A rollicking adventure which is sure to offend many but delight others. Jesus returns to Earth, gets caught up in a terrorist incident, is sentenced to death but rescued by the Catholic Church. He enjoys an adventure in the company of two thieves, falls in love, and causes upheaval wherever He goes.
Many elements of the story mirror the Bible - watch out for betrayal with a kiss, sadness at commerce in the temple, stigmata - doubters and disbelievers denounce Him, but He builds up core support among the poor, prostitutes and thieves, and the common people.
Often looks low-budget, maybe even shot guerrilla-style, but the film has ambition and there are enormous crowd scenes and much of the action takes place either in the Vatican or an elaborate simulation.
Could maybe have lost ten minutes from the mid-section as Jesus and the thieves roam Western Europe causing a ruckus, but never drags. Rarely laugh-out-loud funny, but has its moments and is audaciously risky fun. Only three years after Life of Brian but, despite being more traditionally blasphemous (Brian was clearly NOT Jesus), I don't remember this work copping half the Flak that Monty Python did, perhaps simply because it was a Danish production.
