The ending is so bad it's almost comical, but the film up to that point is stunningly well-made and just dowright beautiful. It's also quite sad. I think you could probably press the stop button about five minutes before the end and be much more satisfied.

Dreyer's direction of a very precise script resulted in, quite obviously, one of the best Danish films ever made. His chilling exploration of religion and life for people living by their faith, bearing resemblance to Bergman's later work, is both masterful and very engaging. For those who understand Danish it's necessary to surmount the obstacle of the at first very distracting enunciation and it speaks to the power of the drama that I soon forgot all about that; it even added to the experience.

I'm stunned. I can't even believe that a movie which is so much about religion struck me like this. Dreyers camerawork and lighting are captivating, his characters are extremely well developed and the actors almost seem to suffer from the grief of their characters. The pace might appear a bit dull in the beginning but in the end it all makes sense. 08/02/2010

This is definitely not the West Jutland I knew growing up. Although we had our fair share of mad, fish-mongering, foulmouthed, semi-racist loonies out West, I don't think any of them would be able to hold a candle to dear, Jesus reincarnated Johannes.

An amazingly nuanced analysis of faith and religion, and although both subject-matter and tone are heavy and dark, the movie manages to inject quite a bit of humanity and emotional depth into its characters. My only objection is the magical ending which somewhat undermines the existential questions raised. But still a masterpiece and essential viewing.

Dreyers best talkie and one of the best films on faith (certainly the best on christianity). Whereas in Gertrud and, to a lesser extent, Vredens Dag, the static nature of the production and the stilted dialogue was somewhat offputting, here it works in the films favour. The ending , while it arguably raises even more questions, could be seen as an unequivocal affirmation of faith, yet even when taken at face value the rest of this masterful film easily transcends it.

This movie manages to do the hardest thing in cinema and life in general. It manages to make the resurrection believable.

Stark, austere, beautiful and mesmerising. Even as an agnostic I still found this film deeply moving in its exploration of faith and its look at people's belief in the transcendent power of faith. The ending is one of the most extraordinary things I've ever seen filmed - to quote an article I read: "The power of the cinematic illusion here, if we accept it, makes us believe the unbelievable, if only temporarily: it unhooks the world from its moorings and sends it spinning into a new life."

A brilliant study of religion and family. This really showcases the talents of director Dreyer - whose only other work I've seen is The Passion of Joan of Arc. Really is a great movie but I just couldn't connect with any of the characters. Having said that though, the performances were all magnificent and that final scene is absolutely incredible. Just.. incredible.

#40

The ending was completely gay, and pretty much ruined it for me. I was clearly missing something, as I was sure it was going in a different direction. At least with Joan of Arc, one can apply their own perspective to Ms. of Arc's death. Even though the titles said something to the effect of "yeah, she went to heaven or something", I can roll my eyes "lol sure" and still enjoy the film. Almost none of that here, as the ending almost negated all of the technical brilliance that preceded it for me.

What a letdown! This film, and the point it makes, is just too banal to warrant how slow and pretentious it is. I felt genuinely cheated at the end (I might have missed something genious, for otherwise I really don't get the fuzz about this one). I mean, if I want one-dimensional characters (the sons, not so much the fathers who actually share a couple of great, dynamical scenes together) whose single purpose is to make a religious/philosophical point, I'd much rather watch a Woody Allen film.

A lot of religious mumbo jumbo

Through his camerawork, Dreyer seems determined to keep the viewer aware that they're watching a filmed version of a stage play. I don't know whether Dreyer had any particular reason for shooting this way, but it's an interesting question. Less interesting is the Johannes character and his generic movie-crazy (as opposed to real-crazy) act. The conclusion is so audacious and presented so matter-of-factly that I can't help but respect it. Related: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4EhaQklWqA

Haunting and moving story about a family's struggles with matters of faith (personal loss, social relationships, delusions, doubts, etc.) It is many ways similar to Bergman's examinations of religion (e.g. Winter Light) - intimate conversations and grueling tragedies abound. But unlike the oft-cynical Bergman Dreyer moves the drama in a more conservative direction that is so stark and mesmerizing that it becomes incredibly touching (and eerie) despite its implausibility.

A film of astounding beauty and power.

This movie tells you more about Christianity, or even faith itself, than a lifetime of sermons. Did I mention it was made by an Atheist?

34

Well, i think Dreyer was an inspiration for Bergman. Within the subject that's full of religion and "thoughts of faith" and a good alegory with character "Mad Johannes" this one is beyond being a good movie. Maybe a hard movie for the new era bu a "must see" for whom loves cinema and watches films not just for fun.

The type of film that is much more interesting to think about afterwards then it is to watch. I love the way the themes were presented and tackled, but uuughgggh it was so slow most of the time.

# 41

At first I thought I was in for an unbearably tedious film. Dreyer is hit-or-miss with me, and this one is incredibly slow and starts out very dull. But after a while it creeps under your skin... the religious struggles between the characters become gradually more revealing and fascinating, even to a staunch atheist like myself. By the final half hour I was thoroughly engaged and deeply moved, right up to the enigmatic ending. An intriguing, if somewhat difficult to get into, study of faith.

Even though I'm not the least bit religious myself, I find religious dramas enthralling. Unlike Ingmar Bergman's ambiguous approach to God and faith, The Word is direct and almost blunt: STRONGER FAITH = BETTER THAN. And again, even though I don't even remotely believe in that, I found it fascinating to watch how the different characters dealt with their personal faith. And it doesn't hurt that the movie is superbly made and so well paced that it never gets boring.

This film shows human nature from white to black and all the fades of grey. It's a touching travel through how people deal with faith and god. And it's beautiful whether your believe or not.