Pope John Paul II (TV-Miniseries, 2005)

 Pope John Paul II (TV-Miniseries, 2005)

2005 is a year known for the many John Paul II biopics. There have been at least three or four mini-series detailing the life of one of the most popular popes. This one, Faith: Pope John Paul II is probably the best one in the eyes of critics and viewers alike. In fact, Jon Voight was nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal. The pope sanctioned this mini-series himself before his passing, which makes sense because he was portrayed as a saint. In a sense, he was a saint and was revered by millions around the globe. The pope had a big hand in important historical events to close out the twentieth century including the fall of the Berlin Wall. The performances throughout the mini-series, which consisted of two episodes, are great. Jon Voight deserved his Emmy nomination. Cary Elwes played the younger Karol Wojtyla and also delivers a fine performance, even if I felt he was a little old. The supporting cast, led by Christopher Lee and James Cromwell, also deserves some mention. Despite the strong performances, I was a little jarred by the look of the series. It felt cheap and something designed for an older television. From time to time, that took me out of my investment of the story.

The mini-series begin with the attempted assassination of the Pope’s life in 1981. From there, we take a deep look into the life of Karol. He was raised by his father in Krakow and had dreams of becoming an actor. In 1939, Poland was invaded by the Nazis and in opposition along with the death of his father, he turns to Christ. After the Nazis were defeated, the communist Soviets took over Poland. They do not see him as a threat and actually encouraged his bishop nomination. Once he becomes cardinal, he does become a thorn on their side and has the Catholic world wondering who this man really is. When Pope John Paul I dies in 1978, the enclave agree that Karol is the proper replacement. He immediately wins the heart of people and sets out to change the course of Christianity. Along the way, he survives the assassination attempt and some turmoil within his inner circle.

On the whole, Faith: Pope John Paul II is a fascinating mini-series about one of the most popular figures of the twentieth century. Yes, the script is one-sided as it portrays the man in nothing but a positive light. Still, I learned a lot about this man and why he was so loved (and hated) by everyone on the planet. Jon Voight and Cary Elwes are able to deliver engaging, heartfelt performances. The overall look/lighting needed to be better, but I feel the series did not have that big of a budget. It still was able to be filmed in the Vatican. I was there for the first time two years ago and it brought back some welcome memories. I wish I was there when a Pope is there as the crowd is electric. Still, I was entertained more often than not and I learned much about this man.

My Grade: B