The Final Inquiry

Review by Ed Vitagliano - AFA Journal, March 2008
 

  In A.D. 33 a Roman officer is sent on a mission by Emperor Tiberius to find out what happened to the body of Jesus of Nazareth. The assignment is portrayed as having a political rationale, since the followers of this new religion are spreading Jesus’ message. But there is also a spiritual reason, since Tiberius wants to know what will happen to him after he dies.
  While this film obviously has good intentions, it is an uneven, clichéd and sometimes improbable storyline with acting that is fair at best.
Since the story takes place during the time of the earliest chapters of the Book of Acts, there are a few moments that will prove problematic to students of the Scripture. For example, Mary Magdalene implores Stephen to deny Christ as a false prophet in order to save his life from martyrdom, a scenario not in the Bible.
  There are several scenes of fighting, which involve little blood but obvious sword thrusts into combatants, and there is one instance in which a Jewish girl takes God’s name in vain.
  Many Christians will no doubt applaud the attempt to treat their faith and the Scripture with respect – which this film does overall. However, believers also appreciate a good story, compelling acting and quality production values. In striving to reach these standards, The Final Inquiry fails in the final analysis.
The Final Inquiry is rated PG-13 and is available on DVD.