TESTAMENT: Episode 1.1

Name: TESTAMENT: Episode 1.1
Item: TESTAMENT: Episode 1.1
Author: Review

"“A Worthy Retelling of the New Testament”"

Family Content: +2 Moderately questionable elements.

Entertainment Quality:

	None	Light	Moderate	Heavy
Language
Violence
Sex
Nudity

Credits →

What You Need To Know:

TESTAMENT is a limited drama series by Angel Studios that reimagines the Book of Acts in a modern-day dystopian setting. After encountering the Holy Spirit, British teenager Stephen (Charles Beaven) joins the Apostles in their mission to spread the wisdom of Jesus throughout the city. This recent influx of new believers sends Roman politicians into a panic. In retaliation, the Empire began to arrest these followers on false charges of religious heresy. Can the Apostles weather the storm?

The first episode of season one of TESTAMENT is an excellent adaptation of the Acts of the Apostles. It is a wonderful showcase of Christian values, including preaching the gospel, performing baptisms, and fostering deep friendships. There is no profanity or gore, but there is light violence of the Roman soldiers berating and arresting Christians. MOVIEGUIDE® wholeheartedly recommends this series to teenagers and young adults.

Content:

(BBB, CCC, V, D, M):

Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:

A Christian moral worldview as durable as the Bible itself, the Apostles preach the teachings of Jesus to hundreds of Roman citizens, the heroes baptize a dozen men and women into the faith, the main character develops a strong brotherly bond with his neighbors, the protagonist transports a disabled homeless man to his destiny, the same homeless man experiences a miracle of being able to walk again, a Roman officer begins having doubts over his position in the government, and the heroes remain vigilant despite the oppressive Roman government.;

Foul Language:

No foul language;

Violence:

Light realistic violence throughout but no blood or gore, the Holy Spirit spreads a violent wind through the protagonist’s dining room, a Roman peacekeeper shoves the protagonist to the ground for disobeying curfew, a legion of Roman officers practice using their police combat batons at a gym, and a squad of officers overpower a man and arrest him on the false charge of heresy;

Sex:

No sex;

Nudity:

No nudity;

More Detail:

TESTAMENT is a limited drama series by Angel Studios that reimagines the Book of Acts in a modern dystopian setting. After encountering the Holy Spirit, British teenager Stephen (Charles Beaven) joins the Apostles in their mission to spread the wisdom of Jesus throughout the city. This recent influx of new believers sends Roman politicians into a panic. In retaliation, the Imperials arrest these followers on the false charge of religious heresy.

Unlike other adaptations of the Bible, TESTAMENT takes place in a modern alternate-history version of the United Kingdom.

The characters utilize modern fashion and technology of the 21st century, but they live inside a metropolis ruled by the Roman Empire. The city is overrun with homeless people and destitute living conditions. The Roman centurions employed high-tech spears and modern armor to maintain peace and order. TESTAMENT is heavily inspired by the “grimy” aesthetics seen in THE HUNGER GAMES film series.

In episode one of Season One, the Apostles are converting hundreds of people to Christianity. Stephen, a reckless yet good-hearted teenager, witnesses the Holy Spirit flow through his house. Despite stern warnings from his mother, Stephen joins the Apostles and agrees to attend their next meeting.

Meanwhile, Roman lieutenant Saul (Eben Figueiredo) and his Imperial superiors have gone on high alert regarding the rise of Christianity. With the Apostles’ message that “Jesus is the King of Kings,” the Romans feared that their authority would soon be undermined. Wanting to get a promotion, Saul volunteers to oversee an investigation. However, the Roman elders hatch a new plan: to catch the Christians by surprise and arrest them for religious heresy against the Empire.

The premiere episode of TESTAMENT is excellent. The directing, lighting, and grounded camerawork are all solid. The show does not have a large budget but makes excellent use of real locations in the United Kingdom. The series does a great job portraying the “oppressive” atmosphere in this dystopian version of the UK. Each area feels run-down and lived-in, lending a sense of immersion to the viewer. But it gets even better.

The least surprising thing about TESTAMENT is its overt Christian worldview. The Apostles openly preach the resurrection of Jesus, engage in deep prayer, and perform baptisms at a community pool. Stephen, the teenage protagonist, helps a disabled homeless man twice. Stephen gives the man a ride to his destiny via a hand truck. Moreover, Stephen develops a close friendship with the Apostles. He later defies his mother’s authority to serve the Lord’s cause. Unfortunately, he encounters some violent resistance.

In terms of objectionable content, TESTAMENT has no blood, gore, or foul language. However, there is brief realistic violence. During the night, the protagonist breaks his curfew and risks getting violently reprimanded by Roman guards. In another scene, Roman soldiers practice thrusting their police batons at an academy. At the end of the episode, the Romans tackle a homeless man for witnessing “God’s miracle” and arrest him for heresy. Lastly, a homeless man takes painkillers on the street. However, this is not the show’s biggest sin.

The first episode of TESTAMENT is an excellent adaptation of the Acts of the Apostles. It’s an outstanding showcase of Christian values, including preaching the gospel, performing baptisms, and fostering deep friendships. There is no profanity or gore, but there is light violence of the Roman soldiers berating and arresting Christians. MOVIEGUIDE® wholeheartedly recommends this series to teenagers and young adults.