Story of Jesus' birth told in traditional tone
Amy Biancolli
Houston Chronicle
Imagine being in Mary's sandals. She's maybe 14 years old, betrothed to an older man in an austere religious community. One day, an angel materializes out of nowhere and says God wants her to have his baby boy. Just like that: teenage mother. This cannot be welcome news....

It's slow, plodding, and not terribly interesting.
James Berardinelli
Reel Views
There are two ways in which one can consider The Nativity Story. As a piece of religious instruction or an animated version of a crèche, it accomplishes its aims. As a movie, however, it's slow, plodding, and not terribly interesting. There's also an unmistakable whiff of exploitation to be found. Although I'm sure the people directly involved with the making of the movie came to it with the best intentions, one can scent what smells suspiciously like greed coming from the corporate level. (Keep in mind that New Line Cinema is best known for its horror franchises - it owns both Freddy and Jason.) The desire to ride The Passion of the Christ's coattails is understandable - that movie was a bona fide blockbuster. However, The Nativity Story isn't in the same league. It's an uninspired re-telling of a Bible story that every Christian knows by heart...

For families looking for a Christmas outing, it should not disappoint.
Nancy Churnin
Dallas Morning News

Director Catherine Hardwicke, a McAllen, Texas, native, works from a script by The Rookie scribe Mike Rich and takes meticulous care to create what Jewish life may have looked like thousands of years ago. Mary and her family, who all look Semitic, say their prayers and touch and kiss the mezuzah on their doorway. This is no revisionist look at Christianity, however. Angels literally speak to Mary, miracles happen (often accompanied by a swell of Christian music) and three Magi follow the star they believe will herald the birth of the Messiah...

Passion of the Christ: A Very Special Episode
Conception far from immaculate in teenybop retelling
Scott Foundas
Village Voice

No, the Virgin Mary doesn't get high on aerosol fumes, and Joseph doesn't ride in on a skateboard, but in most other respects, The Nativity Story is less of a departure for Thirteen and Lords of Dogtown director Catherine Hardwicke than one would have imagined. From our first glimpse of Nazareth teenagers making goo-goo eyes at one another while going about their chores, Hardwicke wants us to know that she's making her third film in a row about the difficulties of adolescence, whether the time is now or B.C. And when young Mary (Whale Rider's Keisha Castle-Hughes) comes to her parents in the first stages of pregnancy, it's clear that underage moms having babies out of wedlock was no more fashionable back then than it is today, even if the father did happen to be The Father. You try convincing Mom and Dad of that...