The Passion of the Christ

Title: The Passion of the Christ
Director: Mel Gibson
Cast: Jim Caviezel, Monica Bellucci, Maia Morgenstern
Year: 2004
MPAA: Rated R for sequences of graphic violence
Date of Review: February 27, 2004


Having seen the original trailer which was released last year when the film was originally just called "The Passion" (which, by the way, I think is a much better title), I was intrigued to see this film from the beginning. I am not a religious person, but I do think that the stories told in the Bible are interesting, and the message behind them is one that can be applied to anyone anywhere in the world. Needless to say, I was also looking forward to seeing Mel Gibson's next directorial efforts.

Skip forward about 6-8 months and it's January 2004, and the film is receiving flak more than a month before it has even been released. Enraged by this, Gibson says some things about the critics that he probably will end up regret saying. But this does not change the fact that the people who have seen the film already are giving it very mixed reviews. Some said it was a Biblical epic for the ages, depicting the last 12 hours of Jesus' life just as they would have been. Others say it is an offensive and overly violent film promoting anti-semetism.

Last night, on Wednesday February 25, 2004, "The Passion of the Christ" was released to the world, and I was lucky enough to get to see it at one of the first showings in my hometown (thanks again, Steve). This spectacular film was both emotionally draining and, at some points, almost physically painful to watch. This is not a complaint in any way, but simply a statement of the truth - watching Jesus (played with masterful grace and, well, passion, by Jim Caviezel) being tortured beyond anything people in modern society could even imagine is a sight I will never forget, and was quite disturbing...but it was not without purpose. Mel Gibson's goal with the film was to portray his vision of what occurred in the events leading up to and including the crucifiction, and he wanted to show the brutality with which Jesus was treated. The film shows the love that Jesus gave to all those who would accept it, and even to those who persecuted and, ultimately, killed him.

Perhaps one of my favorite performances in the film was that of Hristo Shopov as Pontius Pilate, the Roman general that is forced to judge Jesus according to the will of the people. He was incredibly aware of his role in the story, and managed to show his emotions clearly and realistically within the parameters of his character, as a Roman soldier of his status would be expected to be merciless and without emotion.

The performance put forward by Rosalinda Celentano as Satan was also quite powerful. With few lines and no truly evil actions, she manages to convey the purely evil nature of Satan very well, and is quite frightening.

The cinematography was truly beautiful. Every scene was shot with such precision and grace that it actually feels like you are watching the events actually occurring.

Of course, I must comment on the extremely high levels of gore in the film, and all I will say is that, in the context of the film and the message Gibson was trying to give, it was perfectly suitable to the film. Perhaps the most disturbing shot, for me, was of the crown of thorns being placed on Jesus' head. The thorns are pressed into his skin, then literally smashed into place using wooden rods. The whole film is quite violent and graphic, but when you think about it, Jesus was being punished for the sins of ALL men, so it makes sense that this would be a very brutal occurrence.

This film doesn’t really present any brand new ideas about Jesus’ final 12 hours, but rather takes the original ideas and presents them in a more realistic, less sugar-coated manor. Many argue that the Jews are portrayed as savages who are completely clueless to their wrongdoings, but, in fact, everyone is portrayed that way. After all, that is the reason they did it, hence "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do".

Mel Gibson’s "The Passion of the Christ" is truly a cinematic event and will be remembered for many years to come (hopefully in a good light). Seeing this film was an experience, not just your typical night at the movies. When the last scene faded out to the credits, everyone just sat, silent, for about 5 minutes. Everyone, including myself, was speechless. The audience all stood up in unison and left in awe, still completely silent.

10/10