(DO NOT read this if you have NOT seen the movie and plan to do so and you do not want some of it given away)
OK...here is my unbiased opinion of the movie : the movie is written well, well acted and a very cool story in its creativity. I liked the movie a lot from that vantage point. It took many things in history, "tied them together' (such as the Salem Witch burnings) to make the story plausible.
What I am confused by is the complete uproar over a piece of fiction (no where do they say the movie is a documentary) so much so that people have picketed the movie and churches are imploring people not to go. As I was changing channels the other day I heard two preachers discussing this, to which one said "If you think one movie cant completely destroy your faith, you need to rethink this"...to which I loudly shouted back at the Television "If one movie can shake your faith, you need to rethink your faith!" (OK, so maybe neither one of us was too smart in that instance)
The biggest irony is that the premise of the movie is such that if people knew the "truth", (Jesus was a mere mortal and had gotten married) there would be a uproar in society and that because of this people have been murdered for centuries to keep it quiet. Ironically I have heard and seen nothing but uproar due to the movie, so I find this sort of hilarious....
I remember when I was a kid, and some people mentioned some sort of proof that Jesus and Mary Magdelin were married. The religious leaders went nuts and went on and on in an attempt to prove otherwise and get people to shut up in our church. Even as a kid I found that reaction absurd; First no one can prove they were NOT married (not saying I believe they were) but even so, how would that change anything that Jesus did in his way of teaching or the fact that he was the 'son of God"? Every thing that happened was not listed in the bible, it wouldn't be possible. Even the apostles didn't always mention the same things in their accounts of the same situations. If it wasn't relevant to the reason they were writing, why would they mention it? Do you see any writings about any of the apostles wives (or if they had any) or their daughters...women were pretty much insignificant in that respect (as they still are in some nations), so the fact that we know Mary Magdelin's name at all means she has some relevance and made a great impression....
Of course the movie takes many more liberties with this, but from a creative writing standpoint I thought it was well done...I don't really believe in space aliens either, but I do love a well written very 'plausible" sci-fi movie: in fact War Of the Worlds comes to mind as an excellent story and even disturbing story and a hard movie to sleep afterwards...
And the part I find most ironic was what I saw as the movie taking a stab at the characters own hypocrisy: the very person who wanted to reveal the truth to stop all the bloodshed because of people having a misguided notion and bowing to Jesus as a God, was in fact ranting at one point how the truth needed to be told about Mary Magdalin so people could fall at her feet and worship her: trading one act of faith for another.
Personally if I were church leader, I would not try to deter people from seeing the movie, anymore than they should tell them not to see Over The Hedge......With ignorance comes fear....people should see the movie if they want to, and then discuss all the reasons they believe it to be inaccurate. However to protest so loudly without seeing it, reminds me of the quote "I think thoust does protest too much".....
Even the media can't get it right: I saw a whole article on how the people involved in the movie should apologize to all Albino persons. The article stated that the movie had made such a bad perception of Albinos by portraying them has people to be feared. Obviously, the person who wrote the article never saw the movie. Only one person in the movie is Albino, and it portrays him as abused by his parents due to his appearance and the reason he came to be raised by the church. (He was only one of the people 'to be feared' in the movie) No where do they portray all Albino persons as 'anything as a group' other than being able to drive; whereas the article stated that persons truly Albino are legally blind and therefore are unable to drive...
I also remember a huge uproar and picketing of the movie by Mel Gibson Of Jesus' death, and people were protesting loudly because of the horribly gruesome way Jesus dies.....Isn't that supposed to be the whole premise for Christianity and what an unselfish sacrifice he made? There will always be something to protest, I say, pick your battles wisely....