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Stars: Christopher Eccleston, Lesley Sharp, Annabelle
Apison, Peter Armitage, Mark Benton, and Ahsen Bhatti
Writer: Russell T. Davies
Director: Adrian Shergold
Executive Producers: Nicola Shindler and Russell T.
Davies
Feature length: 152 minutes
Extras: Audio Commentary Track, Outtakes, Deleted
Scenes
Languages: English Stereo Sound
Subtitles: English Captions
Packaging: Amaray Keep Case
Chapter Stops: 9
Sound: Stereo Sound
Year of Television Broadcast: 2003/DVD Release: 2004
Home Video Distributor: Shout! Factory
TV Rating: TV
14
Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera
As important as the question “Is there a God?”
can be, I am beginning to wonder if the question, “Is there a British project
without Russell Davies involvement?” to be almost equally important. All
kidding aside, Davies is a talented Writer so it is no surprise that many
British titles being released in the States feature a commentary by the prolific
Writer and Producer. The American version of “Queer As Folk” that airs on
the Showtime Network is a true crossover success with a diverse demographic that
includes many straight male and female viewers tuning to watch each episode and
catch up on the earlier episodes they missed. Davies created the original BBC
series that inspired the American version and I almost feel like he can create a
franchise around anything he is involved with from the unlikely romantic series
“Bob & Rose” to the timely religious drama “The Second Coming.”
Christopher Eccleston (28 Days Later) plays Steven
Baxter, a thirty-something man found roaming the Yorkshire moors in a daze and
claiming to be the second coming or God’s son on Earth. Of course his
statements are believed to be the result of some traumatic shock or something
brought on from extreme exposure to the elements. He is immediately identified
by friends and family, but like secret agents on a crusade, a priest is sent
from the Vatican to take a digital shot of Steven that is e-mailed back to Rome
to determine if he bares any likeness to the Christ. When Steven performs a
miracle for the world to see simultaneously, all doubts pass into panic as
various groups come forward to discredit him or to proclaim him as the Son of
God. However for Steven it seems as though his divine inspirations just appear
in his mind, as need be when he explains God’s will, but otherwise he does not
appear to be very different from the video store clerk his friends knew him has
before his epiphany. Steven can just access what he must do or say as the Day of
Judgment draws near, but he cannot predict exactly why. So when he announces to
the world that humanity has four days to produce the third testament or face the
end of days, complete terror occurs as the forces of evil gather to fight for
the souls of everyone on Earth and humanity is left to determine it’s own
fate.
“The Second Coming” is a very effective two-part
TV movie that features a great use of intimate surroundings and sparse effects
to create a film that appears to have a higher production value than it really
does in part through the screen direction and acting, but also because of the
witty writing by Davies. Much of what occurs happens off screen and yet the mind
fills in that area in such a way that imagination can create visions greater
than any special effects house ever could. The film’s resolution is somewhat
Gnostic in nature, but at the same time the parallels in the story structure to
traditional scripture is both intriguing and quite surprising. Many clichés are
avoided and the film maintains its intimate feel throughout without sacrificing
the larger scope of the piece.
Presented in an anamorphic (1.78:1) aspect ratio with
English Stereo Sound and optional English Captions for the hearing impaired,
Shout Factory’s DVD edition of “The Second Coming” looks and sounds great
with clarity of picture and at times a haunting soundtrack that engages the
viewer fully. A chatty feature length audio commentary track with
Writer/Executive Producer Russell T. Davies, Director Adrian Shergold, and the
program’s cinematographer is also provided and runs straight through both
parts of this TV movie, which can also be viewed in separate installments too.
The DVD is region free NTSC.
Letterboxed reels of deleted scenes (34:15) and
outtakes (4:14) are also included on the DVD. “The Second Coming” is
available on DVD-Video now at retailers on and offline from Shout! Factory.
© Copyright 2004 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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