion of Christ in terms of violence and special effects. And as such, the impact of the drama is not nearly as powerful.

Overall, I found the presentation to be entertaining and informative, but at the same time I can easily see why someone would be turned out by a movie of this caliber. The story unfolds slowly, but also holds a fairly important message. It is pretty clear if you have no interest in the life of Jesus Christ, watching this movie would be a bad idea. In my opinion, I think The Gospel of John is one of those features you should see at least once, but definitely not one to watch over and over again.

The DVD

Video:
The video is presented in 1.85:1 ratio anamorphic widescreen color. The picture quality is good and offers a clean picture with a minimal grain. There was also some noticeable issues with video compression, but nothing so bad to ruin the movie.

Audio:
The audio is given in English 5.1 Dolby digital surround sound. The quality is quite good and offers an audible track. The majority of the audio is spoken dialogue, which makes the 5.1 seem like a waste. Occasionally the surround sound setup is taken advantage of, but most of the time it is not. This release also supports subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.

Extras:
The extras on disc 1 include enhanced viewing. During the feature presentation, an icon will appear on the screen and allow you to access additional information about geography, religious figures, and historical events. On disc 2 there are several extras. The first extra is Historical Background, which is five different items. The first three are seven minute interviews with the Academic Advisory Committee and Visual Bible International, Inc., they include "Jesus, Son of God", "The World of Jesus", and "Word For Word". Next "Glossary of Terms" provides definitions for key terms from A to Z relating to this presentation. The fifth portion is "Bibliography and Filmography" information. The next big extra is Production Design, which is seven short interviews with Philip Saville (director), John Goldsmith (screenwriter), Miroslaw Baszak (director of photography), Don Taylor (production designer), Debra Hanson (costume designer), Jeff Danna (musical score), and Trevor Proud (hair & make up design). Next there is biography and filmography information About the Cast, which includes twenty-one different cast members. There are also two interview clips with Henry Ian Cusick and Christopher Plummer. There is also biography and filmography About the Filmmakers for seventeen different crew members. Next there is background information for nine different members of the Academic Advisory Committee. Finally there is an Interactive Map of The Holy Land: The Miracle of Jesus and a movie trailer.

Final Thoughts:
Overall, I found The Gospel of John to be interesting and intriguing to a certain degree. I think it covered the life of Jesus Christ fairly well and used a mix of narration and acting that made for several relatively entertaining scenes. However, the scenes together formed three very long hours. Fortunately, a shorter two hour cut is included. Still, I'm not convinced it is something everyone would enjoy. The overall presentation is not particularly strong. It failed to be really gripping or truly powerful. Least to say, if you are interested in the life of Jesus Christ, I think The Gospel of John is worth watching at least once.