Revival! (2018)

[StevePulaski]

Revival! (2018)
Directed by: Danny Green

Mali Music in Revival!

Rating: ★★½

Contemporary Christian cinema so pervasively leaves very little to the imagination. If most of the offerings aren't made on a shoestring budget that shows in nearly every scene, they're lame-duck vehicles meant to preach loudly to a choir that's even gotten good at tuning them out (refer to Box Office Mojo to see how many films of the genre have lost money over the last five years). It's about as rare as a new Warren Beatty flick that we get a unique work from the genre, and warts and all, Revival! is nothing short of a truly ambitious miracle.

The film is an innovative celebration of the life of Jesus Christ — specifically retelling the Gospel of John — that mixes stage and theater while infused with R&B and gospel music. It's as lively as the syndicated broadcasts of the Salem Baptist Church sermons in Chicago I've curiously watched more than I care to admit. It focuses on Jesus, played commendably by Mali Music, operating in disguise in the days following his resurrection from the cross. He tags along on a pilgrimage with a traveling couple who giddily inform him of his own resurrection and the charitable work him and his disciples did in the time leading up to his crucifixion. The narrative zig-zags between past and present as it regales us with sequences that show how Jesus' behavior greatly benefited the needy and angered those in power, with subtle juxtaposition to the haves and have-nots of present day. Breaking up the film are moments of resounding triumph in the form of gospel ballads or soulful R&B tunes that are tailormade to get you jumping — and most actually succeed. I wound up looking forward to the next song-and-dance sequence with each passing one.

The film is the brain-child of veteran performer Harry Lennix, who prefaces the film by addressing its inherent subversiveness. While adamant about being faithful to the Book of John, Lennix doesn't feel as tethered to remaining one either side of the fine line in regards to cinema vs. theater. There is an equitable split to stage-business and the theatricalities film provides, even if many of those scenes are made possible by the use of some flagrantly artificial CGI. As it stands, however, there is a homey feeling that resides in Revival! insofar that the abundance of costumed performers occupying most scenes whilst broadcasting their emotions so brazenly invites a sort of inclusiveness film doesn't always provide. You don't appear to be within arm's reach of the story. Director Danny Green does a damn fine job blurring the lines in such a way that the entire picture feels like an experience.

Integral to Revival! is the unabashed expression of black faith, and the inclusion of R&B and soul music gels very well with the colorful set decoration and costumes. Like I imagine churches on the south side of Chicago — say New Beginnings Church on S. King Dr. — Green and Lennix evoke a friendly, welcoming environment of expression that exudes passion. Mali Music's tender portrayal of Christ is a dimensional performance that humanizes the Lord's duality of being an empathetic human but also a spiritual figure inclined to be selfless even when it leaves him feeling lost. Supporting performances by Lennix, as Pilate, Chaka Khan as Herodias, and Ahmed Ahmed as Satan, too work effectively in conjunction to elevate the ensemble.

Revival!'s drawback is some occasional narrative incoherence. There's a lot on which to chew over the course of 97 minutes, from thought-provoking gospel, grounded performances, and song-and-dance that it makes the project occasionally overstuffed. But I'd take crowded and ambitious over hackneyed any day of the week, especially in regards to this genre.

Starring: Mali Music, Harry Lennix, Chaka Khan, and Ahmed Ahmed. Directed by: Danny Green.