journey to bethlehem rating

Is "Journey to Bethlehem" Worth Watching? An Honest Take on the Nativity Musical

Warning: This review contains spoilers from the new film, "Journey to Bethlehem".

Sony's Affirm Films recently released its highly-anticipated Nativity musical, "Journey to Bethlehem" in theaters.

The film follows Mary (Fiona Palomo) and Joseph (Milo Manheim) through their first meeting, betrothal, marriage, and the Birth of Jesus. In short, the overall premise covers King Herod's (played by Antonio Banderas) unsuccessful pursuit of Jesus.

Here's the trailer:

Click here if you cannot see the video above .

As a first-ever Nativity musical, I was both pleased and disappointed.

From an entertainment perspective, the film contained beautiful visual effects and artistic imagery, catchy pop songs, and excellent acting. Antonio Banderas did a marvelous job portraying Herod. The performers portraying Jesus and Mary also convey the needed chemistry for a believable love story. The movie was also a clean, family-oriented film.

However, while the movie definitely satisfied the entertainment element, it was disappointingly not true to the Biblical story.

In the first part of the story, the film contains hints of cultural feminism and portrays Our Lady as imperfect. For example, the story says Mary desires to be a teacher, and she argues with her parents about marrying Joseph.

She then tells her friends she prefers a career over the vocation of a married homemaker with children.

Further into the movie, Mary proposes to Saint Joseph. He says yes, but something like that would likely never happen historically or traditionally, especially given the time period.

Secondly, the film uses the Magi and the Angel Gabriel for comic relief. In fact, they depict both the Magi and the Angel Gabriel as unintelligent and clueless throughout the majority of the film.

For example, Gabriel bumps his head as he enters Mary's room to announce that she will give birth to the Son of God.

In reality, Gabriel is an Archangel with supernatural intelligence unfathomable to the human mind. The manner in which the movie portrays him, in my opinion, is a mockery of God's angelic design.

One of the most disappointing aspects of the film was the lack of defining Biblical moments we cherish as Catholic Christians.

Affirm Films completely omitted Mary's "Yes" to the Angel Gabriel.

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” - Luke 1:38

Before seeing the film, I really looked forward to the depiction of this Bible verse. However, to my disappointment, they left it out. Why?

The film also omits Mary's Magnificat and Elizabeth's greeting to Mary visiting her cousin.

Mary kneels before Elizabeth and holds her pregnant stomach, while it should really be the other way around.

Other disappointments in "Journey to Bethlehem"

Throughout the film, King Herod searches for Jesus by means of his son and prior to Jesus' birth, which are additional Biblical inaccuracies.

In short, Herod's son eventually changes tune when he finds Jesus immediately after His birth. He does not kill Jesus but changes his heart with mercy and provides his earthly royal protection.

Again, this adds to the entertainment aspect of the film, but as for Biblical truth, it fails miserably.

Should You See "Journey to Bethlehem"?

As said in the first portion of this review, the movie is an entertaining, family-friendly film. I enjoyed the songs, the acting, and the overall story.

One of the final scenes portraying Jesus' birth brought tears to my eyes because it was so moving. I also love how the story portrays the humanity of some Biblical figures.

However, if you're looking for a true Biblical film, this is not it. If you allow your children to see "Journey to Bethlehem," be sure to inform them that this version of the Nativity is not the real story of Jesus.

My overall take: Watch with discretion. This film is a fantasy and is only based on the Bible. It's not a biblical story.

Cast & crew
User reviews

Journey to Bethlehem

This live-action Christmas musical adventure for the entire family weaves classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith, and new pop songs in a retelling of the greatest story ever told: the ... Read all This live-action Christmas musical adventure for the entire family weaves classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith, and new pop songs in a retelling of the greatest story ever told: the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus. This live-action Christmas musical adventure for the entire family weaves classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith, and new pop songs in a retelling of the greatest story ever told: the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus.

Adam Anders
Peter Barsocchini
Fiona Palomo
Milo Manheim
Antonio Banderas
79 User reviews
23 Critic reviews

(as María Pau Pigem)

(as Yael Belicha)
(as Jose María Rueda)

(as Pedro Aijhon)
Young Sheperd Girl
(as Zoe Arnau)
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Trivia One of a handful of smallish budget films made by Affirm Films that Sony Pictures distributed that have strong Christian or moral themes. Although Sony knew that none of them were going to be blockbuster hits, they also recognized that they would tap into an element of Western society that would help promote the film within their sphere of influence and gain a loyal audience as well as encourage discussion. Sony decided on this approach after they regretted turning down the chance to distribute 'The Way' back in 2010, a low-budget film about a spiritual journey undertaken by a grieving father (Martin Sheen) that was eventually given a release through independent distributors and went on to receive good reviews and proved a favorite among many communities.

Joseph : [to the obstinate donkey] Don't be such an a-

[rest of the word drowned out by donkey braying]

Connections Referenced in Nerdrotic: Woke Hollywood Instant Regret! The Strikes Have Been a DISASTER (2023)
Soundtracks O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Performed by Daniela Riveri Arranged by Adam Anders , Nikki Anders , & Peer Astrom Produced by Adam Anders & Peer Astrom

Technical specs

Runtime 1 hour 39 minutes

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Journey to Bethlehem Reviews

Maybe I should apologize for my sacrilegious tone here, but it’s kinda in step with the tone of the movie, which takes a story that’s rather serious to many and renders it rather silly.

Full Review | Feb 8, 2024

As an earnest faith-based musical, Journey to Bethlehem does what it's supposed to do for its intended audience. Other people might be surprised by the charm and appeal of this pop music version of the Bible's nativity story about Jesus Christ.

Full Review | Jan 4, 2024

It's kind of hair-raising how just tacky this all is.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5 | Dec 1, 2023

Stealing the show, of course, is Antonio Banderas – no, really – dialling in a King Herod who could have stepped straight out of Jesus Christ Superstar, blowing the roof off whenever the script lets him.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Nov 30, 2023

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 30, 2023

... It struck me as rather cheesy and ludicrous. In its own way, though, the film is competently put together and rattles along.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 20, 2023

A snappy, satisfying seasonal-appropriate gem, complete with wisecracking Three Wise Men.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Nov 15, 2023

More faith-based films like this and fewer with Kevin Sorbo, please and thank-you.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Nov 11, 2023

While it lacks the gravitas of classic movie adaptations of the Biblical story, it’s a melodic and well-sung variation that steers clear of controversy.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 11, 2023

Sometimes a bit corny, this modern look at the Nativity is a crowd pleasure for sure.

Palomo and Manheim are dynamic young performers, and Banderas' scenery-chewing portrayal is outsized but manages not to tip too far into camp.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 10, 2023

Surprisingly fresh & original. This Baby J story has pop-style songs and choreography that was light and fun. There is also a sharpness to the humor, with some Monty Pythonesque banter between the Three Kings and Herod. It's razz ma tazz of All That Jazz!

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Nov 10, 2023

Journey to Bethlehem, a musical retelling of the events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ, dully plods along on a wave of cheap production and unmemorable songs.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/10 | Nov 10, 2023

A competent, if undistinguished directorial debut with the least edgy retelling of the nativity story around (which is essentially what the faith-based audience has been asking for).

Full Review | Nov 10, 2023

Journey doesn’t offer audiences an escape from the noise of contemporary culture into an encounter with sacred truth. Rather, it adds to the noise—and at great decibels.

At its heart ... seems to be a genuine desire to tell this story in a meaningful and, on occasion, very human way. The movie's execution repeatedly stops that attempt in its tracks.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Nov 9, 2023

The magic of movies does depend on a certain suspension of disbelief, but “Journey” tests the viewer beyond rational credulity, even as it persists in asserting the reality of its existence.

Full Review | Nov 9, 2023

It's a gorgeous musical telling of The Nativity story.

Full Review | Original Score: 3 1/2 stars | Nov 9, 2023

A family friendly musical retelling of the story of Mary and Joseph.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Nov 9, 2023

Heartfelt, refreshing and exhilarating. It will make your heart soar.

Full Review | Nov 8, 2023

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‘Journey to Bethlehem’ Review: No Room at the Inn? Try the Multiplex

It’s no “Home Alone” or “Jesus Christ Superstar,” but it does have Antonio Banderas as a song-slinging Herod and Lecrae as a quavering Angel Gabriel.

Share full article

By Glenn Kenny

Christmas announces its coming earlier every year. We haven’t even hit Thanksgiving and here is this peculiar Nativity movie for, um, someone’s whole family, directed and co-written by Adam Anders. Anders, making his feature debut here, is a former “Glee” writer and music producer, and his co-writer, Peter Barsocchini, is a veteran of “High School Musical.” While their treatment of the ancient world is informed, to say the least, by their prior work, the scenario also feels like Hallmark pulped through a Disney strainer.

For instance, the future Jesus-mom, Mary (Fiona Palomo), bridles at her arranged marriage, and actually says, “What about my dream of becoming a teacher, like my father?” She is talked down by girlfriends on a shopping trek who sing, “Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary/It’s good for you.”

The familiar story line is festooned with “kicky” touches, like a meet-cute between Mary and Joseph (Milo Manheim) at a fruit market, and the angel Gabriel (the rapper and singer Lecrae) struggling with stage fright before making his presentation to the Blessed Virgin. Later, in a dream, two Josephs ponder the pregnancy issue, with the anti-Mary manifestation singing “Don’t make concessions/for her transgressions.”

Antonio Banderas appears as Judea’s King Herod, dead set on making sure the newborn (other) King doesn’t stick around for long.

“Did he lose a bet?” one may wonder, seeing Banderas in this role. Apparently not; he clearly relishes playing a singing and dancing villain. In his introductory number, he croons about how, yes, it’s good to be king.

“Mine is the kingdom/mine is the power,” he belts out. And Joel Smallbone, as his scheming son Antipater, sidles up beside him to harmonize on “mine is the glory.”

The magic of movies does depend on a certain suspension of disbelief, but “Journey” tests the viewer beyond rational credulity, even as it persists in asserting the reality of its existence.

Call it a Christmas anti-miracle?

Journey to Bethlehem Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 38 minutes. In theaters.

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Is "Journey to Bethlehem" Worth Watching? An Honest Take on the Nativity Musical

Warning: This review contains spoilers from the new film, “Journey to Bethlehem”.

Sony’s Affirm Films recently released its highly-anticipated Nativity musical, “Journey to Bethlehem” in theaters.

The film follows Mary (Fiona Palomo) and Joseph (Milo Manheim) through their first meeting, betrothal, marriage, and the Birth of Jesus. In short, the overall premise covers King Herod’s (played by Antonio Banderas) unsuccessful pursuit of Jesus.

Here’s the trailer:

Click here if you cannot see the video above .

As a first-ever Nativity musical, I was both pleased and disappointed.

From an entertainment perspective, the film contained beautiful visual effects and artistic imagery, catchy pop songs, and excellent acting. Antonio Banderas did a marvelous job portraying Herod, and the actors portraying Jesus and Mary conveyed the needed chemistry for a believable love story. The movie was also a clean, family-oriented film.

However, while the movie definitely satisfied the entertainment element, it was disappointingly not true to the Biblical story.

She then tells her friends she prefers a career over the vocation of a married homemaker with children.

Further into the movie, Mary proposes to Saint Joseph. He says yes, but something like that would likely never happen historically or traditionally, especially given the time period.

Secondly, the film uses the Magi and the Angel Gabriel for comic relief. In fact, they depict both the Magi and the Angel Gabriel as unintelligent and clueless throughout the majority of the film.

For example, Gabriel bumps his head as he enters Mary’s room to announce that she will give birth to the Son of God.

In reality, Gabriel is an Archangel with supernatural intelligence unfathomable to the human mind. The manner in which the movie portrays him, in my opinion, is a mockery of God’s angelic design.

One of the most disappointing aspects of the film was the lack of defining Biblical moments we cherish as Catholic Christians.

Affirm Films completely omitted Mary’s “Yes” to the Angel Gabriel.

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” – Luke 1:38

Before seeing the film, I really looked forward to the depiction of this Bible verse. However, to my disappointment, they left it out. Why?

The film also omits Mary’s Magnificat and Elizabeth’s greeting to Mary visiting her cousin.

Mary kneels before Elizabeth and holds her pregnant stomach, while it should really be the other way around.

Other disappointments in “Journey to Bethlehem”

Throughout the film, King Herod searches for Jesus by means of his son and prior to Jesus’ birth, which are additional Biblical inaccuracies.

In short, Herod’s son eventually changes tune when he finds Jesus immediately after His birth. He does not kill Jesus but changes his heart with mercy and provides his earthly royal protection.

Again, this adds to the entertainment aspect of the film, but as for Biblical truth, it fails miserably.

Should You See “Journey to Bethlehem”?

As said in the first portion of this review, the movie is an entertaining, family-friendly film. I enjoyed the songs, the acting, and the overall story.

One of the final scenes portraying Jesus’ birth brought tears to my eyes because it was so moving. I also love how the story portrays the humanity of some Biblical figures.

However, if you’re looking for a true Biblical film, this is not it. If you allow your children to see “Journey to Bethlehem,” be sure to inform them that this version of the Nativity is not the real story of Jesus.

My overall take: Watch with discretion. This film is a fantasy and is only based on the Bible. It’s not a biblical story.

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Journey to bethlehem.

Parents say (37)
Kids say (5)

Based on 37 parent reviews

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Offensive to catholics, such a great movie that everyone needs to see, uplifting nativity story musical, a must see movie, family friendly., great family movie, a heartwarming cinematic odyssey through love, faith, and the miracle of christmas, the gospel about the birth of jesus packaged to reach the non christian families..

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‘Journey to Bethlehem’ Review: The Music Producers Behind ‘Glee’ Put Snappy Spin on Christmas Tale

Sony's faith-based Affirm division fires the first salvo in the crowded holiday film season with one of the mildest versions of the nativity story around, boosted by Antonio Banderas' campy turn as King Herod.

By Peter Debruge

Peter Debruge

Chief Film Critic

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Christmas comes early this year, as “ Journey to Bethlehem ” puts words (and music) in the mouths of all who bore witness to Jesus’ birth. Some of those tunes — like “Silent Night” and “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” — will sound familiar enough, though most of the songs — like most of the script — represents a fresh interpretation of believers’ original miracle, courtesy of Adam Anders , making a competent, if undistinguished directorial debut with the least edgy retelling of the nativity story around (which is essentially what the faith-based audience has been asking for).

Popular on Variety

Adam Anders and co-writer Peter Barsocchini (a collaborator on Tyler Perry-hosted TV event “The Passion”) aim to entertain with a mix of broad comedy and earnest emoting: The Three Magi (Omid Djalili, Geno Segers and Rizwan Manji) are only slightly less silly than the Three Stooges, while Mary and Joseph seem genuinely conflicted about their impending (arranged) marriage. “What about my future, as a teacher?” Mary asks her father, rebuffing a scruffy stranger’s friendly flirtation in the market without realizing that he’s none other than her intended husband.

The whole project is a husband-wife collaboration for the Anderses, with “Glee” partner Peer Åström along for the ride, and it would be unfair not to acknowledge the peppy pop appeal this trio deliver. They’re clearly going for the clap-your-hands, stomp-your-feet spirit of “The Greatest Showman,” especially in catchy end-credits track “Brand New Life” (the most Christmassy-sounding song here, with its “Celebrate!” refrain).

But there’s one number that nearly steals the show: Sporting heavy eyeliner and a molded breastplate, Banderas clears his throat and gamely launches into “Good to Be King,” rolling his Rs and growling the lines, “Mine is the kingdom! Mine is the power! Mine is the glory forever more!” It’s a campy-fun sequence that lands somewhere between the sinister, Broadway-style solos by early-’90s Disney villains and Malcolm McDowell’s scenery-chewing “Caligula” performance (minus anything that would have tipped this into PG-13 territory).

“Journey to Bethlehem” is first and foremost a family movie, and though its music sounds a little too early-aughts to become a classic, it fills a crèche-shaped niche in the current theatrical landscape, with nearly six weeks to clean up before Christmas.

Reviewed at Regency Theatres Van Nuys Plant 16, Van Nuys, Calif., Nov. 9, 2023. MPA Rating: PG. Running time: 99 MIN.

Production: A Sony release of a Affirm Films presentation of a Monarch Media, Space + Art Entertainment, Night Light production. Producers: Brandt Andersen, Adam Anders, Ryan Busse, Stephen Meinen, Alan Powell, Steve Barnett. Executive producers: Vicky Patel, Peter Barsocchini.
Crew: Director: Adam Anders. Screenplay: Adam Anders & Peter Barsocchini. Camera: Xavi Giménez. Editor: Sabrina Plisco. Music: Adam Anders, Nikki Anders, Peer Astrom.
With: Fiona Palomo, Milo Manheim, Omid Djalili, Rizwan Manji, Geno Segers, MŌRIAH, Joel Smallbone, Lecrae, Stephanie Gil, Antonio Banderas.

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DVD & Streaming

Journey to Bethlehem

Action/Adventure , Christian , Musical , Romance

Content Caution

In Theaters

November 10, 2023
Fiona Palomo as Mary; Milo Manheim as Joseph; Joel Smallbone as Antipater; Antonio Banderas as Herod; Geno Segers as Balthazar; Rizwan Manji as Gaspar; Omid Djalili as Melchior; Antonio Cantos as Joachim; Maria Pau Pigem as Ana; Stephanie Gil as Rebekah; Moriah as Deborah; Lecrae as Gabriel

Home Release Date

January 1, 2024
Adam Anders

Distributor

Sony Pictures Releasing International

Movie Review

It’s the same old story: Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy and girl get engaged. Girl discovers that she’s carrying the Son of God. Boy—

Ah. So maybe this story isn’t quite a cookie-cutter romance after all. This one involves quite a bit more sand than your standard Drew Barrymore flick. It’s got ancient prophecies and power-hungry, sleep-deprived kings; angels of the Lord and rather feisty donkeys.

It’s the Nativity story. And even if this version looks and feels a little different than most renditions do, I’m sure most of you know the story well.

And it is a love story: the love between a man and a woman; the love between a king and his throne; and most importantly, the love that our Creator has for His creation—and how that love manifested in one cosmos-changing gift.

And let’s not forget all the song-and-dance numbers!

Positive Elements

Journey to Bethlehem is an imaginative take on a very familiar story—and it adds some dramatic wrinkles to the characters therein. There will be some Christians who will oppose the movie’s extrabiblical flourishes on principle, and I get that. But as we dive into this section, I’ll be treating the movie’s characters as just that: characters. In other words, they’re creative constructs that stand a bit apart from the real people they’re based on.

The Mary we meet here is intelligent, a bit headstrong and deeply faithful. Her parents have arranged a marriage for her with someone she’s never even met, and Mary doesn’t like that one little bit. She wants to be a teacher, not a helpmate to a stranger. But even if she’s angry that her parents are pushing into a marriage she doesn’t want (and makes her feelings known about that), she’s also mindful of the respect and obedience she owes her parents. She doesn’t like the decision, but she accepts it.

Joseph (who’s much younger than the one we often see in Christian tradition) also wasn’t given a choice. But he warms up to Mary quickly. Good thing, because their engagement gets off to a rocky start.

First, he must fight (somewhat literally, in the movie’s imaginative setting) with his own skepticism regarding Mary’s mysterious pregnancy. Then he must protect his small family: He finds a safe place for Mary to give birth. Shortly thereafter, he plots a hasty trip to Egypt to escape the evil clutches of King Herod. Throughout it all, Joseph shows himself to be a resourceful, protective an incredibly resilient guy.

The Wise Men—three of them, as tradition dictates, named Balthazar, Gaspar and Melchior—do their part to protect Mary, Joseph and especially their new baby. And the holy family receives help from an unexpected quarter as well.

Spiritual Elements

Journey to Bethlehem is, as you might expect, an inherently spiritual story. And even though this version of the Nativity is filled with songs and dances and jokes, director Adam Anders and his cohorts tried to honor the story’s holy message.

“While taking some creative license, the filmmakers strived to remain true to the message of the greatest story ever told,” moviegoers will read at the end.

Mary and Joseph may feel like characters from a musical romcom. But they’ve clearly been given a sacred task: bringing the Son of God into the world.

The movie leaves no doubt about who the true Father of Jesus is. Just as we read in the Bible, Mary is visited by Gabriel (who practices what he’s going to tell Mary before greeting her). “God has chosen you to have a Son,” the angel tells her, the “King of all kings.” And when Mary says that’s impossible, Gabriel answers, “Nothing is impossible when it’s God’s will.”

Gabriel also says that Mary is “more blessed than any other woman.” We’re told that it’s because of her great faith that she was so favored. She reads the Scriptures. She knows the Law. Still, she’s frustrated about why God didn’t clue other folks in. No one believes her story, after all, and her own family ships her off to her cousin Elizabeth’s house in shame.

Elizabeth doesn’t doubt, though. The older woman was the recipient of her own miracle pregnancy: We know from the Bible that Gabriel visited Elizabeth’s husband, a Jewish priest named Zechariah, and told him that Elizabeth was going to have a very special baby named John—a big surprise, considering how old both of them were. Zechariah was struck dumb after that conversation.

He still can’t speak when Mary comes to visit. When Mary expresses her bewilderment, even her exasperation, about how this unexpected pregnancy has impacted her, she asks Elizabeth, “When will I understand?”

Elizabeth smiles. “If my husband could talk, he would say, Patience is a good companion for faith .”

Mary’s not the only one expectantly awaiting the Son of God’s arrival. The Magi from the East see the star in the sky and begin their travels immediately (ultimately arriving very shortly after Jesus is born). But they need some other “ancient scrolls” to narrow down the exact location of where this divine King will be born, so they go to Herod’s palace.

Naturally, Herod’s not too keen on another king being born in his realm, divine or no. So he dispatches his son, Antipater, to take care of the matter. “It should not be difficult to locate an unwed peasant girl claiming to carry the child of a Hebrew God,” Antipater sniffs.

Also worth noting: Herod sings a song about the joys of being a king, which includes lyrics that narcissistically echo those from the Lord’s Prayer (which is yet to be written, but it neatly tells viewers of Herod’s own self-aggrandizement). “Mine is the kingdom/Mine is the power/Mine is the glory forever!” Herod sings. He clearly sees himself as worthy of worship (and says as much).

Herod’s throne is set in front of a gigantic lion’s head, incidentally, its mouth open in a snarl. The statue signifies his intimidating power and kingship. But the film itself may embrace a double meaning, given that Jesus would later be called the Lion of Judah. And Herod’s throne is set right in front of the lion’s mouth, as if it was about to be devoured.

We hear a reference to Ecclesiastes 4:12 during a betrothal ceremony, with the audience being told that a threefold cord is not easily broken. Marriage is referred to as a step of faith. Someone is told, “King or peasant, one day we will all bend the knee” to this new King. Antipater confesses that he once worshiped his father like a god. We see Jewish symbols and rites. Marriage is called a “divine institution.”

Sexual Content

A critical aspect of the movie—as was the case with the real Nativity story—is the suspicion that Mary had sex with someone other than her betrothed. That would’ve been a huge issue back in the day, and Journey to Bethlehem brings that aspect of the story home.

Mary’s father feels that the family has been shamed. Joseph’s parents forbid him from having anything to do with his fiancée. And Joseph himself—at least the part of him who’s skeptical of Mary’s incredible story—feels betrayed by Mary as well.

But Journey to Bethlehem also speculates what the early romance between Mary and Joseph might’ve looked like.

Mary is not thrilled with her arranged marriage to a man she’s never even seen. But when she meets a young flirt at the market, she makes it clear that she’s not available (though she’s also both flattered and perhaps a wee bit attracted to the guy). The man—even when he knows that she’s betrothed—continues to flirt, and he even buys her a fig. “It will be my gift to a beautiful bride.” Mary ultimately stuffs the fig in his face.

[ Spoiler Warning ] Turns out that the guy is also betrothed. In fact, the flirt is Joseph —which brings us to a curious ethical conundrum worthy of a 1950s romantic musical. When Mary discovers that Joseph and the flirt in the marketplace were one and the same, she’s pretty furious. Joseph was taken, too—and yet he flirted with a female stranger when he knew that he was unavailable. That’s practically cheating on her! But Joseph points out that he was flirting with his future wife, so no harm done, right?

And that sets the tone for the relationship we see throughout the film. Joseph seems deeply and madly in love with Mary (whom he officially marries in part to throw Roman investigators off their trail). Mary largely treats her engagement and marriage to Joseph as a duty until the very end. Even when they officially marry (with the mute Zechariah presiding), Mary turns her face from Joseph so he plants the traditional kiss on her cheek. But as she sees what a dutiful, conscientious protector Joseph is, Mary’s heart warms. And the film ends with the two kissing gently on the lips.

Herod leers at a couple of female servants as he walks (and sings) through a palace hall. As part of an unexpectedly warm (but heterosexual) greeting, a man kisses another on both cheeks.

Violent Content

When Joseph first learns of Mary’s pregnancy, he’s of two minds about that matter. That inner conflict plays out in an imaginative battle (set to music) between two versions of Joseph. They punch and kick during the musical battle.

A protective donkey knocks a couple of people down. We hear capital punishments ordered. An angel hits his head on a too-short doorway. We hear how Mary’s pregnancy puts her as risk for stoning.

As you likely know, Herod will do anything he can to snuff out this rival king. He sends his son, Antipater, to track down the mother. And when that looks like a dead end, he commands Antipater, “Take your men to Bethlehem and kill every pregnant woman and baby you find. Problem solved.”

Antipater suggests instead that Herod acquiesce to having a census taken in his realm, as Caesar Augustus asked him to do. The census, he tells Herod, “allows soldiers to search every home and count every head.” (Those who know the story know that Herod did make good on his bloody threat after Joseph, Mary and Jesus were safely on their way to Egypt.)

Crude or Profane Language

None, but the film does include a joking feint toward the word “a–.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Herod enjoys his wine. We see him drinking it—and we may see the effects of him drinking too much of it.

Herod also has some pretty bad dreams and suffers from insomnia. Melchior suggests that myrrh is a wonderful cure for sleeplessness. Gaspar, meanwhile, positions frankincense as cutting-edge aromatherapy.

Other Negative Elements

After the wise men come near the end of their long journey, Melchior frets that he’s in no condition to see Jesus. “My clothes smell of sheep dung,” he says. “My skin smells of sheep dung. This whole Earth smells of sheep dung. But tonight, I meet the Son of God. This is just perfect.” (He later apologizes to someone for his smell. “I have a few hygiene issues right now,” he explains.)

Melchior also loves to eat—a trait the film plays as comedy, but it might remind some of the sin of gluttony.

What’s the reason for the season? Jesus , of course. Every priest, pastor and faithful Christian will tell you that. And, of course, the focus should be on the Son of God, right? In the Bible, everyone wants to see the Christ child—even those who mean Him harm. In Nativity displays, all eyes are on the manger. Think a newborn baby snags the spotlight during family reunions? Imagine a newborn who’ll save the universe.

But in stories about the Nativity, our focus is pulled elsewhere, and understandably so. Because Jesus doesn’t have a lot of lines in this stage of His life, our attention is drawn to those parents. We wonder what they must’ve thought about that stable-based miracle. And maybe we wonder what their lives were like, before and after.

In Nativity scenes and classic paintings, Mary and Joseph look so serene, so peaceful. And yet, given the chaos and danger around them, they were likely anything but.

During Easter, we witness Jesus’ divinity—the soul-saving power of His sacrifice and resurrection. But during Christmas, we’re given an opportunity to think about His humanity—because we meet His human parents.

Journey to Bethlehem is one of the most unusual Nativity stories you’ll see. Mary sings about arranged marriages. Roman soldiers dance. Herod (played by Antonio Banderas) glowers and leers, and, let’s be honest, hams it up, too. Journey to Bethlehem is the Nativity story crossed with High School Musical . And for some, this fanciful telling will be just too fanciful to embrace. Anyone who thinks The Chosen went too far in its extra-biblical imaginings … well, just wait ‘til you see a Broadway-style dance number in an ancient Judean marketplace.

But for me, it works, and I’ll tell you why.

As it opens the first chapter on what the movie itself calls “the greatest story ever told,” Journey to Bethlehem allows its camera to linger on two youngsters who had big dreams of their own. Mary, a lover of Scripture, wanted to be a teacher. Joseph wistfully wishes he could invent stuff. The two are thrown together and given not a single say in the matter. Their reactions aren’t that far removed from what ours might be: anger, confusion, exasperation, even a little bit of heartbreak. Mary moans about this drastic turn in her life. “Is this what I’m chosen for?” She sings. “I thought I was meant for more.”

And, of course, she was. God had far bigger plans for her than she could possibly have imagined.

As I said at the outset, the Nativity has always been a love story—the love of a Creator for His creation. But Journey to Bethlehem reminds us that there’s another love in play: the love of a man for a woman, of (eventually) a woman for a man. And then there’s the love they both have for their very special, very human, very divine Son.

We can never fully understand God’s love for us—its depth and breadth and staggering power. But the love found in a family? Yeah, we can grasp that. And through the Nativity’s very human avatars—even those that sing and dance—we get just a hint of God’s love for us.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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Journey to Bethlehem Review: A Melodic Take on a Timeless Tale

Directed by Adam Anders , Journey to Bethlehem strides into the realm of Christian cinema with a harmonious blend of tradition and contemporary musicality. With a stellar cast led by Milo Manheim and Fiona Palomo as Joseph and Mary, respectively, the film seeks to reimagine the age-old narrative of the Nativity while infusing it with a fresh musical fervor. Despite its earnest attempts, this film journeys through familiar territories but struggles to fully transcend the confines of its genre.

Set against the backdrop of a familiar biblical tale, the movie promises a unique rendition of the journey of Mary and Joseph toward Bethlehem. From the outset, the premise captivates, portraying a young couple’s emotional turmoil intertwined with a perilous political landscape. Fiona Palomo’s portrayal of Mary showcases her emotional depth and inner strength, resonating with the character’s unwavering faith and fortitude amidst daunting circumstances. However, the chemistry between Palomo and Manheim as Joseph feels somewhat forced, lacking the organic evolution necessary to truly engage the audience in their journey.

The film’s standout performance undeniably belongs to Antonio Banderas , whose portrayal of King Herod exudes an ominous charisma. Banderas brings a chilling authenticity to the role, embodying the power-hungry monarch’s paranoia and ruthlessness. His scenes are compelling and add a layer of intensity to an otherwise predictable narrative. Moreover, Lecrae as Gabriel and Joel Smallbone as Antipater deliver commendable performances, contributing to the film’s overall appeal.

One of the film’s most commendable aspects is its musical prowess. Adam Anders, known for his musical prowess, delivers a melodic fusion of traditional Christmas hymns and contemporary pop tunes. The soundtrack is undeniably the film’s heartbeat, injecting life into pivotal moments and enhancing the emotional resonance of the narrative. However, while the musical numbers are lively and well-choreographed, some transitions between dialogue and musical sequences feel abrupt, hindering the film’s pacing and cohesion.

Visually, Journey to Bethlehem boasts impressive cinematography that captures the rustic charm of biblical landscapes. The attention to detail in recreating historical settings is commendable, immersing the audience in the ancient world of the Nativity. However, at times, the film falls short in seamlessly blending its visual grandeur with the narrative. This results in occasional distractions rather than enhancing the storytelling.

The film’s script, penned by Anders and Peter Barsocchini, navigates the delicate balance between staying faithful to the biblical source material and infusing modern elements. While attempting to breathe new life into a well-known tale, the screenplay occasionally feels formulaic. It often relies heavily on predictable plot devices and dialogues that lack depth. Moments intended to evoke emotional resonance sometimes come off as contrived, failing to elicit the intended impact.

Journey to Bethlehem is undeniably a heartfelt tribute to the spirit of Christmas and the enduring story of Jesus’ birth. Its ambition to blend faith-based storytelling with a contemporary musical approach is admirable. However, despite its earnest endeavors, the film falls short in delivering a truly transcendent cinematic experience. The lack of organic character development and occasional narrative predictability prevent it from reaching its full potential.

Journey to Bethlehem stands as a commendable effort in retelling a beloved story through a musical lens. It might resonate with devout audiences seeking a festive celebration of faith and tradition. But its limitations in character depth and narrative innovation may leave some viewers wanting more. It’s a melodic journey that sings the familiar tunes of Christmas but struggles to find its unique voice in the choir of cinematic adaptations.

Acting - 7/10 7/10
Cinematography/Visual Effects - 7/10 7/10
Plot/Screenplay - 6.5/10 6.5/10
Setting/Theme - 7/10 7/10
Watchability - 7/10 7/10
Rewatchability - 5/10 5/10

User Review

About Caillou Pettis

Caillou Pettis is a professional film critic and journalist as well as the author of While You Sleep, The Inspiring World of Horror: The Movies That Influenced Generations, and co-author of Out of Time: True Paranormal Encounters. He has been writing in the entertainment industry for over seven and a half years professionally. Throughout the years, he has written articles for publications including Gold Derby, Exclaim!, CBR, Awards Radar, Awards Watch, Flickering Myth, BRWC, Starburst Magazine, Punch Drunk Critics, Mediaversity Reviews, Vinyl Chapters, Northern Transmissions, and Beats Per Minute.

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Journey to Bethlehem Parent Guide

With its tonal chaos and plastic pop-style soundtrack, this film fails to live up to the power of its subject..

Theaters: A musical retelling of the biblical Christmas story.

Release date November 10, 2023

Run Time: 98 minutes

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by kirsten hawkes.

The promotional poster for Journey to Bethlehem boasts the tagline “The Greatest Story Ever Comes Alive!” In this, the studio is uncharacteristically restrained. For there isn’t just one story here; there are several and they are all at odds with the Biblical account, and often with each other.

At the center of the film is Mary (Fiona Palomo), a young woman trapped by the social conventions of her time and betrothed against her will to Joseph (Milo Manheim). The couple find themselves in a standard rom-com with a meet-cute, some squabbling, and a firefly-illuminated scene where they fall in love. The romance hits the rocks when a blinged-up angel Gabriel (Lecrae) appears to Mary (in a process reminiscent of a glittery Star Trek transporter) and informs her that she will miraculously give birth to the Son of God. The dialogue is non-canonical, but it gets the message across. Also non-scriptural is Joseph’s response to the situation. Instead of being reassured by an angel and urged to marry his fiancée, Joseph has a dream in which two versions of himself engage in Ninja-style combat over whether or not to remain betrothed. Any guesses as to which way this goes?

As for the three kings, they are wandering about in a clumsy comedy, populated by stock characters and bad jokes. There’s vague muttering about reading the stars, a fair bit of travel-by-map, some whining about camels, and quite a bit of confused gift-giving. The men are supposed to be Magi – wise men from afar – but there’s precious little wisdom to be found and not much sense either.

Competing with the tonal chaos of the film is its soundtrack . Considering that Christmas is the inspiration for some of the most beautiful music in the Western world, it’s astounding that the music in this film is so bad. It starts off well, with a haunting introduction to “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” and then deteriorates rapidly to the adolescent angst of “Mary’s Getting Married”. When the lyrics aren’t grossly twisting the Lord’s Prayer or Handel’s Messiah, they are serving up bad rhymes and extended exposition.

I’m not complaining about this movie because I have an anti-Christian agenda. To the contrary, I am a Bible-reading Sunday School teacher who cherishes the accounts of Christ’s birth found in the gospels of Luke and Matthew. I am frustrated with this film because it turns a story of wonder and reverence into a bad musical comedy that makes a hash of the scriptural record. Instead of leaving viewers gratefully pondering the love of God, this is a film that simply offers questions like “Why does Herod have a Spanish accent while his son has an English accent?”, “Why is Mary wearing a fur-trimmed hood that looks like it came from Doctor Zhivago?”, “Are we supposed to believe that Mary has a guard donkey?” and “Who on earth thinks that it really snowed when Jesus was born?” Rather than being a heartwarming gift for seasonal moviegoers, Journey to Bethlehem feels like the lump of coal in our cinematic stocking.

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Kirsten hawkes, watch the trailer for journey to bethlehem.

Journey to Bethlehem Rating & Content Info

Why is Journey to Bethlehem rated PG? Journey to Bethlehem is rated PG by the MPAA for thematic elements.

Violence: It’s implied that a man is going to be tortured. A ruler orders the murder of pregnant women and babies. An angry man throws a beverage container to the ground. A woman hits a man with a floral bouquet. Sexual Content: A husband and wife kiss. Profanity: None. Alcohol / Drug Use: A man drinks wine and is apparently intoxicated.

Page last updated November 11, 2023

Journey to Bethlehem Parents' Guide

Is the Christmas story meaningful to you? Why or why not? What’s the source of your religious opinions? Do you have a family religious tradition? Are you committed to it?

Loved this movie? Try these books…

You can read the Biblical accounts of Jesus’ birth here .

There are an extraordinary number of beautiful books to help children understand the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. For very young children, we recommend Christmas in the Manger. This tactile board book is written by Nola Buck and illustrated by Felicia Bond.

Also well suited for small children with busy fingers is Joey Chou’s Make & Play Nativity. This “book” features a punch-out cardboard nativity that kids can make, play with, and display with no risk of destroying a precious family heirloom.

If you’re looking for picture books, we suggest Who Is Coming to Our House? Told from the perspective of the animals in the stable, this book is written by Joseph Slate and illustrated by Ashley Wolff. Room for a Little One takes a similar approach and is written by Martin Waddell and illustrated by Jason Cockroft. Who Was Born This Special Day? is in a similar vein, but Leonid Gore’s luminous illustrations pair nicely with Eve Bunting’s gentle prose.

Newberry-award-winning author Katherine Paterson writes a rich, poetic text from Mary’s perspective in her book, The Night of His Birth, which is illustrated by Lisa Aisato.

Written by Anne Booth and illustrated by Sam Usher, Refuge tells a part of the story not often covered in kids’ books – the flight to Egypt in search of safety from Herod’s murderous plots.

The Magi get their turn in Tomie dePaola’s colorfully illustrated Story of the Three Wise Kings.

The rhyme of the familiar Santa story is recast with a nativity focus in ‘Twas the Evening of Christmas. It's written by Glenys Nellist and illustrated by Elena Selivanova.

If pop-up books are beloved by your kids (as they are by ours), you can get their attention with The Nativity. Author and illustrator Francesca Crespi provides six gilded pop-up scenes to tell the story in three dimensions.

Older readers who cherish the rich legacy of Christmas art will appreciate The Christmas Story, published by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Featuring centuries of classic paintings, this book is a cultural touchstone with centuries of devotion behind it.

‘Full of Joy, Hope and Truth’: Christian Critics Praise New ‘Journey to Bethlehem’ Film

“ Journey to Bethlehem ,” the highly anticipated musical adaptation of one of the greatest stories ever told, is now playing in theaters, and critics are already praising the film for expertly balancing the sanctity of the Nativity story with its lighthearted, musical packaging.

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“’Journey to Bethlehem’ is a fun, entertaining, hope filled musical based on the birth of Jesus, that captures the essence and truth of Christmas,” wrote The Christian Film Review . “This is a must-see film and is not to be missed. Full of joy, hope and truth, it has to be one of the best and most epic Christmas movies of all time.”

Directed by Grammy-nominated Adam Anders, the film stars rapper Lecrae as the angel Gabriel, Milo Manheim as Joseph, Fiona Palomo as Mary, Academy Award nominee Antonio Banderas as King Herod, and Joel Smallbone as Herod’s son, Antipater . And it’s clear that both the mainstream and Christian cast and crew members had a respect for the story they were telling on screen.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Joel Smallbone (@joelsmallbone)

“’Journey to Bethlehem’ is, as you might expect, an inherently spiritual story. And even though this version of the Nativity is filled with songs and dances and jokes, director Adam Anders and his cohorts tried to honor the story’s holy message,” wrote Focus on the Family’s Plugged In . “And through the Nativity’s very human avatars—even those that sing and dance—we get just a hint of God’s love for us.”

“Although this is a musical version of the Nativity Story, the filmmakers treat the birth of Jesus with the proper reverence it deserves,” agreed Movieguide .

Anders spent the last 17 years working on the film and recently noted that it’s been one of the most spiritually rewarding and challenging projects he’s ever created. Not only did he have to spend a significant amount of time away from his family while filming, but he felt actual spiritual opposition to the work he was creating.

Read Also: Nativity Story Gets Makeover in Upcoming Sony AFFIRM Film Featuring All-Star Cast

“My faith has been really challenged, and I think strengthened through this,” Anders revealed. “I mean, we'll say it's been probably the hardest year of our lives when making this movie, but also the most gratifying. Every day, I had to start on my knees just to get through each day."

“It's been crazy, but we’re here,” he added. “God is good … we're excited to see what He is going to do with this movie.”

“Journey to Bethlehem," a Sony AFFIRM film, is in theaters now and is sure to serve as a joyful addition to all of your Great American Pure Flix Christmas streaming this holiday season!

Photo credit: journeytobethlehem.com

Marissa Mayer

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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Journey to Bethlehem’ on Netflix, Where The Nativity Story Meets ‘Glee’

Where to stream:.

Journey to Bethlehem
Faith-Based

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘An Easter Bloom’ on the Hallmark Channel, A Faith-Based Romance About A Flower Farmer Who Finds Love With A Minister

Is ‘the chosen’ season 4 available to stream, stream it or skip it: ‘the baxters’ on prime video, a family drama based on karen kingsbury’s popular novels, even russell crowe is surprised ‘noah’ is in the netflix top 10.

Journey to Bethlehem (now on Netflix) takes The Greatest Story Ever Told and merges it with The Greatest Showman , which is something we always never knew we wanted, right? Um. Sure? So brace yourselves for a singing-and-dancing musical version of Mary and Joseph’s trek down the burro trail to the humble hay-ridden birthplace of Jesus himself, with Antonio Banderas turning up to play mean ol’ King Herod. Adam Anders, whose songwriting and music production credits range from Glee to High School Musical and Hannah Montana , directs the movie, and that pretty much gives away the goofy, lightweight tone here. But is it joyous, or just blasphemous?

JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY, reads the opening title card, so this movie is already hilarious. We meet three wisemen – Caspar (Rizwan Manji), Balthazar (Geno Segers) and Melchior (Omid Djalili) – and as the designated comic relief, they certainly are wisecracking wiseasses. They spot the exceptionally brilliant star in the sky they’ve been waiting their entire lives to see, and immediately pack up the gold and frankincense and myrrh for a long journey. Please note, from this point on, you will be subject to more myrrh jokes than you could ever dream of. Must’ve been an entire writer’s room dedicated just to the myrrh jokes!

Meanwhile, in Nazareth, Mary (Fiona Palomo) is super-pissed at her parents for betrothing her to some stranger. I mean, she wants to be a teacher, not some j-hole’s wife . Mary’s sisters take her to the square to go shopping and blow off some steam, and here she meets a cute guy with pretty good hair who claims to be an expert at handling fruit. Well then! He won’t back down even though she’s betrothed and when she runs off he says he didn’t get her name, which tells us he wasn’t paying attention to an earlier song, which included the lyric “Mary Mary Mary Mary,” and rhymed it with “contrary” and “secondary.”

Later, the two families stage the first meeting of Mary and her hubs-to-be, and wouldn’t you know it, he’s – gasp – the fruit guy! His name is Joseph (Milo Manheim), and Mary’s mad that he didn’t tell her he, too, was betrothed. Betrothal is absolutely something that must be disclosed, per unofficial Year Zero-era social contracts, you know. He’s not too hot on being betrothed, either. He wants to be an inventor, a profession with such great promise. I mean, just think of all the things that hadn’t been invented yet – computers, industrial agriculture, rechargeable nose trimmers, free will, birth control. So many things!

Our not-so-happy couple hasn’t even walked down the aisle before they run into their biggest bone of contention, and I know that’s a major phrasing issue, but let’s just move on: Mary’s visited by the angel Gabriel (Lecrae), who floats into her room and hits his head on the doorway – no, really – just like that one Stormtrooper did, before revealing that she’s destined to carry the son of the Lawd. Well, shit. Nobody believes her, and Joseph ain’t too keen on being a resident of Cuck City, so she’s exiled to a barren stretch of desert to live with relatives. Not to give anything away, but if Mary and Joseph ever make up – and I can neither confirm nor deny that they do! – I’m sure this’ll be a great story to tell their grandchildren.

Elsewhere, in Jerusalem, the guy who voices Puss in Boots hams it up as King Herod, and busts out into a song that’s way too much like “I Just Can’t Wait to be King” from The Lion King . When he catches wind that someone’s about to give birth to another king in his country, he declares that the baby king should be slaughtered. As we recover from tonal whiplash, we meet Herod’s unfortunately named son, Antipater (the unfortunately named Joel Smallbone), who isn’t so sure about killing a baby, and therefore is torn between loyalty and sanity. Will Joseph forgive Mary? Will they survive King Herod’s tyranny? Will the child leap from her loins wearing tap shoes? NO SPOILERS.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: I already made the hacky Greatest joke, so let’s see what else we can come up with. How about this: Journey to Bethlehem is like The Nativity Story crossed with Aladdin .

Performance Worth Watching: There’s lots of generic singing and acting happening here, so thankfully we have Banderas to spice things up with some heavily eyelinered eyerolls and a goodly amount of campy gesticulating.

Memorable Dialogue: Melchior: “My clothes smell of sheep dung. My skin smells of sheep dung. This whole earth is made of sheep dung. And tonight, I meet the son of God. This is just perfect!”

Sex and Skin: We know how that baby got in there, so, none, of course. It’s only logical.

Our Take: Journey to Bethlehem ends with another title card, all but apologizing for “taking creative license” with the story, so at least it ends with another good laugh. Maybe I should apologize for my sacrilegious tone here, but it’s kinda in step with the tone of the movie, which takes a story that’s rather serious to many and renders it rather silly. To illustrate the level of subtlety here: Joseph, torn between believing and disbelieving Mary’s virgin-pregnancy story, dreams of two sides of himself sing-fighting, rhyming “immaculate conception” with “ultimate deception.” It symbolizes his inner conflict, see. See? See ?!?

The movie is glossy and cheap-looking, like a TV-production crew parked outside Yuma for three weeks to stage small-scale musical numbers with voguing Roman centurions and Banderas dressed two-thirds the way to clowndom. The songs are glossy generipop sprinkled with old standards like “Silent Night,” and it all sounds like something you’d hear performed by the Hooray for Everything troupe in a mall in 1985, as opening act for a Casual Corner fashion show. Anders avoids a cliche or two – we don’t get a scene of Mary screaming as Joseph implores her to PUUUUUSHHHHH, but we do get a shot of her beloved pet donkey pacing outside the manger, which is a bummer, because I was hoping he’d deliver the baby – but steps in a dozen others, ranging from a bevy of cornball jokes to far too many watery ballads. I’ve therefore concluded that we’re definitely not supposed to take any of this seriously. Not for a second.

Our Call: The faithful will be torn between appreciating Journey to Bethlehem ’s lighthearted cutesiness and believing it’s just not religious enough to do the story justice. I can only speak for myself though, and I got enough giggles out of this ridiculousness to justify imploring y’all to STREAM IT.

John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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Antonio Banderas stars as King Herod in 'Journey to Bethlehem.'

In recent years, faith-based films have seen a revival in both commercial success and artistic quality, as seen with box-office hits like “I Can Only Imagine” and “Jesus Revolution.” In general, the standard for these films remains modest, as the historically underserved Christian community is eager to support films that respectfully represent their faith and can be enjoyed by the whole family.

The Christmas film “Journey to Bethlehem,” from Sony's Affirm Films, the company behind “War Room” and “Big George Foreman,” was one of the most hotly-anticipated faith-based films of 2023. With a stellar cast that included Antonio Banderas and a slew of CCM stars, it promised to be a Nativity film like no other — a crossover of biblical narrative and modern musical elements.

However, despite its flashy imagery and catchy tunes, “Journey to Bethlehem” makes a crucial mistake: It prioritizes entertainment value over theological accuracy and struggles to balance its contemporary take with the essence of the greatest biblical story ever told.

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Released in November, the film is directed and co-written by Adam Anders, the executive music producer for Glee and co-written by Peter Barsocchini, who wrote the scripts for the High School Musical movies.

It includes romance, family drama, and elaborate song and dance sequences, aiming to be a family-friendly Christmas musical. The film's cast features Lecrae as the angel Gabriel and Joel Smallbone from for King & Country and his wife, singer Moriah.

The film notably departs from the biblical narrative in the opening minutes: Mary, played by Fiona Palomo, is angry at her father because he’s insisting she marry an unknown man — when all she wants to do is become a teacher.

Though upset about her arranged marriage, she makes it clear to a young man who attempts to flirt with her at the market that she’s betrothed. The man continues to flirt with her, and he even buys her a fig, which she throws in his face.

As it turns out, the flirt is Joseph, something Mary finds out upon meeting him at their wedding. Angry that her betrothed flirted with a female stranger, Mary runs away from the wedding ceremony, pursued by Joseph. What follows is a rousing song-and-dance duet, “Can We Make This Work.”

Other examples of concerning deviations from Scripture include the overall silliness of the three Wise Men — they are used as comic relief throughout the film — and the flippant treatment the Angel Gabriel is given.

After hitting his head on the doorway, Gabriel goofily agonizes over how to give Mary the news of her unborn child, rehearsing his announcement before waking her up (something that also is played for laughs). Yet, angels are shown respect and reverence in the Bible due to their role as messengers of God. When Gabriel appears to Mary and Zechariah in the Gospels, they respond with awe and respect.

"Journey to Bethlehem" also opts for a lighter overall narrative, notably omitting the harsher aspects of the Nativity story, such as Herod's massacre of the innocents. Herod is depicted as a cartoonish villain, with one of the catchiest song-and-dance numbers in the movie: “Mine is the kingdom! Mine is the power! Mine is the glory forever more!” he sings.

In a particularly unfortunate deviation from Scripture, in the end, it’s Herod’s son, Antipater (Smallbone), who lets Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus go after discovering them in the stable, despite his father’s orders.

Anders, a professing Christian, said he sought divine guidance on when to stay true to Scripture and when to fill in the gaps with imagination.

“I wanted people to know the filmmaker believes this is true,” he said. “So watching it from that point of view is really important for me. But I look at all the great paintings that the great artists have done throughout the history of the Nativity scene that are not biblically accurate, but we've accepted it as beautiful, and it's their artistic interpretation, it's symbolism. And I felt like, if they could have that creative license, then at times I could as well.”

“Journey to Bethlehem” does make a valiant effort to drive home the beauty of the Nativity story: Jesus Christ came to Earth to save broken and lost souls in need of a Savior.

But that profoundly hopeful message is largely overshadowed by concerning liberties with Scripture and modern notions of self-actualization that reflect current cultural values rather than biblical truths. Christian audiences, even those eager to support "faith-based films," deserve better.

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Review of Journey To Bethlehem

October 27, 2023

A review of the live-action musical film, Journey to Bethlehem, which combines faith, humor, and original songs in a retelling of the greatest story ever told.

As a mom, it’s important that the entertainment my children take in is both engaging and gospel-centered.

Many times movies are either too inappropriate and have a radical agenda, or the biblical messages in “Christian” productions are watered down or muddied.

Journey to Bethlehem is a live-action musical adventure that is thrilling for the whole family and presents the Gospel clearly!

It weaves classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith, and new pop songs in a retelling of the greatest story ever told—the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus.

Tweens and teens especially will love the beautifully arranged, modern music and identify with a young Mary and Joseph as they face difficulties and doubts but ultimately trust God’s plan for their lives.

Fiona Palomo plays the part of an endearing Mary, who is the perfect blend of strength and humility. This “grit and grace”, coupled with faithfulness, are what makes her truly the kind of character you’d want your girls to emulate.

When she gets the news that turns her world upside down, she struggles with feeling worthy and capable of the incredible responsibility she has been chosen for. One of my favorite songs in the film is Mother to a Savior and King , in which Mary wonders how she will raise the Messiah.

It is refreshing to see that though she is completely submitted to God, she’s also a human with very real emotions about the enormity of the task before her.

Joseph, played by Milo Manheim, wrestles with his own doubts as well. In one of the most creative and gripping scenes of the movie both “sides” of Joseph are depicted, revealing his internal conflict over whether or not to believe that Mary has betrayed their engagement.

It is a beautifully poignant moment when he decides to seek her out and becomes her husband, stepping into the role God has for him. The significance of this role is fully realized by Joseph shortly after they arrive in Bethlehem and Mary says to him, “I’m not the only one who was chosen for this.”

Antonio Banderas is brilliant as sinister King Herod, who devolves throughout the film as he obsesses over his power being taken away by this new, promised king.

He becomes like a true madman, losing sleep at the thought of not being able to keep his crown, and ultimately devising the wicked plan of destroying all the baby boys born in Bethlehem.

The contrast of his worldly kingdom with that of Christ’s coming kingdom is highlighted extensively throughout the film. Herod tells his son at one point, “A king needs only to be obeyed… and feared.”

Joel Smallbone of For King & Country plays the role of Herod’s son Antipater, who is the most dynamic character in the movie. For most of the story, he wrestles with the idea about what a king truly is.

He tries to figure out if he can ever be anything other than what his father tells him he is. His character transformation comes to completion when he finally comes face to face with the baby Jesus.

The film also chronicles the journey of the wise men, who provide much of the comic relief in this musical. Their light-hearted banter among one another, as well as the mishaps they encounter along the way, make for some pretty hilarious parts.

They never lose sight, however, of their purpose for traveling: to see and worship the Newborn King.

Central to the theme of the story is the Gospel. Each of the characters are confronted with a decision to make about Christ- accept Him and be forever changed, or reject Him and go to destruction.

It is abundantly clear that it is impossible to simply have a neutral reaction to Jesus.

The point of the Gospel is further driven home when the camera focuses on a lamb which runs from the shepherds’ fields into the stable right after Christ is born.

The outstanding music, humor, and breathtaking scenes of Journey to Bethlehem all combine to make this familiar biblical story come to life in an unforgettable, unique way.

This is definitely a film that you will watch with your family every Christmas, and a soundtrack that you will listen to on repeat throughout the year!

Get your tickets to see Journey to Bethlehem at a theater near you beginning November 10! Be sure to also download a discussion guide you can go through with your kids after seeing the movie.

Journey to Bethlehem (Christian Movie Review)

Verdict: With some catchy songs and an endearing, playful tone, Journey to Bethlehem will satisfy audiences looking for something wholesome and uplifting to watch this Christmas season.

About The Movie

Christmas movies are as much of a staple of the holiday season as lights, candy canes, and carols. While many festive films feature Santa and his reindeer, Journey to Bethlehem keeps the focus on the deeper meaning for the season. All the familiar elements of the nativity story are present, but they are offered in an unfamiliar way—as a musical.

I’ll be honest. When it comes to personal taste, a low-budget, sentimental, faith-based musical is not really my cup of eggnog. And yet, while Journey to Bethlehem is an easy movie to nitpick and criticize, it is a difficult one to feel any cynicism toward. Yes, it has as much “cheese” as a Little Caesar’s hot-n-ready pizza, but the film is endearingly earnest. It is so overpoweringly wholesome and inoffensive and has enough heart and quality craftsmanship that I suspect it will satisfy its intended audience.

The decision to turn the familiar nativity story into a musical gives it a unique identity. Disney’s live-action Aladdin (2019) gave princess Jasmine a new song called “Speechless,” and Journey to Bethlehem is essentially that song spread into a full-length film and applied to a biblical narrative. The movie is The Chosen meets High School Musical meets a church nativity play—with all the good and bad that comes from each.

There’s an unexpectedly playful, self-aware tone that embraces its silliness and disarms any cynicism. Some Christians may find the light-hearted approach a little too irreverent given the subject matter, but there is something amusing about the angel Gabriel (played by hip-hop artist Lecrae) nervously rehearsing his monumental speech to Mary or the three magi poking fun at the uncertain nature of myrrh as a gift. Journey to Bethlehem never crosses the line into “spoof” territory, but it certainly presents itself with a knowing smile. It’s corny at times, but it’s clearly having a lot of fun.

This film is a musical, so there are plenty of songs to go around. Despite beginning with a traditional rendering of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” the music quickly develops an anachronistic modern sound (anyone expecting classic Christmas carols should ready themselves instead for pop music and Roman soldiers doing TikTok dances in the streets). The songs themselves are solid, even if the film lacks that one infectious smash hit usually needed to elevate a musical. I’ve had several of the tunes jingling around in my head for several days. The film balances upbeat and peppy songs with emotional power ballads, offering enough variety to keep it interesting.

Speaking of interesting, Antonio Banderas is in this movie! He plays King Herod, and he is great. He steals every scene he is in with a delightfully hammy performance. The rest of the cast is rounded out by relative unknowns, with Mary (Fiona Palomo) and Joseph (Milo Manheim) giving capable performances as the doughy-eyed lovers.

Journey to Bethlehem is largely Mary’s story. The historical Mary is arguably the most revered woman who ever lived, and there is value in humanizing her (even if it veers a bit into cliched territory). The movie is an effective reminder that Mary was not only a real person but a young person during that first Christmas. The movie explores the emotional toll her situation took on her in ways rarely portrayed in nativity stories. But with the focus on Mary, the heart of that ancient Christmas story—the significance of Christ’s birth—gets a little bit lost. When Jesus is born, the moment feels almost more like a personal victory for Mary than a monumental, history-shaking, divine event.

As a whole, Journey to Bethlehem succeeds at being the type of film it wants to be and will land well with its intended audience. It’s all a bit hokey, but its heart is firmly in the right place, and the musical aspect sets it apart in the crowded holiday movie genre. With some catchy songs and an endearingly playful tone, Journey to Bethlehem will satisfy Christian families looking for something fun, wholesome, and uplifting to watch this Christmas season.

For Consideration

Language: The closest the film gets is the refrain during one song’s chorus, “So stinking good.”

Violence: A prisoner is shown chained and presumably about to be tortured, but it’s played comedically, and no actual harm is shown being done to him.

Sexuality: None, other than Mary singing about being a virgin. Also, in an early scene Joesph is shown flirting with Mary despite knowing that they are both engaged (but unaware that it is to each other).

Other: Several characters are shown drinking and talking about wine.

Engage The Film

Faith in god’s bigger purposes .

Christians familiar with the biblical text know that God clearly had an important purpose for Mary’s life. What we may not consider is what her own plans were. What personal dreams or ambitions were radically rerouted by Jesus’ miraculous birth? Journey to Bethlehem explores that question.

Taking creative license, Mary is depicted as a headstrong young lady with dreams of being a teacher and marrying for love. The rug is pulled out from beneath these ambitions, first by her arranged marriage to Joseph and next by the revelation that she is to give birth to the messiah.

In speaking with her mother on the night of her engagement, she asks, “Why even make plans if everything is decided for me?” Her mother responds, “Sometimes God’s plans for us are even bigger than we can imagine. You must let your faith guide you.”

To a lesser degree, Joseph must navigate a similar struggle, swept up in a life he couldn’t have imagined and for which he is unprepared. Together, the characters sing, “We have to trust what we don’t understand. It could be a part of God’s plan.”

In this way, Journey to Bethlehem is not just about the ancient Christmas story; it’s about the faith journey we all experience. Mary and Joseph had a special and exalted task from God, but all Christians are called to live by faith; to renounce self, pick up our cross and follow Jesus into the unknown (Matthew 16:4).

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Journey to Bethlehem review – Antonio Banderas steals show as evil Herod in Bible musical

If Disney made Christian movies, they would look like this, with Mary in the mould of Beauty and the Beast’s Belle, Joseph giving Aladdin vibes and Banderas stealing every scene

I f you feel the need to watch a faith film, you could do far, far worse than this one, a decently staged musical treatment of the nativity that feels like a Christian version of a live action Disney movie. Mary (Fiona Palomo) is a heroine in the mould of Belle from Beauty and the Beast or Jasmine from Aladdin: bookish and dreaming of a world in which she gets to make her own life decisions, instead of being married off to some guy called Joseph (Milo Manheim) whom she’s never met. Luckily, he turns out to be quite puckish and hunky (also in the Aladdin vein), while your comic relief type characters take the form of the Three Wise Men.

As in Disney, however, it’s the villain who is really memorable. Antonio Banderas can’t decide between stealing his scenes and chewing the scenery, so opts for both as evil King Herod, here costumed to evoke the devil in South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. The old adage about the devil having the best tunes is also borne out, with the three perkiest musical numbers going respectively to Herod, Herod’s son (Joel Smallbone), and a fun double-role number for Manheim, embodying Joseph’s faithful and suspicious sides, as he tries to figure out whether or not to believe his pregnant fiancee’s story about an immaculate conception.

It’s a shame that the film overall can’t live up to these high points. There are too many forgettable ballads, and once Mary is pregnant, she doesn’t get all that much to do. Herod’s narrative peters out as well. Arguably, these are problems embedded in the source material; the gospels are hardly renowned for sharp characterisation or satisfying individual narrative arcs. Still, time and effort has been spent on the film-making craft here, despite a relatively modest budget, with an appealingly lively colour palette and some decent location work giving the whole thing a semblance of reality that is only occasionally undermined by dubious FX work. The choreography in particular outstrips that of another famous musical based around a big paternity mystery – Mamma Mia.

Antonio Banderas
Christianity

A Delightful Musical on Par with Hollywood Blockbuster Movies

Is Journey to Bethlehem worth seeing? Absolutely. Is this film entirely Biblical? No. I will detail why I still think this is a great movie to see with the family. I will also add a major spoiler (at the end of this review), so you can decide if that scene is a deal breaker for you. Additionally, in this Journey to Bethlehem Christian Movie Review, I give you the information you need before viewing this movie with your children.

In 2018, I wrote a movie review for a Christian movie ( I Can Only Imagine ) and said, “Run to see this movie. Send a clear signal to Hollywood that we are tired of the movies that they peddle. Let God’s story of redemption be told over and over throughout the land. Supporting this movie will help bring other stories to light in this dark world.”

While I have been doing movie reviews for a long time, I have also supported Christian movies. Our family almost always pays for their tickets. I do not want my audience to feel I have been “paid” for a movie review.

However, full disclosure: I did receive early screening passes for Journey to Bethlehem . But my relationship with Jesus Christ does not permit me to be untruthful with my movie review. I always craft an honest review. Additionally, we have already seen this wonderful movie in the theater a second time at our own expense.

Journey to Bethlehem Christian Movie Review

Studio synopsis:.

A young woman carrying an unimaginable responsibility. A young man torn between love and honor. A jealous king who will stop at nothing to keep his crown. This live-action Christmas musical adventure for the entire family weaves classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith, and new pop songs in a retelling of the greatest story ever told – the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus. A unique new entry into the collection of holiday classic movies, this epic Christmas musical is unlike any before it.

My Synopsis:

The classic Nativity Story is told starting with the betrothal of Mary and Joseph, their journey to Bethlehem, and the birth of Jesus is told within a musical celebration. This is a fresh take on the Biblical account of the birth of the son of God. While it strays from the stories in the Bible and takes great creative liberties, it gives you a glimpse of the struggles and fears of a young pregnant Mary who must marry Joseph and give birth to the Savior.

Journey to Bethlehem Christian Review – What Parents Want to Know

There is no foul language in this film. However, one person says to a donkey, “Stop being such an a—,” and it is cut off before they say the word.

Mary is a “humble virgin.”

A comment is made about sheep dung.

A woman smacks her husband in the face with flowers.

Behind King Herod’s throne is an evil-looking lion sculpture with glowing red eyes. This sculpture seems to come to life at times.

At one point, Joseph fights with himself between what he feels God is calling him to do and what others are telling him to do. This is portrayed as two Josephs, one dressed in white, one dressed in black, physically fighting.

Herod wakes up repeatedly after having nightmares.

A man is held in a prison.

Guards are told to “kill every pregnant woman and baby you find.”

Spiritual Content:

This entire film is a spiritual celebration of the birth of Jesus. We watch two people who desire to follow God struggle with their own insecurities, wants, and needs and put that all aside for God’s plan.

King Herod’s adult son tells him, “When I was a boy, you were like a God I worshipped.”

The Angel Gabriel appears to Mary. Later, he also appears to Joseph to tell him of God’s plan.

Adult Content:

A man flirts with a young woman in the marketplace.

King Herod is a raving madman who is either on drugs or crazy.

At one point, the three wise men begin dancing in a chorus line scene and kick their legs.

Mary is betrothed to Joseph. In the film, she hasn’t met him yet, and she doesn’t want to marry him. She says, “It’s not my decision.” And she struggles with the entire process. After they are married and Jesus is born, they share a kiss.

Positive Content:

Outside of the creative liberties taken with the Biblical account of the birth of Jesus, this is a fantastic film. The graphics, the music, the acting, and the dance scenes are all spectacular.

Furthermore, the comedy is great. Most Biblical accounts of the birth story of Jesus are stoic, and no one ever smiles. It is great to see humor being used.

Journey to Bethlehem Christian Review – My Viewing Recommendations

How often have you seen your plans fizzle away and God’s plan taking shape in your life? How often do you argue with God about your plans changing? When I began reviewing movies, it was for something fun to do. Never did I believe I would be writing movie reviews for Christian families on a regular basis. But God had other plans for my life.

This film is about God’s plan for salvation and how he uses Mary and Joseph to carry out those plans. It gives you a glimpse of one group of people’s ideas of how that might have looked.

While I believe this film of the Christmas story is amazing, and it is definitely worth seeing this holiday season, others may have reservations because of the deviation from the Biblical account of the birth of Jesus Christ. For an example of the deviation, see the Spoiler at the end of this review!

I can guarantee that you will laugh and you will cry. Antonio Banderas portrays evil King Herod in a unique way. Be warned that this film uses its creative license to stray from the Biblical account. The question is, how much creative liberties are you okay with?

I started this review by telling you about a Christian film I saw in 2018, and I believe that we vote with our dollars. I still think that today. There is a world of difference in the quality and quantity of Christian movies from 2018 until today. While Hollywood has not embraced Christian films, there are now more choices, and the moviemaking quality has improved dramatically. Vote with your dollars and see this film this Christmas season.

Teaching with Journey to Bethlehem

How can you use Journey to Bethlehem to teach your children? First, read the Biblical account of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus. Then ask your children how the Biblical account differs from the movie. Next, ask them what has been added to the story.

Then, you can teach them about creative licenses. It is common when a movie is based on a true story to find differences in the real-life account versus the movie. Some movies that have done that are Titanic, Gran Turismo , and Flamin’ Hot .

Finally, talk with your children about your views on creative liberties and why you have those views. Each family is going to view this film differently, and each child is going to grow up to develop their own beliefs.

It is important to expose your children to differing views and teach them critical thinking skills at home before they go out into the world.

Additionally, discuss arranged marriages. Research which cultures and countries still embrace the concept of an arranged marriage. What are the advantages and disadvantages of arranged marriages?

Antonio Banderas stars as King Herod in Journey to Bethlehem in theaters November 10, 2023.

About the Movie Journey to Bethelem

Rating: PG for thematic elements

Release Date: November 10, 2023

Runtime: 1 hour, 38 minutes

Genre: Musical/Family

Studio: Affirm Films, Anders Media, Monarch Media, Space + Art Entertainment, Storry Collective

Director: Adam Anders (Award-winning music producer of Glee, High School Musical, and Rock of Ages

Screenplay written by: Adams Anders & Peter Barsocchini

Produced by: Brandt Andersen, Adam Anders, Ryan Busse, Stephen Meinen, Alan Powell, Steve Barnett

Distributed by: Affirm Films, a Sony Company – Sony Pictures

The Cast of Journey to Bethlehem:

Fiona Palomo as Mary

Milo Manheim as Joseph

Omid Djalili as Melchoir

Rizwan Manji as Gaspar

Geno Segers as Balthazar

Mōriah as Deborah

Joel Smallbone as Antipater

Rapper Lecrae as the Angel Gabriel

Stephanie Gil as Rebekah

Antonio Banderas as Herod

Antonio Gil as Jacob

Alicia Borrachero as Rachel

Maria Pau Pigem as Ana

Antonio Cantos as Joachim

Richard Serra as Census Taker

Favorite Quotes from the movie:

There were several quotes I wrote down because I just loved them.

“Sometimes God’s plans for us are even bigger than you can imagine.”

Mary sings, “Help me have the faith you have in me.”

Mary says to Joseph, “I am not the only one who was chosen for this.”

“Faith is trusting in your heart to be true.”

“What does myrrh actually do?” (See below)

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where can i watch journey to bethlehem.

Journey to Bethlehem will have its theatrical debut on November 10, 2023, in theaters across the US. At this time, there is not a streaming date.

Some Affirm Films have streamed on PureFlix, and others have been on Hulu.

Will Journey to Bethlehem stream on Disney+?

Since Journey to Bethlehem is a Song Pictures production (Affirm Films), it is unlikely to be streaming on Disney+.

Will Journey to Bethlehem stream on Peacock?

At this time, Journey to Bethlehem does not appear to have a streaming date or place. However, when it does stream, it will be available to purchase or rent on VOD, such as Amazon Prime.

Is Journey to Bethlehem a musical?

Journey to Bethlehem is a live-action musical that is suitable for the entire family. This Christmas film obviously isn’t Biblical. Mary and Joseph did not run around dancing and singing. Additionally, there were a lot of creative liberties taken throughout the film.

What other films has Mary (Fiona Palomo) starred in?

Palomo has been in “Outer Banks” which is a Netflix series. She has also appeared as Sister Maria in “Control Z” on Netflix.

What has Milo Manheim (Joseph) starred in?

Milo Manheim has appeared in School Spirits on Paramount+, and Disney’s Prom Pact, and Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. Additionally, he has appeared in the Disney franchise Zombies as Zed. He also finished second place of Dancing with the Stars season 27.

What Songs are in Journey to Bethlehem?

The following songs are in the movie and on the soundtrack:

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Journey to Bethlehem

Mary’s Getting Married

Good to Be King

Can We Make This Work

Mother To A Savior and King

The Ultimate Deception

Three Wise Guys

We Become We

In My Blood

The Nativity Song

Brand New Life

How long does it take to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem on foot?

It is estimated that it would take four days to walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

What does myrrh actually do?

When the three wise men give gifts, someone says, “What does myrrh actually do.”

Myrrh has been used medicinally since ancient times. It is used to treat wounds, manage aches and inflammation of joints, and help with parasitic infections and gastrointestinal diseases. It was also used for its fragrance.

Why did the three wise men give gold, frankincense and myrrh?

Gold was given because it signified wealth and Jesus is a King. Frankincense was given to represent the holiness of Jesus. Finally, myrrh was given because it was used as an embalming agent which would symbolize His death.

Who created the first Nativity Scene?

For more information about the first Nativity scene, read here!

MAJOR SPOILER ALERT – DO NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT IF YOU DON’T WANT TO READ THE SPOILER

In the scene, after Jesus is born, King Herod’s son shows up at the stable. He has been charged with finding Mary and Jesus and killing them. After seeing the Christ child, he lies to the guards with him, and he lets Mary and Joseph go.

There is no Biblical account of anyone from Herod’s household helping Mary and Joseph escape with Jesus. However, I do believe that King Herod’s son represents us. He knew that Jesus was a King, and I think he struggled with his father’s order to find Mary and Jesus and kill them versus acknowledging Jesus as the son of God in the same manner we struggle at times with who Jesus is and the place he has in our lives.

Christian Review of Journey to Bethlehem in theaters November 10, 2023

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A Word of Caution about Journey to Bethlehem (2023)

Although on the surface it looks like an ever-rarer wholesome family film, catholics should exercise prudence about taking the family to this movie on opening weekend.

There’s a new Christmas film coming out next weekend (Friday, November 10) from Affirm Films: Journey to Bethlehem , a new retelling of the Nativity story. If you visit popular Catholic websites or listen to Catholic radio, you may have come across one of their advertisements. On the surface, it looks like a wholesome family Christmas movie, something that you can go see with your kids and extended family just in time for Thanksgiving. Lord knows that sort of movie is becoming a rare breed these days, so many Catholic families may be excited to have a fun holiday outing to see this film. However, after viewing the promotional material, including trailers, music, and movie scenes released online, I believe Catholics should be very cautious about supporting this film and Catholic parents especially should do some research and perhaps preview the film before taking their kids to see it.

*Disclaimer: I have not seen the full movie Journey to Bethlehem (2023). The opinions expressed in this piece were formed based on the promotional material put out by the studio before the film’s release. Catholics should look for Catholic reviews starting next weekend from people who have actually seen the film, including the one that will be posted on this blog, before making their final judgement about seeing it.*

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There are several red flags that I see in the promotional materials for this film that should make Catholics think twice about seeing it and especially about taking the family.

First, Journey to Bethlehem does not seem to accurately portray the Blessed Virgin Mary. This film was created by and for Evangelical Protestants, who do not share many of our beliefs about Mary, including her Immaculate Conception and Perpetual Virginity. The Mary portrayed in their songs and trailers is flawed and perhaps even sinful. At the beginning of the film, she seems to be ambitious, quirky, and impatient with her cultural surroundings. She complains about the expectation that she get married and dreads “giving up her dreams” for the perceived drudgery of family life. She seems to have more akin with a 90s-era Disney princess than the patient and humble Theotokos (more on the Disney connection later). It would be a terrible tragedy if a young Catholic’s first memorable impression of the Blessed Virgin were to come from “Mary’s Getting Married” or “Can We Make This Work” .

Second, and building from that, Catholics will shudder at this depiction of the Holy Family, and especially the relationship between Mary and Joseph. The film indeed seems to be mostly a romantic comedy, with the “I-don’t-need-no-man” Mary slowly falling in love with a smitten Joseph. The have a couple of romantic love ballads together, suggesting a future romantic marital relationship completely contrary to Catholic teaching about Our Lady’s perpetual virginity and the chaste, celibate love shared by the Holy Family. The trailers stop short of actually showing Mary and Joseph kissing; I won’t know until I see it whether this restraint carries over into the film. St. Joseph’s character is as foreign to traditional Catholic sensibilities as Mary’s; he looks like a lovelorn clutz, a charming doofus with little of the strength, courage, and manliness inherent in the Joseph of ancient Christian tradition. The relationship between Mary and Joseph (and indeed, their characterization in general) seems more inspired by High School Musical than that long-standing and beautiful tradition.

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Finally, Journey to Bethlehem continues the recent tradition of blurring the lines between the sacred and profane. For centuries, Christian art maintained strict boundaries for acceptable sacred art. The line between sacred and profane was very clear, and although the sacred could (and often did) cross over to sanctify the profane, Christian artists were very careful not to vulgarize the sacred. This tradition has lived on to this day in many circles; even Veggietales had strict rules against showing Jesus Christ as a cartoon vegetable. However, since the mid-twentieth century some American Christian and (sadly) even Catholic artists have been blurring the lines between sacred and profane almost to the point of non-existence, and this film seems to be a further encroachment of “pop culture” on the central mysteries of the Christian faith. The writer of this film is Peter Barsocchini, the same man who wrote all three High School Musical films for the Disney Channel; the director, Adam Anders, produced much of the music for the hit Fox TV show Glee . Their previous work does not necessarily preclude them from creating profound Christian art, but they do not seem to have changed their style from the bubblegum pop musicals they have worked on in the past. Those musicals have their place and can be quite enjoyable; however, this does not seem to be the proper medium to communicate the Greatest Story Ever Told. Telling the Nativity story by means of a pop musical waters down the mysteries of the faith and makes them frivolous, to say nothing of forcing Mary and Joseph into the romantic lead roles demanded by such stories.

Overall, I would strongly caution Catholics against blindly going into this film or taking their families without doing some research and considering whether it is compatible with a Catholic understanding of the Nativity. Exercise prudence, do some research, read some trusted Catholic reviews once the film comes out, and then make your decision. I don’t think it would be sinful to see it by any means, and I even think it’s probably going to be harmless for the well-catechized. However, we should be cautious about blindly supporting Protestant media purely out of Christian solidarity, and I think we should demand better Christian art especially when it touches on Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Do your research, exercise prudence, and look forward to our full review next week!

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IMAGES

Journey to Bethlehem Parents Guide and Age Rating 2023
Journey to Bethlehem Parents Guide and Age Rating 2023
Trailer Released For 'Journey To Bethlehem'
"Journey to Bethlehem"
Journey To Bethlehem
Journey to Bethlehem

COMMENTS

Journey to Bethlehem
Journey to Bethlehem is an excellent adaptation with enjoyable songs that stays true to the spirit of the story despite taking a few liberties along the way. Read audience reviews.
Journey to Bethlehem Movie Review
This movie IS NOT about the Greatest Story Ever Told, it's about Hollywood pushing the Hollywood agenda and making money in doing so. God is not glorified in this movie at all. Bottom line: Biblical Truth - 0 out of 5 popcorn bags. Comedic Relief - 0 out of 5 popcorn bags. Musical Score - 0 out of 5 popcorn bags.
Is "Journey to Bethlehem" Worth Watching? An Honest Take on the
Sony's Affirm Films recently released its highly-anticipated Nativity musical, "Journey to Bethlehem" in theaters. The film follows Mary (Fiona Palomo) and Joseph (Milo Manheim) through their first meeting, betrothal, marriage, and the Birth of Jesus. In short, the overall premise covers King Herod's (played by Antonio Banderas) unsuccessful ...
Journey to Bethlehem (2023)
Journey to Bethlehem: Directed by Adam Anders. With Fiona Palomo, Milo Manheim, Antonio Banderas, Joel Smallbone. This live-action Christmas musical adventure for the entire family weaves classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith, and new pop songs in a retelling of the greatest story ever told: the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus.
Journey to Bethlehem
Journey to Bethlehem, a musical retelling of the events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ, dully plods along on a wave of cheap production and unmemorable songs. Full Review | Original Score ...
'Journey to Bethlehem' Review: No Room at the Inn? Try the Multiplex
Nov. 9, 2023. Journey to Bethlehem. Directed by Adam Anders. Adventure, Family, Musical. PG. 1h 38m. Find Tickets. When you purchase a ticket for an independently reviewed film through our site ...
Is "Journey to Bethlehem" Worth Watching? An Honest Take on the
Should You See "Journey to Bethlehem"? As said in the first portion of this review, the movie is an entertaining, family-friendly film. I enjoyed the songs, the acting, and the overall story. One of the final scenes portraying Jesus' birth brought tears to my eyes because it was so moving. I also love how the story portrays the humanity ...
Parent reviews for Journey to Bethlehem
Great Family Movie. "Journey to Bethlehem" is a favorite in our household. From start to finish, the film weaves a captivating narrative with heartwarming moments and timeless messages. The writers have skillfully crafted a narrative that resonates with viewers of all ages, making it an ideal family film.
'Journey to Bethlehem' Review: 'Glee' Team Puts Pop Spin on ...
'Journey to Bethlehem' Review: The Music Producers Behind 'Glee' Put Snappy Spin on Christmas Tale Sony's faith-based Affirm division fires the first salvo in the crowded holiday film ...
Journey to Bethlehem
Journey to Bethlehem is a 2023 American Christian musical film directed by Adam Anders in his feature-length directorial debut. ... On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 75% of 24 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.3/10. The website's consensus reads: ...
Journey to Bethlehem
Journey to Bethlehem is one of the most unusual Nativity stories you'll see. Mary sings about arranged marriages. Roman soldiers dance. Herod (played by Antonio Banderas) glowers and leers, and, let's be honest, hams it up, too. Journey to Bethlehem is the Nativity story crossed with High School Musical.
Journey to Bethlehem Review: A Melodic Take on a Timeless Tale
Directed by Adam Anders, Journey to Bethlehem strides into the realm of Christian cinema with a harmonious blend of tradition and contemporary musicality. With a stellar cast led by Milo Manheim and Fiona Palomo as Joseph and Mary, respectively, the film seeks to reimagine the age-old narrative of the Nativity while infusing it with a fresh musical fervor.
Journey to Bethlehem Movie Review for Parents
Journey to Bethlehem Rating & Content Info Why is Journey to Bethlehem rated PG? Journey to Bethlehem is rated PG by the MPAA for thematic elements. Violence: It's implied that a man is going to be tortured. A ruler orders the murder of pregnant women and babies. An angry man throws a beverage container to the ground.
'Full of Joy, Hope and Truth': Christian Critics Praise New 'Journey to
"'Journey to Bethlehem' is a fun, entertaining, hope filled musical based on the birth of Jesus, that captures the essence and truth of Christmas," wrote The Christian Film Review. "This is a must-see film and is not to be missed. Full of joy, hope and truth, it has to be one of the best and most epic Christmas movies of all time."
'Journey to Bethlehem' Netflix Review: Stream It Or Skip It?
Stream It Or Skip It: 'Journey to Bethlehem' on Netflix, Where The Nativity Story Meets 'Glee' By John Serba. Published Feb. 8, 2024, 9:30 a.m. ET. Where to Stream: Journey to Bethlehem.
Journey to Bethlehem
Journey to Bethlehem is first and foremost a family movie, and though its music sounds a little too early-aughts to become a classic, it fills a crèche-shaped niche in the current theatrical landscape, with nearly six weeks to clean up before Christmas. ... There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review. Add My Review Details Details
'Journey to Bethlehem' sacrifices reverence for entertainment
The Christmas film "Journey to Bethlehem," from Sony's Affirm Films, the company behind "War Room" and "Big George Foreman," was one of the most hotly-anticipated faith-based films of 2023. With a stellar cast that included Antonio Banderas and a slew of CCM stars, it promised to be a Nativity film like no other — a crossover of ...
Journey to Bethlehem (2023) Movie Reviews
Journey to Bethlehem (2023) Fan Reviews and Ratings Powered by Rotten Tomatoes Rate Movie. Close Audience Score. The percentage of users who made a verified movie ticket purchase and rated this 3.5 stars or higher. Learn more. Review Submitted. GOT IT. Offers SEE ALL OFFERS. SEE KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES IN IMAX image link ...
Review of Journey To Bethlehem
Review of Journey To Bethlehem. October 27, 2023. As a mom, it's important that the entertainment my children take in is both engaging and gospel-centered. Many times movies are either too inappropriate and have a radical agenda, or the biblical messages in "Christian" productions are watered down or muddied.
Journey to Bethlehem (Christian Movie Review)
The decision to turn the familiar nativity story into a musical gives it a unique identity. Disney's live-action Aladdin (2019) gave princess Jasmine a new song called "Speechless," and Journey to Bethlehem is essentially that song spread into a full-length film and applied to a biblical narrative.The movie is The Chosen meets High School Musical meets a church nativity play—with all ...
Journey to Bethlehem review
It's a shame that the film overall can't live up to these high points. There are too many forgettable ballads, and once Mary is pregnant, she doesn't get all that much to do.
Journey to Bethlehem Christian Movie Review
Journey to Bethlehem Christian Review - My Viewing Recommendations. How often have you seen your plans fizzle away and God's plan taking shape in your life? How often do you argue with God about your plans changing? ... About the Movie Journey to Bethelem. Rating: PG for thematic elements. Release Date: November 10, 2023.
A Word of Caution about Journey to Bethlehem (2023)
There's a new Christmas film coming out next weekend (Friday, November 10) from Affirm Films: Journey to Bethlehem, a new retelling of the Nativity story. If you visit popular Catholic websites or listen to Catholic radio, you may have come across one of their advertisements. On the surface, it looks like a wholesome family Christmas movie ...

Is "Journey to Bethlehem" Worth Watching? An Honest Take on the Nativity Musical

Here's the trailer:

As a first-ever Nativity musical, I was both pleased and disappointed.

One of the most disappointing aspects of the film was the lack of defining Biblical moments we cherish as Catholic Christians.

Other disappointments in "Journey to Bethlehem"

Should You See "Journey to Bethlehem"?

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Is "Journey to Bethlehem" Worth Watching? An Honest Take on the Nativity Musical

Here’s the trailer:

As a first-ever Nativity musical, I was both pleased and disappointed.

One of the most disappointing aspects of the film was the lack of defining Biblical moments we cherish as Catholic Christians.

Other disappointments in “Journey to Bethlehem”

Should You See “Journey to Bethlehem”?

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‘Journey to Bethlehem’ Review: The Music Producers Behind ‘Glee’ Put Snappy Spin on Christmas Tale

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Reviewed at Regency Theatres Van Nuys Plant 16, Van Nuys, Calif., Nov. 9, 2023. MPA Rating: PG. Running time: 99 MIN.

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