SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Jonah Abbott There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Kayden This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Kirpianuscus like each religious film, it has its force, seduction, clichés and solid pillars in great actors. different is the manner to present the lead character. Solomon by Ben Cross is the vulnerable leader. human at all, wise but not real profound, powerful but victim of pleasure, ambitious but a good Jew . the presence of Max von Sydow as the old David, Bathsheba in Anouk Aime 's performance, Vivica Fox in the key role of Queen of Sheba are the pieces who transforms the film in a splendid example of use of Bible 's lines. a film about life more than an eulogy to a great figure of Israel. that is the virtue of a film who propose a Biblical hero in convincing colors. so, a good film. not out of its genre. but interesting for the use of its rules.

Desertman84 King Solomon led a grand life, thus rating this epic movie entitled,Solomon - the ninth in a series of TV movies dramatizing famous stories from the Bible.It stars Ben Cross in the title role together with Anouk Aimée, Vivica A. Fox, Max von Sydow and Maria Grazia Cucinotta.It is told in two parts.Director Roger Young chronicles the king's rise from the weakling mama's boy of Bathsheba to a ruler known for his wisdom, international alliances, construction of the Jewish temple, and oh yes, those thousand wives with concubines included. The first part spends the first hour tracing the rivalry of Solomon with half-brother Adonijah, before and after the death of their father King David. It then makes a 10-year leap to dramatize his famous method of divining the true mother of a contested infant. In the second part, the filmmakers embrace the legend that Solomon and the Queen of Sheba had a romantic as well as political alliance, suggesting that they were the star-crossed loves of each other's life and introducing some soft-focus nudity. With the queen's departure, Solomon descends into materialism and idolatry. The performances are strong and the script, penned by Bradley Winter, artfully weaves in background information to give the viewer helpful historical context.Also,it makes the viewer realize the spiritual failures of King Solomon with his sins of idolatry,pride,arrogance and being a womanizer.Unfortunately,it fails to bring to a point that he happens to be the wisest man who lived on earth.And that what makes this adaptation lacking.It instead focused on Solomon's sins rather than his wisdom.

kovalan Where this video is out of tune: • Rehoboam is born in video AFTER Solomon is crowned--where the math of Scripture indicates he was born PRIOR ("Rehoboam was 41 years old when he became king and reigned 17 years in Jerusalem"); Solomon's reign is described as 40 years. • Rehoboam is described in video as if born to a Jewish mother--when his mother was Ammonitess named Naamah--this also leads to obvious plot-hole later (Zadok's statement that son born to Sheba-queen cannot be heir--when obviously not the case, as Rehoboam was born to Naamah) • A great deal of the video centres on the Queen of Sheba--where Scripture has a few lines; in contrast, much less time is devoted to the construction and dedication of the Temple (to which Scripture devotes entire chapter, as it was the king's crowning-glory) • Jeroboam is shown in rather good light, as being zealous for God and rebuking Solomon when the latter deviated--Scripture does not indicate Jeroboam as godly prior to becoming king of Northern Kingdom, and also indicates that he went further from God than Solomon, even to the point where he could not be turned back to God.

Marcin Kukuczka The biblical films can be divided into two sorts of screen adaptations: accurate ones and sheer travesties. While the first group refer to movies that treat the biblical content seriously and result in accurate depictions, the latter ones refer to freely adapted Hollywood productions that are rather 'celebrities vehicles' than 'biblical stories.' And among such Old Testamental figures popular in cinema like Abraham, Jacob, Moses, there is also Solomon, the son of king David, a great ruler of Israel known for his wisdom, the king who built the Temple of the Lord in the city of Jerusalem. But is it the only thing to know about Solomon? Of course, the significant factor for many people is the artistic side of the movie. Directed by Roger Young (known for having made quite a few biblical epics), the movie is made with a flair for history concerning sets, locations, wardrobe, music and the general mood of the distant past in which the action takes place. Pure imagination, at moments, that occurs convincing. Most of the scenes, including the funeral of David, the entrance of Queen Sheba, the wise judgment by Solomon or the daybreak of temple solemnity will stun you as a viewer and an epic buff. In spite of the fact that there aren't many extras in this movie, the producers make a perfect use of their budget limitations.Besides, referring to the words of the Norwegian reviewer, I absolutely agree that the cast in the film are really unforgettable, including the famous celebrities as well as the unexperienced ones who are given the supporting roles. Ben Cross in the lead leaves a lasting impact on the viewer's imagination. He does a brilliant job portraying Solomon's weakness combined with wisdom, Solomon's deepening reason combined with growing tolerance. Vivica A. Fox calls our attention to the southern beauty that the famous Queen of Sheba must have been. She once again portrays a figure so popular in cinema and portrayed by Betty Blythe in 1921 and Gina Lollobrigida in 1959. There, however, the "Shebas" focused on the queen's "sex appeal" (using today's terms), Ms Fox, however, adds to it such virtues like affection and subtleness. Anouk Aimee is memorable as Bathsheba, now the elderly woman who is no longer absorbed by sensual love but what she concerns about is reign. Here, a note should be made of Max von Sydow as old king David in the first 50 minutes of the movie. But acting and visual merits are not all that make the film worth seeing.SOLOMON is a new challenge for biblical movie buffs primarily because it is the first film that gives us a clear and a very accurate insight into Solomon, the king and Solomon, the man. Solomon, considered one of the wisest men of the Bible, is, at the same time, more revealed with his weaknesses and idolatry that appeared in the later years of his life and are indeed historical. The movie, in this case, seems to break a kind of cliché that arose at the Israeli king. Solomon, searching wisdom and asking for wisdom in the famous prayer to God, receives this and uses this for the goodness of his people. Yet, in the very depth of his heart, he lets himself be absorbed by personal choices over political ones; in other words, he begins to think of himself more as a man than as a king and that leads him to confusion and division of the kingdom. It is the Solomon who once built the Temple of the Lord and now finds everything vain. It is the Solomon whose heart was once devoted to one True God and now offers sacrifices to mute idols. It is not the Solomon absorbed by lust only, like it is in case of SOLOMON AND SHEBA, but the controversial personality that we find in the Bible. How universal it is! Therefore, I would recommend everyone to see this film. Perhaps, it won't make you love biblical movies. Nevertheless, it will truly make you reflect that all the wisdoms of today's world are never able to achieve the spirit and psychology of a single biblical story.