A Review of ‘The Jesus Tapes’: The Messiah rises again in an often entrancing TV show
A television host faces the dilemma of accepting or rejecting someone claiming to be a deity.
‘The Jesus Tapes’: The Messiah rises again in an often entrancing TV show
Cast: Rick Pamplin, Ellen Jacoby, Chris Whaley, Greg Hopner, Louise Levison, Kyle Olson, Maggie Camplin, Kevin Gantz
Critic’s Rating: 3.5 Stars out of 5
Director: Rick Pamplin
Duration: 1 hour, 21 minutes
Genre: Documentary, Mockumentary
Language: English, Spanish (with English subtitles)
Release: April 5, 2026 (to be released for Easter 2026)
What’s it about?
A television host faces the dilemma of accepting or rejecting someone claiming to be a deity.
Review:
“God put true righteousness in your heart and it manifests in your thoughts, words and deeds.” This statement comes directly from the tongue of a man claiming to be the real Jesus Christ in contemporary Los Angeles. But is he actually the Son of God or a mere imposter? That is the essence of this often fascinating mockumentary by filmmaker Rick Pamplin who plays the role of a host at a lowly television station that gets a visitation from the self-proclaimed Big J. Indeed, a long-haired and bearded young man fills an empty slot that is left by a guest cancellation. But what initially seems to be a practical joke turns into a profound conversation, an intense religious event, a spiritual phenomenon, a vigorous debate, a media frenzy and a compelling mystery.
In a wisely-conceived non-linear narrative, “Jesus Christ” loquaciously tackles a series of pertinent queries by the TV show anchor, after which a lady reporter elicits reactions from the random public. The startling situation that assumes the name ‘The Jesus Hoax’ stirs up impassioned responses by believers and sceptics - with many referencing the Bible to justify their stance. One person says that Jesus “needs to reach us any way he can”, while another posits that the man in question is “a liar” or is “crazy” and “if he is an actor, he is probably both”! Meanwhile, some religious parties expect their Saviour’s return to be accompanied by God-like supernatural phenomena.
Though the words of the Jesus character are in sync with the role he is playing, some of his lines sound like platitudes and tend to get a tad preachy. Still, he does have a few valid opinions to offer on a range of topics - from forgiveness, to selfless service, to having faith, to practicing humility, to confronting starvation and poverty, to transforming internally, to showing strength in the face of adversity, and to dealing with death. Plus, while facing the camera, “Jesus” speaks boldly about how people turn to the Almighty for help while “they underestimate their God-given abilities and talents”. However, this comment is in itself nothing new, as earlier God-themed movies like Oh, God! (1977) and Bruce Almighty (2003) have echoed such a sentiment. However, there is an interesting reference to The Last Temptation of Christ (1988).
The woman journalist points out that there are a staggering 45,000 Christian denominations worldwide, with 200 in the U.S., amounting to 2.4 Billion Jesus devotees. Anyway, the host character is soon in for a shellacking because Cash Callis - the manager of the TV station – is up in arms over the Hoax controversy and the peril it has triggered. What follows is a funny but severe sermon on exactly who the network is beholden to and what needs to be done with the recorded interviews. Then, a jarring development ensues, which thickens the plot surrounding the possible deity. And so, the lady reporter initiates another round of soliciting conjectures. The film’s juxtaposition of subtle humour and serious interaction works most of the time, as comedy and light heartedness tries to balance the drama and enigma. Also, the taut editing, luring cinematography and sure-handed direction, are among the film’s other plusses.
However, there is a fair amount of repetitiveness in the observations by the respondents. Still, the film constructively evokes responses from various “experts” - like an unnamed former scholar of theology and the vocationally-transformed Pastor Chris Whaley. Entertainment personalities like movie finance consultant Louise Levison, former casting director Ellen Jacob, and media analyst Kyle Olson, are also drawn into the picture. Meanwhile, the film’s spiritual journey turns into something of a physical and spatial one, which compels one to ask the question: is a divine entity more significant than the profound words he releases? And what role does money play in the spread of religion? To conclude, though “Jesus” warns his TV host to shun material wealth, this engrossing little film might earn Pamplin quite a bundle.
