The Bible Collection: Jeremiah (1998 TV Movie) User Reviews

A great prophet and a terrific film.

[joshualieder · 8/10 · 9 September 2001]

I liked this movie a great deal and wish more from the series would get released on DVD. Patrick Dempsey is quite good as Jeremiah and the films message regarding the temple (stated well as the film draws to a close) makes the whole effort worthwhile. Libraries should purchase this film for their collections and everyone else...open up your Bible and follow along...its a nice visual beginning to the text.

No potters wheel...but still worth a rental!

Drastically abbreviated but good

[alnmissy · 8/10 · 15 April 2022]

You must approach this film for what it is. This is a dramatic summary of the Book of Jeremiah. This is not a word for word documentary from the Bible. So of course liberties are taken for dramatic effect and time constraints.

Watching the film from this perspective allows you to just enjoy the story. The events within the book itself are clearly not presented but an amalgam of said events is. The acting is good (overall) and do is the production value.

From my point of view ANYTIME we can get ANYONE to be at least curious enough about the Word to at least watch a TV movie like this: that's a good thing.

Pretty darn good movie!

[nowackiandrew · 8/10 · 13 April 2018]

I really enjoy this one. I thought Patrick Dempsey did a great job. I've been watching some Bible movies lately, and this one did not disappoint. Definitely recommend it.

It was time for him to speak...

[marcin_kukuczka · 9/10 · 11 February 2007]

Kingdom of Judah, the 600s B.C. The Holy City of Jerusalem sees a great celebration - noble Jewish king Josiah (Hicham Ibrahimi) has found the law of Moses after 100 years of its absence. Moreover, King Solomon's Temple has been beautifully restored. A lot of pious Jews take part in the celebrations, including Chelkia (Michael Cronin) with his young son. Who could predict that this little boy would once play a decisive role in the history of Israel?

Time goes by and we are 16 years later when Israel occurs not to have answered to God's signs and the yoke of Babylonian slavery is close... King Nebuchadnezzar II (Klaus Maria Brandauer) is planning to conquer the kingdom. There is, however, a prophet: now an adult Jeremiah (Patrick Dempsey), son of Chelkia, who remembers the glory of Judah from his childhood. It is him who has been given the authority to speak by God himself...Will the new king and Israelites listen to the words of the prophet or will Jeremiah's "pleas fall on deaf ears and hardened hearts"?

Harry Winer's film is one of the newest biblical movies. However, it is one of the few biblical epics which not only focuses on history alone but contains a universal content. The story of the prophet who lived more than 2500 years ago is a background. What is in the center of attention is a story of MAN in general, his struggles, fears, weaknesses and doubts. Jeremiah lives rather a peaceful life before God calls him. He is in love with a young innocent girl, Judith (Leonor Varela) and plans to marry her. His world seems to be calm at first but day by day he gets worried about the terrible injustice and wickedness around him. God's light works in his heart and... finally, he speaks up when the time is come. The message does not reveal the spirit of the world but the spirit of God...no wonder Jeremiah does not meet understanding from the people. The brutal end of Jerusalem is a consequence of the people's deeds since wickedness leads to war and destruction. Although the content seems easy, there is a wonderful psychological insight into Jeremiah's spiritual life: "Lord, not me" he says, "I am too weak for this burden". Later, however, he does not give up even under the burden of persecutions and blind accusations calling him a "false prophet" and a "blasphemer". Consider, for instance, the moment he speaks to the king Sedecia (Vincent Regan) and pleads him to turn to God.

Besides that aspect, JEREMIAH is also a very well made work as a film. Some of biblical epics lack action and authenticity. That, however, cannot be said about Harry Winer's film where everything appears to be realistic, from the locations through costumes, sets to people participating. The cast are selected very well, some of them are famous actors but this does not disturb in anything. Klaus Maria Brandauer does a wonderful job as the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, a king about whom we find pretty much in the Bible. I heard some voices saying that he looks too European to play a Babylonian. Yes, partly true, but see him in this role and you will surely consider him the best choice after first viewing. Wonderful actor who does a perfect job! Patrick Dempsey is good in the main role expressing Jeremiah's gentleness combined with strong faith and growing courage. A mention must also be made of Oliver Reed who shines in the role of obstinate general Safan. This was one of his last roles, perhaps some people will say that he may be admired in a number of other movies, including his last unforgettable part in GLADIATOR. Yet, I believe that his Safan character is really worth attention and surely the one not to be skipped.

JEREMIAH is, besides the biblical story, a story of unfulfilled love. I found the Jeremiah-Judith plot pretty moving and particularly universal. Judith is the representation of his dreams, his childlike desires of happiness, his pure fantasies. She raises excitement in him but it is all very childlike, chasten at first - these are no lusts and desires but a pure mutual joy. It's their true feeling. That is also something that differs the couple from the rest. You will cry at the moment of her death, it is so intensely touching.

If someone asked me if there are any flaws in the film, I would have one complaint to JEREMIAH. It is a bit too short and contains much action in very brief moments. While viewing the film for the first time, I got lost when the king Josiah is dead, then when Jehoiakim (Andrea Occhipinti) comes (the one who symbolically burned the scroll), dies and, finally, Sedecia (Vincent Regan) is crowned as the king of Judah. It would be better if the film lasted for 120 minutes and showed all this clearly since these are crucial facts that lead directly to the tragic events entailed at the end.

If you like the biblical movies and epic productions, JEREMIAH is a film for you. Don't be afraid that it is preachy. It is the Bible on screen in the purest sense of this meaning! It's a history and a delicate invitation to reflect on some aspects of the world and life in this world. The entire movie lifts audiences to a higher level and is educational. 9/10!

It was time for him to speak,

Yet, his pleas really fell on deaf ears and hardened hearts,

Years passed by and the Temple of the Lord was rebuilt at last,

This time, however, Jeremiah's greatest dream finally came true:

The Temple was also rebuilt in human hearts...

Weep Not For Jerusalem

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 23 August 2010]

Former Brat Packer Patrick Dempsey essays the role of Jeremiah the prophet, the last in a series of prophets sent by God foretelling of the destruction of Jerusalem if they don't turn from their ecumenical ways in allowing other Gods to be worshiped and idols to be built. Dempsey betrays not a hint of his thespian juvenile origins in his performance.

When the Kingdom of Israel was split into Israel and Jusdah following the reign of King Solomon, a series of prophets from Elijah on warned that Jerusalem's destruction and the destruction of the Temple of Solomon would follow. When Jeremiah was born, Josiah was the King of Judah, Israel having fallen to the Assyrians years ago and he's put a temporary halt to foreign religious practices. But that stops at Josiah's demise.

Jeremiah is a most reluctant prophet, but God choosing him as a kid puts the words in his mouth. In the end his warnings about the fall of Jerusalem prove all too true.

Klaus Maria Brandauer plays Nebuchadnezzer the all powerful ruler of Babylon to whom Judah falls. Oliver Reed plays an obstinate Hebrew general who is Jeremiah's greatest foe. Both register well in their roles.

Dempsey is denied earthly pleasure by God in order to serve, a heavy price indeed, but a burden he bears if not cheerfully. Sticking fairly close to the Old Testament, Jeremiah is a more accurate and more literate film than you'll find from Cecil B. DeMille if not more gaudy and spectacular.

Surprisingly powerful; a real gem

[Paul1149 · 10/10 · 26 September 2014]

What a gem. This movie really tells how brutal Jeremiah's task was against the spiritual and political reality of a nation that had fallen into apostasy. It is a hard thing to stand for truth under such adversity, and only those totally sold out to the Lord and motivated by His love will gain the strength to do so.

A modern-day apostate nation would do well indeed to give this film's message careful attention. There is a very real price to be paid for casting aside the proved and true ways of the Lord, as we have been in a unholy rush to do.

I didn't even know this film existed until now. Excellent job indeed. Highly recommended.

Breathtaking and enjoyable Biblical TV movie with good cast , nice performance and dealing with a famous prophet

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 11 April 2020]

Nice and spectacular film based on Biblical facts , happened over 2500 years ago about a character who had an important role in Israel history . Concerning the notorious prophet of the Old Testament , Jeremiah (Patrick Dempsey in his first historical role) . As God shows up to Jeremiah in various occasions , as he becomes a prophet to announce God's message . As Jeremiah announces that a powerful warrior ruler will invade Israel if the Judah people go on worshipping false idols and pagan gods . This ruler results to be the known king of Babylone , Nabuconodosor or Nebuchadezzar II (Klaus María Brandauer) . But nobody believes his prophecies, being framed for blasphemy and subsequently closed in prison , and even his father leaves him . Meanwhile , a recent king of Judah inherites the throne , Sedecia (Vincent Regan) , but he is really submitted by his favorite General Safan . When a war against the Babylonian army takes place is when Jeremiah begins winning supports . However , Jeremiah has two great enemies , the false prophet Ananias and the King's Prime Minister named Safan (Oliver Reed who was final appearance before his death at the age of 61) . Later on , the Babylonians lay siege to Jerusalem . Now , the king believes Jeremiah , but he doesn't make the decision to surrender the holy city .

Epic and biblical movie with nice performances , adequate production design , colorful cinematography and moving musical score . This is the classical and Biblical story of Jeremiah in which filmmaker uses spectacular palaces , wonderful temples , evocative recreation of big cities as Jerusalem and Babylon and roaring battles with hundreds of soldiers . It is well based of biblical events with Jeremiah as starring who prophetized the destruction of the Temple of Salomon , including robbing of its valuable treasures located at the ¨Santa Santorum¨ as Ark of Covenant , Menora , Scrolls , Sacred table of Salomon , as well as Jerusalem bonfire . Main and support cast are pretty good . Patrick Dempsey gives a nice acting as the reluctant prophet who announces fateful fates with no much success . While the beautiful Leonor Varela plays his love interest , living an enjoyable romance that will be broken due to the Babylonian encroachment . Support cast is frankly excellent , such as Oliver Reed in his last TV film as a nasty General , Vincent Regan as King Sedecia , Andrea Occhipinti as King Joaikim , and special mention for Klaus María Brandauer as ruthless King Nebuchadnezzer who at the end carries out a bloody and surprising massacre , being the best part of the movie .

This great epic was shot in big scope with impressive cinematography by Raffaele de Mertes , shot on usual locations in Ouarzazare , Morocco . It includes a long-standing musical score by Bruce Broughton . The motion picture was well directed by Harry Winer . He is a craftsman usually working for TV , and only a film for big screen : ¨Spacecamp¨. ¨Jeremiah¨ (1998) rating 7/10 . Better than average . Well worth watching . The picture will appeal to Patrick Dempsey fans .

Powerful

[bob-928-754683 · 10/10 · 19 February 2014]

Captures the purity and devotion that I feel in the Scriptures and with God's people.

Dempsey and others do a really great job in this show. It was nice to have someone with decent acting talent attempting to present the central player.

The show shows the levels of intensity that in context of grace resulted in the written Scriptures of Jeremiah the book.

It's what I and friends have felt when I felt that God was speaking to me and that it wasn't going to be easy to share it. The moment and the sense of obedience and fear of the Lord that brings life was captured in the show.

Generally would like to see more shows like this. Although there are some cheesy elements indicative of a lower budget.

Weak...

[RosanaBotafogo · 6/10 · 8 June 2020]

I was not so attracted to the story, poor Judith, a weak sequence of the scene of its fateful end ...

Not Entirely Accurate

[wilson_w-72266 · 5/10 · 24 October 2020]

Fantastic acting across the board. The story definitely draws you in. The only reason I'm not rating it higher is this; the angel of God did indeed touch a prophets lips with hot coal however, it wasn't done to the prophet Jeremiah, it was done to the prophet Isaiah(Is 6:7) I was recently led to verify that particular scene w/ the Scriptures & upon confirming, I was led to write my review. I would like to encourage anyone not familiar w/ the Word of God to NOT take any biblical movie for fact until you've backed it up with the Holy Bible. Stay safe everyone & most importantly..stay prayed up!

This is actually not a bad film

[The-Sarkologist · 8/10 · 30 September 2013]

I remember sitting down with some Christian friends to watch this movie in a lead up to a bible study on Jeremiah and they pretty much hated this film, which surprises me that the film received a relatively high rating on IMDb, and that all of the reviews (all 4 of them, not counting mine, gave it quite a high rating). Personally, I actually quite like this movie, and every time watch it I actually enjoy it. Now, that is not simply because I am a fundamentalist Christian, I am quite the opposite – I would call myself a typical post-modern, however that does not mean that I don't like Christian movies.

I guess the reason that I liked this film is because it deals with a part of the Bible that is generally not dealt with by Hollywood. I do note that the same series released a movie based on Moses and one based on David (and I think I have another one as well) however Jeremiah is actually quite an unlikely character to have a movie based upon him. It is not that his life does not make a good action movie, quite the opposite. He lived during the days when the Babylonians laid siege to Jerusalem, he was mocked, scorned, through in prison, and even thrown into a cistern, all of which the movie faithfully portrays.

It also deals with the elements of Jeremiah's prophecies, that is the prophecy about the coming destruction of Jerusalem due to the sins of the people. The sin of idolatry is shown in the film, but also the fact that the poor are exploited and that injustice abounds. The character that plays Jeremiah's love interest witnesses her family sold into slavery because the creditor has the ear of the king.

Another focus of the film is the struggle that the king has in accepting Jeremiah's prophecies and maintaining his power. However, the catch was that both choices led to his enslavement and Jerusalem's destruction. Unlike a period around two hundred years before where the besieging Assyrian army was wiped out by a disease (as some believe), it is clear that this was not going to happen to the Babylonians. Anyway, God had other plans for Nebucadnezzar.

In the end, I really don't care what my old Christian friends have to say. I am quite pleased that such a movie was made, and that it is relatively faithful to the biblical story. However, I am also of the opinion that pretty much any movie about a biblical event, can entice the viewers to look further into what the bible has to say and how it can still influence their lives.

Listen to what God tells you, not how other people try to manipulate you.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 2 July 2023]

Decently made but abbreviated account about the young prophet Jeremiah (Patrick Dempsey) who was the chosen vessel of the Lord in the last days of Judeah to plead with the Hebrews to return to God. He's promised that he won't suffer any hate although many won't believe him, or will accuse him of blasphemy. The Babylon emperor Nebucanezzer (Klaus Marie Brandauer) prepares to invade Judea when tribute stops, and Jeremiah ends up in prison. But faith remains while the body suffers, and thus the spirit remains strong.

A rare bit of ancient history which most Bible readers only knew through Sunday school study, and indeed, this did lead to the Hebrews once again not having their own kingdom until the fall of several foreign regimes, just as the Byzantines and Egyptians had fallen. The character of Jeremiah is initially seen as a child, and his insight into the teachings of God indicates that greatness will befall him. Dempsey does a good job. I'm taking the details of the overall story lightly, but the basic details can be confirmed, so it's a good history lesson to give a backdrop to world history rarely covered outside of major figures of the old and new testaments.

OK for a TV show, but for Biblical Accuracy, it's Horrible

[thespeos · 3/10 · 4 January 2022]

From the standpoint of film-making, it's not bad.

But as a biography of the Jewish biblical prophet Jeremiah ... it's awful. It's really that bad.

Here's my breakdown:

STORY: I know the Bible well, and that includes the book of Jeremiah. This "story" is so disconnected from that book.

Yes, even films like "The Ten Commandments" takes some creative liberty (sometimes too much), but at least events are largely congruent between the Torah and the film (not exact, but close enough for the casual viewer).

But the story here is useless. Example, the whole lead up with Jeremiah never having a wife took about 1/3 of the film, and it's not close to accurate. Yes, we could argue that Moses never had a thing going with an Egyptian princess, but 1/3 of the film??? No, maybe take 5 minutes to show he remained unmarried, but this was absurd.

ACTING: The acting was actually pretty good, though some character choices seemed weird, e.g. The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar.

All the writers had to do was read the book of Daniel, as they'd get a vivid picture of Nebuchadnezzar ... a "bigger than life" narcissist that had an impulsive temper and a capricious mind. (Hmm ... sounds a bit like someone with orange hair ... hmm ...)

TEMPO: OK, but it splinters off too often to call the tempo cohesive.

CINEMATOGRAPHY: I was impressed by the settings which gave a feel of that geography and setting in late 7th century BCE.

DIRECTING / WRITING: There's a reason this feels like a "Made-for-TV" film - Winer is a TV hack (Ugh). He also wrote this ... (Oy Vey !!!)

Is it a good film? No. It stinks, like sulfur from the mines near Sodom.

Should you watch this once? No, please don't.

Rating: 3.0.

Super good movie

[jrichards-09160 · 10/10 · 18 October 2020]

Very good movie powerful and accurate. Patrick Dempsey is one of my favorite actors whoever wrote the script did their homework.

Wow....Amen.

[zarinpetre-81494 · 10/10 · 27 December 2021]

For the first time I saw an actor like him to play Jeremiah. I never read Jeremiah until it has showed me what is all about . Now I notice how important to speak in the name of the LORD. Thank God for His word. Amen.

Overrated

[jacobjohntaylor1 · 5/10 · 1 September 2019]

This is a good movie. It is overrated. It is has great acting. It has a pretty good story line. I would not say it is a 10 out 10 okay it is not like it is Godzilla or King Kong or Plan 9 from outer space. Come down people. It not the worst movie out there but really what is with all the hype.

Great movie.. Could have been accurate but not to bad

[thelambsgarden · 8/10 · 8 August 2020]

I love the visuals and the actors did a great job.. Way better then the movie solomon.. I would have rated it higher but some very important messages were left out...