Many have
recognized the sudden increase in biblical adaptations onscreen, from last
year’s release of Noah and Exodus to the upcoming 2015 releases, Mary, Last Days in the Desert, and David
and Goliath. Then there are the half-dozen projects in development, likely
waiting to see how lucrative this genre revival will be. There is also a
similar movement in television, especially among miniseries. Mark Burnett will
take another stab at it, with “The Bible” follow up, “A.D.” and many have
praised “The Red Tent,” despite being based on a bestselling novel that took
liberties with one of the lesser discussed female characters from the Old
Testament.
Though it takes
time with the material, including all of the twists and turns leading to her
conception, the story’s protagonist is Dinah (Rebecca Ferguson), the only
daughter of Jacob (Ian Glen). This first means telling the story of Jacob and
his four wives, which include Dinah’s mother, Leah (Minnie Driver). There was
some complaint from those familiar with their biblical narratives by the manner
in which Leah becomes married to Jacob, who truly meant to marry the younger
and more beautiful sister, Rachel (Morena Baccarin). These changes range from
obvious to subtle, and all seem to take much of the power away from the men for
a more women-centered narrative. This is in itself something of a task for a
story that begins with an attempt to frame polygamy as a love story.
Dinah is raised
by her mother and the other three wives of Jacob, able to be completely open
and free within the red tent. This red tent serves a purpose that is fairly
obvious considering the coloring, though menstruation has never looked quite as
joyful as it does here. Dinah learns from her time in the men-free area of the
tent to be strong, which serves her through the many ordeals of her life. The
violent nature of the world she lives in, even coming from her own brothers
(with the exception of Joseph), gives Dinah many opportunities where this
strength is needed. Loss and grief becomes a constant companion, only overcome
by Dinah’s faith, hope and the will to continue working towards happiness. The
series is just shy of three-hours, split into two episodes.
Entertainment Value:
6.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7.5/10
Historical
Significance: 7/10
Special Features: 1/10
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