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Passion of the Christ DVD sets
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the Passion of the Christ Widescreen
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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
anymore 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 into 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.
Finding no fault with Jesus, Pilate nevertheless
has Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. This sequence is one of the
most brutal in the film. James Caviezel is reported to have actually
been hit by accident during the filming of this scene. The brutality
and utter lack of empathy on behalf of the Roman soldiers is
brilliantly illustrated. In my estimation, if you can make it through
this scene, then the crucifixion scene should not be a problem.
Furthermore, Gibson's cinematic genius is
apparent by his measured and precise use of flashbacks which draws the
audience away from the violence in brief intervals so as not to cause
an emotional overload. Flashbacks include Jesus teaching to a crowd
about his power to "lay down my life, and take it back up
again," Jesus washing the feet his disciples at the last supper,
and Jesus as a playful personality interacting with Mary. One
particularly powerful scene traces back to Jesus as a toddler. When he
falls down and injures himself, a panicked Mary runs to his rescue.
This flashback correlates with the film's portrayal of Jesus stumbling
under the weight of the cross.
Overall, this ranks as one of the greatest films
ever made. If you believe Jesus of Nazareth was the Biblical Messiah
(which this film reviewer does), then The Passion illustrates the
enormity of God's sacrifice. But even if you think Jesus was just a
common man, this film serves a valuable purpose in that it underscores
the barbarity of a human race that, more often than not, persecutes
the innocent. Mel Gibson's greatest production to date is a film every
student of history, philosophy, and human nature owe it to themselves
to see…
About the Author
Britt Gillette is author of The
DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one
of The
Passion Of The Christ (DVD).
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