The Penitent Thief (II) (2020) User Reviews

A little bit too much creative liberty

[sarakmiles-68184 · 1/10 · 29 April 2021]

I'm sorry but I really don't like this film. Kevin Sorbo is not a convincing King Herod. I've seen him in many other films but IMO this role does not fit him. Also, the young boys' accents are so thick I can barely understand them, and yet as adults the accent isn't there. Then there was the "angel" that appeared to Joseph... he looked like a fiery-eyed demon. I did not like him at all.

As for the plot line, I get this is fiction but I think it stretches things a little too far. Quite frankly it is difficult for me to accept it as believable.

One point.of accuracy... the Wise Men did NOT go to the stables. That was the shepherds. The wisemen appeared a couple of years later. That is why King Harold ordered the execution of.children two years old and younger, not just infants. Plus Matthew 2:11 clearly states they went to the child's HOUSE. I don't know why so many don't understand this.

"It takes a thief to know another, huh?"

[classicsoncall · 5/10 · 19 April 2021]

This is an uneven story of the two men who were crucified along side Jesus Christ. The viewer is given to consider that the men were brothers who were present in Bethlehem during Jesus's birth, and crossed paths with Him at various times as adults. My early parochial school training never ventured into the back story of the two thieves, one who was repentant while being crucified, the other being arrogant in the face of death. The picture begins with the birth of Jesus, and the visiting Magi who wandered far to present gifts to the prophesied Savior. King Herod (Kevin Sorbo), who rages at the prophecy of a King who arrives someday to replace him, demands that his legion kill all the infant male sons under the age of two in order to thwart the prediction held in reverence by the people of Bethlehem and Judea.

Though the movie maintains a reverence for it's subject matter, the acting is rather sketchy and the liberty taken with the story line doesn't coincide with what we have from the Bible of Christ's crucifixion and death. To say that poetic license was taken in arriving at the story of the brothers who fell in with a band of marauding thieves is an understatement. I had to groan further when the theme of wealth redistribution was brought up to justify why Tiran (Stelio Savante) and his men took to a life of crime. Can anyone say 'anachronism'?

Seeing the DVD of this film at my local library, I was prepared to watch a more gripping story than what was presented here. Almost right from the start you begin to question the historical accuracy of what little we do know, not so much about the early life and death of Christ, but of the apocryphal story of the good thief and the unrepentant one. My own advice would be to watch at your own risk.

It's not kosher to butcher a biblical story.

[bigmacga · 1/10 · 29 July 2022]

With exception of a few names like King Herod the Great (lifted from the Gospels) & Dysmas (lifted from early Christian traditions) the writer, producers (I think they set a record with the listing), director, & actors strayed in imaginary directions that didn't even adequately explain the basis for Dysmas saying to Jesus at their mutual crucifixion, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." And the presentation of that explanation was the whole reason for telling this story.

This is a story that has a powerful message in Luke's version of the Passion of the Christ and strong extra-biblical traditions in the early Christian stories & traditions. There was so much richness on which to draw but it was mostly ignored. Such a tragedy.

The production values are almost nonexistent. It is obvious that no corner was left uncut. The writer of the book was also the writer of the screenplay & the one of the Executive Producers. He even managed to weasel a speaking role. So there was most likely no one to challenge the series of poor choices that were made during production.

This was a waste of time making & viewing. Painful to do so actually. I didn't see an option for zero stars or that is what I would awarded it. There are much better ways to spend $9.99 on Prime.