I'm not sure what movie the reviewers saw

Rating: 9/10 (2 June 2006)

I was hesitant to see the movie due to the reviews. I read the book and expected to be disappointed. My spouse hadn't read the book, didn't know anything about the story.
We both thought it was one of the best movies we had seen in a long time. I rated it higher than many movies the critics loved. I tend to think that they did not look at it as a great story.
I felt that the movie had very few slow parts and it kept my interest so much that I didn't want to leave the theater for a soda.
The acting was very good. I especially liked the historical backgrounds, it put the movie's current events in perspective.
I can't understand why the critics had a problem with the direction. I felt the story flowed naturally, the characters were - for the most part - believable, and if there hadn't been all the hype, I think the ratings would have been higher.
People who are worried about the religious aspects do not seem to realize that it is FICTION.