Absolutely stunning mixture of the personal story of a disillusioned Catholic priest and the sordid Christian history that drove him to cut his ties--all the while remaining deeply committed to the ethical vision of Jesus.
Constantine's Sword (2008)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 28
Fresh: 24
Rotten:4
Average Rating: 6.9/10
Consensus: Exceptional research elevates Constantine's Sword from a talking heads documentary to a resonant and thought-provoking expose of the church's dark history.
Synopsis: This politically explosive documentary delves into the mingling of religion and violence, following former Catholic priest James Carroll as he tracks the trail of blood that leads from the Crusades... This politically explosive documentary delves into the mingling of religion and violence, following former Catholic priest James Carroll as he tracks the trail of blood that leads from the Crusades to America's foreign policy in the Middle East. While taking a historic view of religious fanaticism, CONSTANTINE'S SWORD also presents the very personal story of Carroll himself. Based on Carroll's best-selling book. [More]
Starring: James Carroll, Liev Schreiber, Philip Bosco, Natasha Richardson
Starring: James Carroll, Liev Schreiber, Philip Bosco, Natasha Richardson, Eli Wallach
Director: Oren Jacoby
Director: Oren Jacoby
Producer: James Carroll, Oren Jacoby, Michael Solomon, Betsy West
Composer: Joel Goodman
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Reviews for Constantine's Sword
Jacoby and Carroll make their case skillfully, carefully excerpting key scenes from Lenny (with Dustin Hoffman doing a Lenny Bruce monologue on anti-Jewish prejudice) and The Robe.
Less a history lesson than Carroll's personal odyssey through the opposing powers of church and state.
Not precisely journalistic, as a personal chronicle writ large it is a stirring, richly intellectual work.
This exceedingly contemplative work is both topically important -- warning of what happens when military might and religious fervor are mixed -- and intellectually stimulating as all get out.
With so much ground to cover, Carroll's own story must hold everything together. And it just about does, because it's inherently fascinating.
Though Carroll's presentation is unquestionably oversimplified...his points are well-taken and worthy of serious regard.
Former priest and author James Carroll is simply pointing out that the use of cover up and propaganda -- whether it's aimed at another religion or another country -- is still represented at the point of a sword. That sword is shaped like a cross.
The breadth of Carroll's scholarship and the depth of his religious understanding strengthen his assertion that our misadventure in Iraq is the beginning of a new holy war.
James Carroll goes on a crusade of his own, exposing the hypocrisy of politically motivated religion and the violence of the evangelical Jihad in our own Colorado Springs.
[I]t was probably inevitable that such an audacious attempt would fail to succeed entirely. Which isn't to say that this bold and fearless film isn't worth a look.
A powerful documentary which makes the case that the faith-based fanaticism that has destabilized the planet has been fueled as much by the West as by radical Islam.
Overall, rather disorganized and uneven as a documentary, but always passionate, intriguing and certainly pertinent.
The movie covers an immense amount of shameful historical ground, but the soft-spoken Carroll's mission is less about winning an argument than prodding true believers
[Director Oren] Jacoby's haunting documentary joins cowriter and producer Carroll, the author of Constantine's Sword: The Church and the Jews -- A History, for a fascinating dual journey.
A poignant and passionately presented depiction of church-sanctioned violence against Jews.
The movie raises important issues, but it provides few answers as it moves along in uninspired, talking-heads fashion.
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