Plot Summary
Prompted by the celestial sign of the star, three Magi set out from their homeland to the land of Israel to discover the promised Messiah. Each of them had their own backstory and struggles and they faced many trials and roadblocks along the way, mostly the attempted sabotage of the evil King Herod. They also experienced spiritual warfare and spiritual awakening as a result of their journey across the desert, and they were never the same again.
Production Quality (1.5 points)
Though there are a lot of attempts in Chasing the Star to be a professional production, there are also some issues that hold it back from being all that it could be. Video quality and outdoor lighting are great, but there is some random shaky cam for dramatic effect that puts a damper on things. However, audio quality is fine and the soundtrack is intriguing. Outdoor locations are very well constructed and utilized, yet indoor sets and props are cheap-looking and limited. Finally, the editing makes the film very disorienting and confusing as the plot jumps all around. In the end, this is a good effort, but it seems like more could have been done.
Plot and Storyline Quality (.5 point)
As previously mentioned, this story tends to jump all over the place in a very confusing fashion that leaves the audiences isolated. There is also a lot of cryptic, archaic, and even cumbersome dialogue that causes the characters to come off as stuffy and Shakespearean. A lot of content is also very vague and hard to understand, although there are some interesting psychological elements. This story tends to be overly artistic, but the use of spiritual elements is better than that of Forty Nights, even if they are still portrayed as too dramatic and sensational. It’s great to explore spiritual warfare, but not enough time is spent on real and meaningful content, although there are some good attempts to develop the Magi through flashbacks. Yet it’s still hard to access them as people due to their dialogue. However, the last ten minutes of this film improve a lot and almost make the experience worthwhile. Nonetheless, there are still a lot of improvements to be made here.
Acting Quality (1 point)
Similar to Forty Nights, some of these cast members act downright creepy, while others are simply too dramatic or too stuffy in their delivery. There are too many reminders of a Bible play in this film, yet there is sometimes okay acting, especially from Garry Nation. The costuming is a bit unusual at times, but it tends to work. Overall, much of this movie is a mixed bag.
Conclusion
Chasing the Star is another unfortunate waste of an interesting idea. We desperately need creative Bible stories that are focused on spiritual and psychological elements, but not like this. They need to have slightly improved production and deeper character development in order to be worthwhile. Yet DJ Perry and his team appear to be improving with each film they make, so it’s possible that they are on the verge of something great.
Final Rating: 3 out of 10 points
Box Office Revolution 
Pingback: The Christ Slayer (Movie Review) – Box Office Revolution
Pingback: Wild Faith (Movie Review) – Box Office Revolution
Reliable advice, Regards!
LikeLike