Mary Magdalene ticket giveaway

A female figure sinks into the depths of the ocean; a symbolic opening shot, jump cuts to the Holy Land of the first century.

Mary Magdalene is the new unorthodox biblical-biographical drama directed by Garth Davis.

Helen Edmonson and Philipa Goslet have written a remarkably new feminist twist on this mysterious figure. A refreshing interpretation has debunked the Mary Magdalene myth; who was not a prostitute but a young woman who lived in a fishing village in a traditional patriarchal family. A free spirit, who threw off her domestic shackles, shunning marriage hence ostracized and eventually dismissed as an outsider, called on as midwife and hauling in the fish of the day to pay her way.

Mary Magdalene (Rooney Mara) is sublime with understated elegance and mesmerisingly defiant and vulnerable as she slowly moves through her calling fields. She runs off to join a revolutionary new social movement lead by the charismatic leader Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus (Joaquin Phoenix) is burly, rugged and gruff – a sharp turn away from the familiar prototype of the celestial and softly spoken Son of God. He is the real deal, the son of a carpenter with the healing power to cure the blind and the lepers.

The betrayal of the fresh-faced Judas (Tahir Rahim) is significantly subtle yet his suicidal hanging, symbolises a guilt-ridden tragic. This film is laden with symbolism and referential images that ooze gently from the screen.

The cinematography by Grieg Fraser is gentle and soft, shot mainly in Puglia, Italy. In muted colour overtones, the rustic and dry countryside includes panoramic halos of prairie innocence as the Apostles, Jesus and Mary Magdalene move toward Jerusalem.

The crucifixion is harsh and minimal and the resurrection is understated and eerie, but this film is not about the validation of the so-called greatest story ever told. It attempts to break from tradition and seek a more meaningful understanding of the role of Mary Magdalene.

The music is textural, bold and maybe too overpowering for an arthouse film full of ephemeral ideas and whimsical imagery.

I herald this bold and brave interpretation and feel it is a film that is truly worthy of its genre.

To celebrate, Milk Bar Mag is giving away 6 FREE double-passes to our lucky readers! To enter, all you need do is email ross@milkbarmag.com with the subject line, ‘Mary Magdalene ticket giveaway’ with your name and postal address, and we’ll let you know if the tickets are yours.

Mary Magdalene 
In cinemas now
View Trailer