Blasphemous? I think not.

Rating: 10/10 (1 September 2004)

Life of Brian is, undoubtedly, the best religious satire I have ever laid eyes on. It's authentic, has good acting, and is biting in its commentary. It rivals some of the great parody work of Mel Brooks for the greatest comedy of all time (Young Frankenstein may trump Life of Brian). And this comes from somebody who is a Christian, and holds to a very strict interpretation of the Bible. Maybe, though, that's why it's so funny.
The Python crew themselves made it quite clear that they couldn't even attempt to make fun of Jesus, nor could they mock his message. Rather, they'd mock those people who misunderstood the message and killed each other for 2000 years because of it. What better way to do so than to make a movie following the life of somebody who's mistaken for Christ, rather than following Jesus himself.
This movie is probably the best example of the acting talents of the Python members. While John Cleese and Eric Idle continue to light up the screen in newer movies (most recently, Cleese in Shrek 2, as well as Eric Idle narrating Ella Enchanted), you'll not find a better performance from Graham Chapman, nor the rest of the Pythons.
One potential drawback to the movie is in its lack of laugh-out-loud comedy.
However, the smart viewer will see beyond this and recognize a work of comic genius. Some of the most unforgettable lines ever are held in this comic jewel: "Blessed are the cheesemakers" is just one among many.
Also of note is the generally un-Ptyhonesque ending to the movie. True, it's anticlimactic, in a sense, but it's a far better ending than that of The Holy Grail. Ahh, but if you haven't seen the movie, I'd better not give away the ending.
Dear reader, before you go, remember, this movie is to be watched more than once. While certain scenes are unforgettably funny the first time around (I want to be called...Loretta), there are things you'll undoubtedly miss.
Now, I send thee forth to bask in the radiance of Python.