Movie of the Week #2



The Passion of the Christ
2004, Directed by Mel Gibson

This is a controversial film, to say the least. First of all, I’d just like to say that this IS NOT a thread about Mel Gibson. This is a thread about The Passion of the Christ, and that’s what the discussion should be centered around.

There has been many a diatribe about The Passion of the Christ, claiming it’s hollow, exploitative, and pornographically gory. I have to wonder if I had even watched the same film as the people that made these statements. To be honest, it even disturbs me a little bit that a human being could think that about this film.

While the narrative does focus on Jesus Christ, or more specifically, his death, The Passion of the Christ is much more than your average Biblical film. It is an allegory on mankind and the persecution of the innocent. It is a deeply disturbing and incredibly moving film about a martyr willing to endure insurmountable suffering for everyone but himself.

I have heard claims that this film is meant solely for Christians, and no one else will be affected by it. Well, I am not a Christian. I would not necessarily say I am an atheist, either, though – I’ll call myself agnostic. And this film touched me. It moved me. It affected me to the point of bringing tears to my eyes. The Passion of the Christ did not move me as a religious person – it moved me as a human being.

As for the film’s “pornographic” violence…it’s not. The violence, while it is very brutal, is not as gory as many people would lead you to believe. As a die-hard horror enthusiast, I can tell you that this isn’t that bad. And there is a difference between exploitative graphic violence and disturbing graphic violence. Exploitative violence is meant to entertain, titillate, or even evoke laughter. The fact that The Passion of the Christ’s violence could have entertained, titillated, or evoked laughter from someone is a very troubling thought to me. What kind of sick person would get a thrill out of this? This is a man who endured hours of savage torture and persecution to save mankind, the very people inflicting this upon him, from their sins. The violence is presented in a very serious, very disturbing manner that is meant to stir up deep emotions from the bottom of your soul, and it succeeds in every way.

I could get into this film on a technical level, as well. I could discuss how Jim Caviezel’s performance is magnificent, or I could discuss how remarkably good Gibson’s direction is. I could also comment on how impressive the use of Aramaic language is and how authentic it makes the film feel. But I don’t think there would be much of a point – this is film about emotion, not technical details.

The Passion of the Christ, despite all the controversy and hatred, is a truly great film. It is one of the best and most important films of the last ten years, and, I believe, it is one that deserves to be and will be remembered for many years to come.

Previous Movies of the Week:

#1: Gladiator

Interesting choice. Too bad i've yet to see it or have a desire to. Maybe some of the responses here will change my mind

I started watching it with a friend but never finished. Someday...

great movie.

i wouldn't say i 'enjoyed' it, but it was a good watch.

It's interesting that Gibson made a big stink about authenticity, what with the whole filming-in-Aramaic thing and the graphic violence, but still makes Jesus a white dude.

I'm working on about 3 hours of sleep in the past 48 hours, but I'm going to reply to this Movie of the Week because it's not something I can just let go. This movie stirs up many emotions in me, and on a few different levels. I will review this movie from 2 different perspectives.

As a nondemonational Christian, this movie tore me to pieces. I saw it in the theater when it came out, and I had tears in my eyes during damn near half of it. For those of us who believe in Jesus Christ and his beliefs, this was a tough watch. I was bothered and disturbed for days afterwards because of how I saw my Savior tortured for no crime whatsoever. All He wanted to do was spread love throughout the land, and His torture and then crucifixation, as displayed in this movie, really made me think about the suffering (or "passion") He endured to save us.


From a film student standpoint, I find the movie to be fucking brutal. When it comes to art, there is a saying that goes "less is more." This movie doesn't even come close to adhering to that philosophy. Gibson beats you over the head so hard that you're desensitized by the end of the film. He went for shock value as opposed to an actual emtional response. The scene that sticks out in my head is when Jesus is being scourged and when the weapon sticks into His back, we see a close-up of the flesh being ripped out and His painful reaction. It's just too over-the-top to be taken as seriously as the director meant it to be.

Make no mistake: this is a horror movie. It's cruel and vindictive and will leave you numb by the end. The actors' performances are all flawless, and the direction is great, but this is not entertainment by any means.

3 stars.

In terms of what the movie was trying to do, it is masterful.

You mentioned in the header that this shouldn't be a thread about Mel Gibson, but I don't know how you can separate the film from him, as it's his own, emphatic vision of the Passion.

I'm an agnostic, but certainly believe in Christ, God, yada, yada, yada, so I was very affected by the film, but not necessarily on a religious level. If you just look at it in human terms and recognize the disciplined sacrifice one man made on behalf of the world, it's incredibly stirring and impactful. Gibson did a great job of conveying that. I think it's a very powerful piece of filmmaking.

What worries me, however, is the fact that Gibson seems very closeminded about other religions (to the point of alleged anti-Semitism), and I have a hard time ignoring the fact that this could be a religious zealot's propaganda piece as opposed to simply a powerful exercise in filmmaking. I worry that his goal with this film is to guilt its' viewers into mindlessly converting to Gibson's way of thinking. If the news stories about Gibson weren't so prevalent, I'd probably dismiss that point-of-view. So it's hard to separate the filmmaker from the drunk anti-Semite.

I just didn't get that out of it. Yes, there is the "less is more" approach, but sometimes you just need to show everything to show things for what they are. The crucifixion of Christ is a brutal, ugly thing. Taking a "less is more" approach probably would have ended up sugar-coating the horrible event it is.

I sure as hell didn't feel desensitized when the movie ended. I didn't feel numb by the actual crucifixion. When that final act of violence was committed and Jesus was hung on the cross and stabbed in the ribs, I was far from feeling disconnected and numb. It hit me hard on a level far above shock value.

i remember seeing this movie with my father, the only movie i ever saw with him in the theater. i was pissed because it was the first night of playoff hokcey and i didn;t want to miss it. dallas vs. ? i forget.

anyway,

this movie bothered me, it was given all the hype in the world because of Gibson, and because of all those crazy catholics. i grew up in a catholic household and my mother is a nutjob when it comes to church and religion.

it was a good movie from a acting point of view but i don;t feel like it was realistic. there is no way in hell a man could take that kind of beating and live or even walk for that matter. i know it was jesus chirst, for christ sake but seriously. it's not possible.

There should be a "haven't seen it" option in the poll so people know just how popular a movie is amongst RMers.

As far as The Passion... haven't seen it.

maybe it was because i don't any emotional attachment to this "story" but i really didn't care for it. it was like watching a slightly censored S&M story. sorry it's a 2.

You'd be surprised.

5* movie.. great camera work ..one of the few movies i didnt mind having a subtitle...We all know the story but it was a different point of view MINUS all the happy make believe crap that goes along with it.

Good write up

Maybe because you're a horror fan and have seen every horror movie ever made, it was a little easier for you. But for me, I felt so brutalized after my first viewing that I felt like I just watched a snuff film. I understand the torture and suffering that Christ went through, but come on...

Watching someone tortured, Jesus or not, for 90 minutes of a 2-hour movie is just too much. The scourging scene I mentioned in my original post just lasted forever. And I don't think toning down the violence some would have sugar-coated the story, a la Franco Zefferelli's Jesus of Nazareth; I just feel the movie would have had a greater emotional impact had we not had to endure so much brutality. As said, Gibson doesn't show you that Jesus suffered. He pummels you and then rubs your face in it. And had it been any other character besides Jesus, this movie would have never gotten an "R" rating but instead an "NC-17."

I really can't argue with any of your points. They're all perfectly valid. I just think that the "less is more" approach can work very effectively, and so can the graphic approach, as long as it's done correctly. I think Gibson pulled it off expertly. We seem to differ in our reactions - I never once felt like it was "too much" and I never felt overly brutalized - I felt disturbed, and I felt horrified by what this man was forced to endure. It was emotionally crushing to me, not viscerally crushing.

By the way, this is way too well-made to feel like a snuff film.

See the South Park episode Passion of the Jew for my opinion of this film.

Really hated this one. Gibson did what I thought impossible - he made Christ boring.

Just think about that.

Jesus gonna be heeeeerrree..... (bow bow)... he gonna be here soooo--ooo--ooon... (bow bow)

I have'tn seen this because I don't feel the need. I am a Christian and I believe in the scenario that played out, but I have no desire to watch the Lord go through his suffering. It just bothers me too much. In school I heard a pastor go through the passion story in detail and explain the suffering he felt and that was more than enough.