The Passion of the Christ

On Saturday, March 6, 2004, I attended a showing of The Passion of the Christ with a group from Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church. We had decided to make this an evangelism event with a discussion following the movie followed by a chili fellowship. A group of 50 (half guests of Salem) attended the afternoon matinee. Flyers announcing the discussion were distributed and several viewers joined us for the discussion. All in all it was a good afternoon and all involved were able to sort out thoughts and feelings following the watching of this movie. In a word, the movie was breathtaking. Some scenes the audience literally jumps. The theater was quiet-one didn't hear the munching of popcorn! Artistically the movie portrayed the suffering as no one has seen it portrayed before. Many at the discussion admitted that it got to a point where they said to themselves, "Enough already!" One person even left the movie (but did re-join us for the discussion). My advice is to know yourself. If you feel you cannot handle violence or blood, don't go. If you do desire to see it, consider waiting until the movie is released on video or DVD and rent it-you can always stop the tape if the action becomes too intense. Mr. Gibson remained for the most part close to the Gospels. There are some Catholic add-ons, such as I believe Veronica wiping Jesus' face which is not found in the Gospels but is part of the chronology of the Stations of the Cross. Some thought Mary may have played too prominent a role, but she was the mother of Jesus; what mother wouldn't be there to comfort her child? Amazingly, I was able to understand about half the spoken dialogue (all that Latin, Hebrew, and Aramaic training finally came in handy). The scenes with Pontius Pilate were interesting. Sometimes the dialogue between Pilate and the Jewish leaders was in Latin, other times in Aramaic/Hebrew. I will try to watch it again to try and detect a pattern. The subtitles were somewhat close to the Scriptures. Not knowing what translation of the English Scriptures Mr. Gibson used I cannot verify if the passages were verbatim. I did enjoy the opening scene of a black background with a verse from Isaiah in white text. It set the tone for the movie. There was, indeed, violence. How can there not be when a man is whipped and then crucified? Here the movie did disappoint. Having studied the Roman methods of torture and crucifixion I believe Mel Gibson held back in this area. And this might be the right call. The horrific violence that was on the screen was too much for some. Add to that the fact that the mental and emotional suffering Jesus endured weren't portrayed. (If you can stay awake through it, watch The Last Temptation of Christ and keep in mind throughout that this was a temptation as envisioned by the artist. This might give you a taste of what Jesus endured internally in this suffering.) The scene at the cross was a tad short. Mr. Gibson could have had Jesus pushing himself up gulping for breath just to give the audience a taste of the cruel discomfort on the cross. The arm being pulled did add realism to the effect just before the nail being driven through the right hand. The role of Pilate brings a new dimension for Christians who haven't thought too much about this man whom they name in their confessions. Mel Gibson adds a soliloquy by Pilate on truth where he asserts what he believes to be truth as he sees it. His wife, Claudia (not named in Scripture) does play a more prominent role than she does in Scripture. In the Gospels we are told she sends a messenger to her husband; in Passion she is right there through the trial giving her husband disapproving looks. You will not soon lose the picture of the gleeful Romans whipping Jesus. Again, in our discussion it was pointed out that the Roman culture loved blood. All in all, this is not a movie you will enjoy (even if the ticket taker says, "Thank you. Enjoy the movie."). But you will leave thinking about it and pondering it. You will want to talk to someone about it. If you do go to see it, try to go with a group planning to discuss it afterward, or schedule time for reflection afterward. One patron we met took a flyer disappointed she had to go to work. We assured her she could come anytime if she wanted to discuss the movie. Don't cheat yourself of this opportunity!

The Passion of the Christ isn’t just a movie—it’s an experience that reaches deep into the soul. Directed by Mel Gibson, this film vividly portrays the final hours of Jesus Christ’s life with raw emotion, reverence, and authenticity. It’s not an easy watch, but it’s an essential one. From the moment the film begins, you’re drawn into the depth of Christ’s sacrifice. The performances, especially by Jim Caviezel as Jesus, are absolutely heart-wrenching and powerful. The use of Aramaic, Latin, and Hebrew adds an incredible level of realism that immerses you into the world and the weight of what took place. This film doesn’t sugarcoat the suffering, and that’s what makes it so impactful. It reminds us of the true cost of grace and how deeply we are loved. Watching it is a humbling experience that will stir your faith, bring you to tears, and deepen your appreciation for what Jesus endured. Whether you're a longtime believer or someone seeking to understand the Christian faith, The Passion of the Christ is a must-have in your collection. It’s more than a film—it’s a visual reminder of the Gospel’s power. Watch it, reflect on it, and share it. It has the power to change lives.

Love this movie, I wanted to watch it again before Easter!

A must watch to remind us of how humble we should be

Say what you want about Mel Gibson, but when he is making a serious movie, he knows what he's doing. I thought "Apocalypto" was not very good, mainly because of its ridiculous violence and its quite one-dimensional portrayal of an entire culture. What was the point? Mel Gibson seemed to be saying "boy, these people were violent and wrong." But this sort of unipolar viewpoint, which did not serve "Apocalypto" at all, fits this film to a tee. Gibson is clearly a committed Christian of the Catholic stripe, and he has created pretty much the ultimate cinematic portrayal of the story of Christ's crucifixion. I can't imagine a film which would better indicate the depth of the physical suffering that Jesus of Nazareth must have endured, and the emotional pain this would inflict upon his relatives and best friends. The sets are all very detailed and ring quite true to the period. The actors in lead "good guy" roles are perhaps a bit too European looking, but given the film's production in Italy, some of this is forgivable. Either way, people have cast these characters with their own ethnicity for eons, so I'm willing to give that a pass. I kind of wish some of the more mystical elements had been left out. Jesus heals a roman soldier during his capture. Judas is attacked (in his mind at least) by little hobgoblin demon children. Christ is also tempted by Satan - who is played and visualized quite well by a spooky-looking actress, but nonetheless this feels like a bit of a tacked on element, despite mentions in the Gospels at various points. These elements are at worst a minor annoyance, but they strain credulity, which probably runs counter to Gibson's purposes. I guess I would have preferred that the human elements of the story stand on their own, because, frankly, that's all we have access to at this late date. We simply can't trust miracle stories and talk of mystical happenings. We don't have access to them. But by meditating on the human aspects of the story, we have something we can relate to and which may inspire faith in the other, less tangible things. To display them openly is to assume their existence before we are faithful. But this is just my opinion, I suppose, based on my reading, studies in philosophy, and my general skeptical bent. I've never seen a miracle, and no one I've trusted has ever reported one to me. Things handed down from 2000 years ago, re-translated dozens of times, do not strike me as reliable sources for amazing stories, none of which seem to happen in modern history and with the benefit of all the technology we have available to us to record such events. I mean, given all the cell phone cameras out there, where are all the indubitable miracles? Anyhow, I digress (my apologies to David Hume...). Even with its mystical trappings, this film in its immediacy and its viscerality certainly succeeds in forcing the viewer to ponder the human aspects. The mystical stuff is a sideshow, so to speak. For those with faith, this film should offer a potent meditation on a story which has been ingrained into the psyche, practically since birth. For a non-believer, this film offers a valuable insight into the passion that believers have for this story and for the man himself. Like a Socrates, Jesus of Nazareth seems to have been a singular man, the like of which is rarely seen. Contemplating this can deepen a non-believer's appreciation, if not deliver them into a completely faithful orientation to the material. To put it briefly, it's a brilliant film. Each shot is lovingly composed, and the visual impact and beauty of the images can't be faulted. The performances all feel very real and there is no actor who takes the viewer away from the time period. Gibson, similar to some of the other great directors such as Kubrick, Scorsese, Stone and he like, excels at creating "scene." You really feel like 'you are there.' ******* The Blu-Ray: The picture is quite beautiful. Black levels are solid, detail is quite good (though perhaps not the absolute best, I would say "Dark Knight" and "Alexander" top it), and color is very naturalistic. There is a bit of "posterization" in some shots of the sky (i.e. a sort of digital distortion or dot-crawl), but it only intrudes on 10 or 20 seconds of the film, and is probably in the source material. The DTS audio mix offers some nice directional effects, with crowd taunts and bird chirps in the rear sound field. Technically, it's about as good as I can imagine it looking. I did not see the film in the theater, so I cannot compare the level of fidelity. Extras include commentaries, and a "recut" version, which apparently is actually a bit shorter than the theatrical release. This version also cuts a bit of violence. A word to parents - cutting five minutes of gruesome violence leaves about, oh, 120 minutes of gruesome violence remaining in the movie. So plan accordingly insofar as your children can tolerate these kinds of things. Other extras: There are several commentaries on the main disc. The extra disc has many short documentaries on both production issues and historical context, though none are in HD, unfortunately. ********* So should you buy it? Well, that's a tough question. If you're a devoted Christian who enjoys pondering these mysteries, and you also have a good HD setup, then sure, I can't see any reason not to. If you are not a Christian but are curious about what the hub-bub is about, then this is definitely worth at least a rental. Fans of historical fiction/docudrama will certainly find much to appreciate. Whether or not you buy it, this is definitely a film everyone should see at least once. It is a great film, like it or lump it. It is a vivid and very impactful telling of one of the very few central stories of our global culture. Keep in mind I do not want to put a Christian gloss on humanity here - if there were comparable films on Mohammad (a bit of an issue given the icon prohibition), Buddha, etc., I would recommend seeing those as well. On the whole, by any standards, this is a five-star release. It may not be for everyone's permanent collection. But those who add this Blu-Ray title to their shelf will not be disappointed.

Awesome Movie

Honestly, this is my first time watching this important religious film. For so many years I could not bring myself to watch this movie, because of the graphic violent detail of the torturing of an innocent man, The Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah 53:5 - He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 52:14 - Just as there were many who were appalled at Him - His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness. John 19:1-25 - Jesus brought before Pilate and flogged. He is then crucified and dies on the cross, is taken down from the cross and buried. Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. I finally had the courage to watch it on (Fri 5.10.24). I felt that it was time to watch it and learn more about the final hours of what happened to Jesus before He was crucified. Something compelled me to watch it and I think it was courage and spiritual insight. Yes, it was graphic especially during the scourging of precious Jesus. The Roman soldiers who beat Him got carried away and nearly killed him, until Abenader (the Centurion) stepped in and basically said that's enough we want to punish him not nearly kill him. Pilate was disgusted at what they did to Jesus. He tried to free Him but was unsuccessful. They did the same thing when Jesus was carrying the cross. Those same soldiers were hitting a weak man, and causing him more pain, and blood loss. This time it was Simon of Cyrene that stepped in and said, enough he's weak. Yes, of course from severe blood loss, Jesus was weak. He was offered water by Seraphia and she wiped his face. Jesus was grateful for the help along the way to His crucifixion from Seraphia, Simon of Cyrene and Mother Mary. The crucifixion scene and the scourging scenes were hard to watch, especially when Jesus cried out, in Aramaic, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" He was bloodied and in agonizing pain. I cried when Jesus gave up his spirit and when He said why has His Father has forsaken Him? Especially when his Mother Mary held His bloodied body, I cried. The other heartbreaking scene was when she was wiping Jesus's blood after being scourged. The Roman Soldier Cassius had a high respect for Mother Mary to let her see and be with Jesus on the cross. He took great pity on her. Also, when he pieced Jesus to make sure He was dead, blood and water sprayed on him, curing him of an ailment and believing that Jesus is the Son of God. One touching and happy moment was when Mother Mary called out to Jesus and asked Him, "Are you Hungry?" He didn't hear her. So she asked him again, but approached Him. With His smiling eyes and gentle tone, He says "I am." They have gentle conversation of the tall table He made. She asks Him to remove His apron, and washes His hands, and she pours water on his hands, and He playfully splashes her and kisses her. That was my favorite part of the movie. But yes, I would recommend to anyone wanting to know more about the final hours of Jesus, to watch The Passion of the Christ. It's detail oriented and well made. An A+ for all actor and actress portrayals. Jim Caviezel played the best portrayal of Jesus Christ.

"And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns." Rev. 17:7 Mel Gibson uses film making to its utmost potential in this most graphic portrayal of Jesus' passion. This film is an artist's rendering of historical events through a medium where almost anything is possible. Did he go too far? The superficial rendering of the story of the Passion of Christ Jesus is bound to draw sharp criticisms. It's when you dig beneath the surface that you find great riches. The first time I saw this movie was by accident, I never meant to see it--too much hype, I thought. I came across it on TV and thought it was a foreign film; then it dawned on me I was watching Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ. Though I've prayed the sorrowful mysteries many times, my puny imagination could not have evoked such images as this film portrays. It brought to my mind the real gravity of our Lord's suffering that we all take sin so lightly and we shouldn't. That's what Mel is saying in this great work of art. Art, you say? Great art. I realized it from my first viewing. The story is true to the Gospels, the additions are from the visions of Ann Catherine Emmerich and Mel Gibson's use of poetic license, and he works the imagery to great effect. I instantly recognized that certain of the graphic aspects of the film are inspired by what I always thought were ghastly paintings of Jesus on the Cross that you see so much in Italy, and the book of Revelation--"And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration." Rev. 17:6. For instance, in the whipping scene, which garnered so much of the criticism for its violence, you see those images transposed deftly--the androgynous-looking gaunt woman in the black veil with her off-spring (which is corruption), the soldiers drunk at the sight of the blood they draw from the innocent body of Christ with their instruments of torture, he it was that crushed the head of the snake in the Garden--"The infernal serpent . . . whose guile, stirred up with envy and revenge, deceived the Mother of Mankind" (Milton, Paradise Lost). And so you are also moved by the juxtaposition of the sweet scenes of Jesus' life and the brutal slaying of this most innocent of men, and you wonder about the gaunt woman threading her way through the crowd as she watches events unfold with fixed eyes of cold fascination. Because this film IS so graphic I do not watch it more than twice a year for fear of becoming jaded, but each time I do I'm struck again and my heart is broken by this man of sorrows, "[D]espised and rejected of men . . . and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not." Isaiah 53:2-4.