Christmas is nearly here, and soon the lights of the season will be put up in celebration of the most festive holiday of the year.

But what is the meaning of the season? Writer Mike Rich and director Catherine Hardwicke try to remind the world of the purpose of Christmas in The Nativity Story.

The film follows Mary and Joseph through the moments before the birth of Christ. We see the characters as they were before their betrothal and the fateful visit from the angel Gabriel. Mary, played by Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider), is portrayed as an innocent girl who catches the eye of a young carpenter, Joseph, played by Oscar Isaac (Guerrilla). She shows no immediate attraction to him, and when told that she is to be his wife, she isn't all too happy. However, though the course of the film, their relationship grows stronger with the child she carries at the center.

The film is very touching in some parts. But aside from the liberties taken for drama's sake, there were several things that I found distracting, and at times annoying. One of the major things was that Mary lacked any sort of emotion through most of the film making her seem shallow and aloof. In moments when I thought she should be beaming with excitement or happy to the point of tears, she remained expressionless. The character, though meant to be portrayed as holy and meek, came across as bland and uninteresting.

Overall, the characters weren’t very exciting. Joseph was definitely the best out of them. He seemed to have a very deep personality, and I liked his character a lot. The other characters were unique, but didn’t come across very strong. I see it as a flaw in directing. With the same script, the film could have been much more powerful, but everything turned out rather monotone.

The effects were pretty well done. The cityscapes of Jerusalem are most impressive. I enjoyed seeing the shots of the Temple sitting on the top of the hill. I did have some minor issues with the color palette. I don’t know if it was because it was a prescreening, but everything was very cold. The blue and green tones were accentuated, taking out all of the warmth of the oranges and reds. When the angel Gabriel appears, the light that he emits is bright, but in an almost cruel way.

I liked the score. There was some great use of traditional chant hymns such as O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, Of the Father’s Love Begotten, and some other well loved carols. Mychael Danna did an excellent job of working those into the film, and using them as motifs throughout the score. The main theme itself seemed appropriate as well. However, like the characters and the overall feel of the film, the score lacked impact. There was nothing there that had my heart pounding, or brought tears to my eyes. I’ve listened to Danna’s music since I was eleven, and he’s capable of delivering a much more moving score.

Overall, I would say that most of the flaws are a result of weak directing. At times it felt fragmented and incohesive as a story. I felt like I was watching a moving picture book rather than a movie. The film should have had much more impact than it did. As it is, it feels more of a sentimental story for those who know and love it. But as an evangelical tool that shows the world a glimpse of wondrous news, I believe it falls far short of its potential power.

I rate the film 3 out of 5. It’s the Christmas story told as a classic legend, leaving out some major theological and historical points, but keeping the message clear: that Christ is the only begotten Son of God. I would say that it’s worth seeing it once.

Rated PG for some briefly violent sequences and long drawn-out traveling scenes.

Release: December 2006