What the movie says is that the real magic of the pagan Christian (Alexander) to break the power of the authoritarian Christian (the Bishop), lies with the imprisoned Arabs (Ismael) assisted by the Jews (Isak) and the slightly rebelling Jews (Aron). [1][written by Roy Finch, printed in nytimes]
The Bishop has a monstrous alter-ego, a bearded Aunt Elsa, passive, shapeless, face covered with sores, a constant reminder of his deformed underside, by which he is destroyed. [review by Quart and Quart, published in Film Quarterly]