Really 4 stars for the acting, but -12 for the plot and claims in the story. Upshot is this: whether you believe the Bible or not, this story is ONLY located in it. So it ought to have been consulted. But clearly was not. So why waste your money on watching? Believe or not, on actual source material, as is your free right.
For imagine, claiming to tell a story which is in print for thousands of years, but instead of using the source material for that story, just making up anything you want. So that you spend millions of dollars advertising to the world that you don't do your homework.
Imagine being an actor in such a movie, thus advertising to the world that you did it for a paycheck alone, and that you don't care about accuracy to the source material, either.
Of course, EVERY Bible movie and documentary suffers as does this one, claiming that there was a Star when Bible says NO it was an ANGEL (Matt 2, compared with Luke 2 in Bible), since stars don't turn on selectively for only some people to see (ibid).
Seriously, if you'll spend a lot of money to make claims about stuff that's been in writing for centuries, why not actually READ that writing? Oh no.
So think how you'd feel if someone made false claims about you, but could have done their homework, instead. But didn't. What do we call that, in law? Libel, if written, and film is within the 'written' category. In short, a crime. Certainly not reverence.
But the acting is good, usually; and actors I like a bunch are in this. So they must have needed the money badly. Pity.
I'd go into specifics, but those would be considered 'spoilers'. So just grab a Bible and compare Matthew 2 (first Gospel) then Luke 2 (second, the text is designed based on the Magnificat and wraps to Matthew, see my 'brainout' 'Synoptics' and 'jamesexegesis' channels in vimeo where I prove that claim). Then sigh.
