Somewhere between the sacred and profane, comedy, drama and satire comes 91裸聊视频淭he Book of Clarence,91裸聊视频� a retelling of The Greatest Story Ever Told that arrives in theaters appropriately between Christmas and Easter.

It91裸聊视频檚 a remarkably idiosyncratic approach by , who for this Biblical-era tale is director, producer, writer and composer for only his second feature. You have to kind of hand it to him: Who else would have the audacity to tackle Jesus in your second outing?

91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� with a stunning cast that includes LaKeith Stanfield, James McAvoy, Anna Diop, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alfre Woodard and David Oyelowo 91裸聊视频� careens through tones and sentiment, silly in one and then horrific in another. Samuel says he wants viewers to have a 91裸聊视频渨icked good time91裸聊视频� but really it91裸聊视频檚 a bit of a muddled, unholy mess.

It is 33 AD in Jerusalem and Stanfield plays Clarence, a street hustler in robes who likes getting high 91裸聊视频� in one cool, surreal scene he floats into the air like a balloon 91裸聊视频� and dreams up schemes to get rich quick. He91裸聊视频檚 got the hots for a local beauty but owes a ton of coins to that beauty91裸聊视频檚 loansharking brother.

Clarence is called the 91裸聊视频渧illage91裸聊视频檚 mischief maker91裸聊视频� and even his mother thinks he needs to get his act together. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 not a nobody,91裸聊视频� he tells his twin brother, Thomas (also Stanfield, naturally). 91裸聊视频淎 man who lacks honor is a nobody,91裸聊视频� his brother replies. We know things are going to end painfully for Clarence because one of the first images in the movie is of him on a cross.

Clarence doesn91裸聊视频檛 believe in God and certainly doesn91裸聊视频檛 believe that the local guy named Jesus is capable of miracles. It91裸聊视频檚 a scam to him. He tries to become a 13th apostle to pay off his debts. When that fails he decides to pretend to be a messiah, too, and get paid for so-called tricks.

Samuel, whose previous movie was the all-Black Western has some creative ideas, like using a chariot race to honor both 91裸聊视频淏en Hur91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淔ast & Furious,91裸聊视频� as well as wonderfully capturing the Last Supper like a painting come alive. He apes biblical epics in his title fonts and the opening and closing of the camera91裸聊视频檚 iris. He mixes stilted language 91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淚 must make haste91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� with modern turns (91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e got the cobblestones on lock.91裸聊视频�) This is the first Biblical epic to uses the term 91裸聊视频渄umbass.91裸聊视频�

But Samuel never stays with any idea for long and 91裸聊视频淭he Book of Clarence91裸聊视频� lacks cohesion, as well as consistency, even if the acting is superb, especially from a soulful Stanfield. Is Samuel honoring sword-and-sandal epics? Updating them? Mocking them? Looking at the Jesus story through a Black lens is immensely rewarding but the pay-off is poor.

There are plenty of messiahs here 91裸聊视频� like Spider-Mans in the multiverse 91裸聊视频� but it is not clear what the filmmaker wants to say with them. A critique of celebrity? A message about entertainment? That faith comes even to those who have none? That we kill all our saviors? It91裸聊视频檚 not even clear if this is a pro- or anti-religious movie.

Samuel comments powerfully on us today when white Roman police stop-and-frisk Black Jerusalem residents, but then wastes such a great potential vein to mine with a swanky dance party and cool choreographed moves. He makes us shudder as nails are pounded into Clarence91裸聊视频檚 flesh, yet also includes humor at the crucifixion 91裸聊视频� from the actual guys doing the dying. He has a scene with brutal rock throwing and yet also a recurring goofy bit about light bulbs appearing over Clarence91裸聊视频檚 head.

It91裸聊视频檚 a mind-melting piece of filmmaking, having elements of both Monty Python91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淟ife of Brian91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淭he Ten Commandments.91裸聊视频� (Fun fact, the Italian city of Matera stands in for Jerusalem here and was also where 91裸聊视频淭he Passion of the Christ91裸聊视频� was filmed.) Add to that an exciting soundtrack of more than a dozen songs by Samuel (even on the movie) and 91裸聊视频淭he Book of Clarence91裸聊视频� is worth a look simply for its sheer daring. But we wouldn91裸聊视频檛 go so far as to say its creator walks on water.

91裸聊视频淭he Book of Clarence,91裸聊视频� a Columbia Pictures/Legendary Entertainment release that hits theaters Jan. 12, is rated PG-13 for 91裸聊视频渟trong violence, drug use, strong language, some suggestive material and smoking.91裸聊视频� Running time: 136 minutes. Two stars out of four.