LIGHT OF THE WORLD
US, 2025, 91 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Ian Hanlin, Benjamin Jacobson, Vincent Tong, Colin Murdoch, Jesse Inocalla, Sam Darkoh, Erin Matthews, Dave Pettitt.
Directed by Tom Bancroft, John J.Schaffer.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus is the Light of the World. Here is a Jesus’ film, animation, storytelling for the younger audiences but with an appeal to all generations.
Many classical stories have benefited by being imagined and told via animation. The basic plot is there. Central characters sometimes fascinatingly drawn, different visual vitality. And well-known events can be dramatised in a way beyond the realistic. And the same with humour…
Over the centuries there have been attempts to combine the four Gospels into a continuous narrative – not really possible! And, we remember that the events in Jesus’ life are not presented exactly chronologically in each of the Gospels, and a number of particular details differ. Which offers the opportunity for many writers and filmmakers to draw on the Gospels to create their own atmosphere, timeline, emphases on characters, highlighting different events.
And that is what the writers have done here, interestingly introducing the Gospel by a visual recap of the creation story and the sin of Adam and Eve, the need for a Messiah.
The animation style is strong and vivid, well-defined characters, generally strong features, colour, the information that one of the directors, Tom Bancroft, worked for Disney for 25 years, especially in the 90s with those strong films like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King.
Animation films, especially for younger audiences, want to find a creative way to draw the audience in. We might remember that in 2024, the animation The King of Kings, based on Charles Dickens’ story, had the device of Dickens’ son entering into the biblical action. This time, the writers have chosen to focus on Zebedee and his wife, Salome, and their two sons, James, but especially, the very young, sometimes rowdy, sometimes not very practical, John.
In fact, our focus is very much on John, young boy, then teenager, trying to do good, sometimes failing, worried about Zebedees’ thinking the Messiah is a fiction, but confident in his mother’s belief and hope. He is always on the alert, takes a cue from Andrew, goes down to the Jordan to discover the Baptiser (certainly not our usual image of John the Baptist!). Which leads him to Jesus.
Jesus here is very engaging, sometimes unassuming, sometimes speaking out, tall, a strong look, and frequently, a slight whimsical smile.
Many Gospel episodes appear here arranged in in unexpectedly different order from what we might imagine (including a flashback to Cana, introducing Mary, John observing the miracle of water and wine), some go by very quickly, like Jesus blessing the bread and the indication of the feeding of the thousands. Audiences will have their favourite moments – fishing sequences on the Sea of Galilee and Jesus’ call, the special effects for the storm at sea, an unexpected young Judas, shrewd, and, particularly touching, the healing of Mary Magdalene and her saying that the voices in her head were disappearing.
The centurion is also an interesting character, an aggressive Roman, irritated by John, who has to learn to love neighbour, especially after Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan (the only parable in the film). His servant is healed as he observes Jesus healing. And he is at the cross.
And, the film moves towards quick scenes of the Last Supper, his agony in Gethsemane, the kiss of betrayal, Pilate’s condemnation, carrying the beam of the cross, the crucifixion – and a different approach to highlighting the reality of the resurrection, the breakfast by the lake, Mary Magdalene and the final optimism of the Ascension.
The film is quite evangelical with a post-credits invitation to the audience to make contact, scanning and on-screen QR code, if they would like further inspiration and understanding.