With Easter just around the corner, a new series has captivated Netflix audiences with its delightful story. “Testament – The Story of Moses” is a docudrama that explores the life and legacy of the Bible prophet, offering an engaging and accessible perspective for all audiences.
The miniseries quickly climbed to the top of Romanians’ preferences on the American streaming platform this week, with a spectacular increase ahead of Easter.
But while interest in it ahead of Easter is evident, the question remains: how well does this new adaptation live up to the legend shared by “The Ten Commandments” (1956), a remarkable film starring Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner under the guidance of director American Cecil B. DeMille?
“Testament – The Story of Moses”, the miniseries that conquered Netflix before the holidays
As several film critics point out, the miniseries strives to present the biblical story in an accessible way for younger audiences.
Like other historical productions released by Netflix, “Testament – The Story of Moses” is not a traditional series. It is rather a docudrama that combines dramatic scenes with expert interviews, providing relevant commentary on the depicted events.
“The three episodes take the story of Moses much deeper than the conventional wisdom generated by history classes and Charlton Heston.
In other words, even when you think you know Moses, you have no idea”, writes the Tudum news site, used by the American company to promote its various films, series and other productions.
Photo source: Youtube capture
“Anyone who saw ‘The Ten Commandments’ as a child knows very well the more epic elements of the story: the burning bush, the plagues, the Passover, the Red Sea and, of course, the Ten Commandments.
What really attracted us was the mystery of Moses’ inner life, his struggles with his own identity, his own doubts, his humanity“, comments the producers of the Netflix series, Emre Sahin and Kelly McPherson.
The conclusions of the experts contained in the miniseries
“Everything about his life, his challenges, the things he went through and what he did – there’s not one bit of it that isn’t relevant to us today.
Remember when people suffer? Do you take a stand or remain silent? Social justice began with Moses,” states Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn in the very first episode of “Testament: The Story of Moses.”
And the website IndieWire offers a review of the Netflix miniseries, based mostly on the opinions expressed by experts, but also on the way in which the series tries to reach the young audience.
Dr. Carol Meyers, an expert in biblical studies from Duke University, emphasizes in the Netflix miniseries the importance of the act of defiance of the Jewish women who refused to kill the newborn boys on the orders of the pharaoh, calling it “the first act of civil disobedience in history” .
“Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all recognize Moses as a prophet, but they do not interpret Moses’ importance in the same way (…)
Netflix overlooks significant differences of opinion by offering a syncretic version of the lawgiver“, notes Collin Garbarino from the American Christian magazine World.
Overall, on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, “Testament: The Story of Moses” scores a 38% approval rating from film critics and 48% from general audiences. However, it should be noted that the number of reviews taken into account is quite small.
On IMDb, a platform where anyone can vote freely, the Netflix miniseries about Moses has a slightly better rating, with an average score of 6.2 / 10 out of 3,000 reviews, according to HotNews.ro.
