The most controversial film of 2004, Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ was widely derided by critics and detractors as a two-hour anti-Semitic pornography/horror flick, complete with splattering blood and arduous torture. But among the Christian community (of which I consider myself a part) and open-minded people who actually saw the film, The Passion stands alone as the most eloquent expression of God's love for mankind ever to grace the big screen.
The Passion certainly is violent, but not any more violent than similarly rated films of the past ten years. But despite contentions by some evangelical Christians that everyone should see this film, I don't think young children should see it. This movie is for mature audiences only, and I think anyone under the age of sixteen should have a full understanding of the previous events underlying the main focus of the film before viewing it.
The entire movie was filmed in the original Aramaic with English subtitles. This enhances, rather than detracts from, the film's enjoyment because it creates an emotional aura of mystery and sacredness to the subject. Since most people are at least vaguely familiar with the storyline, you won't find yourself distracted by reading subtitles as one might think. With just the opposite effect, you find yourself paying greater attention to the visual images displayed on the screen, and the power of the events unfolding before you is amplified several times over.
The Passion of the Christ combines the four written accounts found in the New Testament Gospels to create a vivid and powerful portrayal of the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
The film opens in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus of Nazareth (James Caviezel) is engaged in prayer, asking his Father to deliver him through the events soon to come. A satanic figure lurks in the shadows, dispensing a series of temptations and doubts. "No one man can bear the sin of the world. It's impossible. It's too much," the figure says. When Jesus refuses to give in to Satan's temptations, his disciple Judas arrives to betray him to the Temple Guard.
The Temple Guard leads Jesus away in chains to face the high priest. While Peter and John weave their way through the crowd of onlookers, Jesus is questioned by an assembly of leading priests and teachers of religious law. When Jesus responds to their questioning by affirming that he is indeed the Son of God, the leaders hit him, spit on him, and mock him. They then take him before Pilate, hoping to have him killed.
Article comments
1 - Triniman
I believe many people confuse the subject matter, for some the most important subject of them all, with the overall quality of the film, which I believed to be unexceptional. In fact, I wasn't surprised to see them release a second, less violent version.
2 - DrPat
I couldn't disagree more, Triniman. I'm not particularly into the subject matter, yet I still found Passion to be a powerful movie, with excellent sound and cinematography. The use of Aramaic and vulgate Latin was inspired, and sets and costuming gave a realistic portrait of life in that time.
A large part of this movie's power was in the violent depiction of passion, in its sense of agony of mind, soul and body. Gibson succeeded in displaying all three -- not only for the Christ, but also for Mary, Judas, Peter in his pride and in his betrayal, and even for Pilate.
I'm not sure bowdlerizing blood and violence out of the film will make it any more palatable to those whose distate for the subject matter informs their reviews (no reflection on you, Triniman), but I am sure it will diminish the power I experienced in it.
3 - Triniman
There are some films that you know are really well made and directed. You get that feeling after leaving the theatre. This just wasn't one of them for me. Gibson wasn't nominated for the Oscar for best director, for example. He simply didn't deserve the nomination.
I'm glad you liked it a lot, though, Dr. Pat.
I would love to see a film about the actual life of Jesus, from birth right up until The Passion script takes over.