Biblical movies range from epic (“Ben-Hur”) to just plain terrible (“Son of God”). “Risen”, the latest from director  Kevin Reynolds (“Waterworld”), falls somewhere in between. It’s a well made film starring Joseph Fiennes as Clavius, the fierce Roman militarist who had a mission to prove that Jesus didn’t rise from the dead and that he was indeed dead. Fiennes gives it his very best and it pays off. And Tom Felton, who plays his second in command Lucius, is equally good as well. Some tricked-up sequences (a light that takes Jesus to “heaven”) cheapen the film’s purpose: to show the enormity of Christ’s influence on his disciples. But overall, I thought it was well-meaning and well worth seeing.

Rating: 2.5/4