Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas (Review)

Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas (Review)

It has been a while since I've posted a movie review.  In fact, it has been 15 days since my last post.  My new crochet Etsy store business has taken off much faster than I expected, so I've been busy packing and shipping baby blankets.  Now I have to make more - a lot more!  I'm excited about that store, though.  Now, back to the movie - my husband and I watched a film last night that we want you to know about.  

Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas

You might have heard about a new documentary-style special by Kevin Costner titled Kevin Costner Presents:  The First Christmas.  Last night, my husband and I were searching for a new Christmas movie to watch, and we decided on this one.  We weren't sure what to expect.  We are fans of Kevin, but neither of us knew where he stood spiritually.  In the end, we enjoyed the presentation.  Kevin Costner Presents:  The First Christmas is not really a movie, but a documentary.  Here are some things we liked and disliked about it.

There wasn't much to dislike, but there were a few things to question.  Kevin did take some "creative liberties" in the filming.  However, we didn't feel like those liberties took away from the Biblical account of Christ's birth.  Some of the scenes depicted in the film are not in the Bible but were added based on historical studies by several theologians and historians.  Again, we didn't feel the added scenes took away from the Biblical account.  

Kevin had several specialists from various denominations talking about the nativity story.  One of my favorites was Francis Chan, who was terrific.  Another historian, a priest, stated that Mary was free of original sin.  This claim is false.  The only person who ever walked this earth free of sin was Jesus.  Mary, though highly favored, was a young human girl who was not without sin.  The priest in the film was flat-out wrong about that.

We liked that the film offered a more historically accurate account of the events surrounding the birth and early years of Jesus.  For example, we are used to seeing Mary and Joseph traveling alone from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census.  However, they more likely would have traveled in a group.  Another example - the kings from afar, the ones we usually see in nativity scenes worshipping Jesus in the manger, probably didn't reach Mary and Joseph's home until Jesus was at least 2 years old.

The angel Gabriel was portrayed as a masculine male, not a whimpy male or female angel.  Biblical angels are not whimpy or female. The portrayal of Gabriel was probably the most accurate I've ever seen.  

Side note:  I'm not hating on all the female angels on your Christmas trees.  We have one on our tree right now, BUT, female angels don't exist anywhere in the Bible. 

Things You Should Know Before Watching With Your Whole Family

Some scenes are not suitable for young children.  Herod stabs his son to death in a pool, causing the pool to turn red from blood.

In the documentary, there is violence and lots of blood when Herod orders all male children ages 2 and younger to be killed.   Honestly, every time I see a movie that includes this part of the story, I'm gutted to my core.  I can't imagine watching it as a child.  

One of Herod's wives commits suicide by falling from a building.  She is shown on the ground with blood oozing from under her head and from her mouth.

Herod is shown stabbing himself in his gut.

Final Take: The film is good for adults to watch, but not for all kids, and certainly not for younger children.  

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Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas (Review)