*UPDATE* My Review *UPDATE*
Never before have I walked out of a theatre in a distant sort of trance.
Last Sunday night, I went to go see Mel Gibson’s new controversial movie, the Passion of the Christ, and it was remarkable. I had been anticipating this movie for weeks, and the time had come. This was the most graphic and breathtaking theatrical representation of the Christ that I have ever seen. Not only was I amazed, but I was humbled as well.
To start things off, as a moviegoer, certain aspects of this film cannot be ignored. Yes, this is a religious movie in many respects; but that is not all it is. Some have even gone as far to call it anti-Semitic. However, even after hearing these ominous reviews, my feelings for the Jewish people remain the same. I currently and always have had a deep respect for them; I even believe they are God’s chosen people. The truth is that we all (as Christians) crucified Christ – he bore our sins in his body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24).
Another inevitable aspect of this movie is the blood and gore. Historians have found this film to be historically and biblically accurate, and my thoughts are equivalent to theirs. The Passion has an R rating for violence; and it has certainly been graded correctly. The crucifixion and other events depicted (such as Judas hanging himself, Christ being beaten numerous time, etc) are extremely graphic. If you have seen trailers for this movie, you probably have seen subtle images of the nails being driven through his hands (although in all reality, they probably should have gone through his wrists to be historically accurate), but the movie doesn’t stop there. I found myself cringing as the spikes were mercilessly being driven through the hands of Jesus (very disturbing). One person sitting next to me has trouble handling that kind of stuff, he started acting a little weird (thankfully I can handle that kind of stuff and my Icee stayed down).
So is it all just blood and gore? No. At first, for non-Christians, this film might be hard to follow. But as the film progresses, flashbacks are shown, thus making the events much easier to piece together. While some critics call the film a 2-hour bloody murder, I tend to strongly disagree (Were we even watching the same movie?). There are many secondary stories throughout this movie. We get to see the mental dolor and struggles of Judas, the love of Stephen as he is forced to carry the cross, the emotions of Jesus’ family and disciples as they witness his sufferings, etc. At one point in the movie, there is a scene between Jesus and his mother (Monica Bellucci) that is so powerful that you can almost look into the actress’s eyes and feel her pain.
Next, if you have not heard, the movie is not in English. But don’t worry – you don’t have to be a scholar to understand the words (there are subtitles). The subtitles are very easy to read, and there is plenty of time to see the words and movie in unison (the translation of the words in the original language is more time consuming, which allows plenty of time to read). In addition to all of these essential elements, the acting for this movie was very good. Some say that Jim Caviezel didn’t make a good Jesus (they viewed him as a punk with a fake swollen eye throughout the movie), but I feel he is the best to take on that role to this day (in the movies of course). Even without viewing his broken body (although you do- I am speaking as if you chose to close your eyes at any given point), you could hear the pain in his voice (even in another language – that’s some powerful stuff).
So, as a Christian, how do I view this movie? This movie was a very good experience for me to say the least. It is precise as far as biblical content, and seemed very real and moving. As Christians, we know that Christ died for our sins, and to see a visual representation of this is astounding. This movie sticks with you for quite some time, and I think I still need a few more days to think things over. Never before have I been humbled and left speechless by a movie, but that has now changed (for the better).
In conclusion, I feel this movie was well worth one’s $8. Whether you are a Christian or not, I think this movie will benefit you. I recommend seeing this movie – I am glad I did.
On February 25th, Mel Gibson's new controversial move, "The Passion of the Christ" comes to theatres. I will be viewing the movie the Sunday after it opens, and will be updating this site at times when news about the movie comes up. I have seen information on this movies and trailers for it, and I encourage anyone to see it, no matter what religion you chose or chose not to take in.
Click HERE to view the official site of the movie.
Click HERE to view a very resourceful site with information about the movie.
Also, here at the Way, I want to make every effort to answer any questions you have regarding this movie.
