The Passion Of The Christ (2004)

Average rating

(65%)

Starring:	Jim Caviezel \| Maja Morgenstern \| Monica Bellucci \| Mattia Sbragia \| Hristo Naumov Shopov \| Claudia Gerini \| Luca Lionello
Director:	Mel Gibson
Studio:	ICON HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time:	127 mins
Genres:	Audio Descriptive \| Drama
Languages:	Aramaic, English Audio Description
Hearing-impaired:	English
Subtitles:	English
Released:	August 31, 2004
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THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST depicts the last 12 hours of the life of Jesus of Nazareth (Jim Caviezel), beginning with his betrayal by Judas Iscariot (Luca Lionello) and ending with his crucifixion and subsequent resurrection. Directed by Mel Gibson (BRAVEHEART)--who funded the film himself and co-wrote the screenplay--PASSION uses flashbacks to substantiate a handful of pertinent moments in Jesus' life and teachings, such as the Sermon on the Mount and the Last Supper, as well as his relationships with his mother and his disciples. Still, the drama focuses on the seemingly endless torture inflicted upon Jesus by Roman soldiers at the urging of the Jewish crowd that considers him a blasphemer, despite the attempts of a sympathetic Pontius Pilate (Hristo Naumov Shopov) to spare him from death. The faint of heart should be prepared for the brutal, barbaric beatings that Christ endures. Maia Morgenstern, Monica Bellucci, and Hristo Jivkov are touching as Mary, Magdalene, and John respectively, who are devastated by Jesus' fate yet aware that they can do nothing to change it. Performed in Aramaic and Latin with English subtitles, Gibson's labour of love is sure to prompt discussion and debate as to historical and Biblical fact.

Rating of 3 stars out of 5

Compelling yet repetitive, shocking yet plodding, Mel Gibson's labour of love (replete with subtitled Latin and Aramaic dialogue) charts the last 12 hours of Jesus's life on Earth, from his betrayal by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane through to the most punishing depiction of the crucifixion ever mounted. Gibson's commitment to the material is tangible, the much talked about brutality is unflinching and the earthy atmosphere is expertly evoked. But Jim Caviezel's Jesus makes for an impenetrable figure, some of the imagery doesn't quite come off — the depictions of evil are borderline laughable — and the narrow focus does little to provide a context to Jesus's teachings and suffering. Daring, passionate film-making it may be, but the lasting impression is one of preaching to the converted.

Rating of 1 stars out of 5
Halliwell's Film Guide

A film that is inaccessible to criticism, preaching to the converted; its relentless concentration on brutality and torture numbs the mind, while much of its imagery derives from horror movies. Make of it what you will.

Highest rated reviews

60 out of 62 people found the following review helpful:

relentless..but make your own mind up

RON CALVERT from Leicestershire, England, 7th November, 2004

I admit I watched this simply because of all the hype. It is the only film shot in Latin that I've ever watched (it has sub-titles, if you select them: I did!).

For me, the level of violence was so relentless that eventually I just became rather numbed by it. Combine this with the fact that everybody, of course, knows how it ends ( a bit of a challenge for any film ,when you think about it) and you should be left with an empty experience. I wasn't however. It is beautifully shot, and it has a kind of morbid fascination attached to it. I suspect that anyone religious would find it either very moving or very loathsome. It didn't stir up such strong emotions in me, but I did get all the way to the end (it is actually quite well paced) so it had enough impact for me to keep watching to see how the next part of the story was going to be treated.

In the Press it was reported that jews in the USA were outraged by this film, because it portrayed them as basically evil: however I must say that, to my mind, the main villains in the film were portrayed more as politicians, or at least figures of authority in their society, rather than 'jews' - it is clear in the film that Jesus was a jew, and these were authority figures within his society that were insisting on his crucifixion.

I was puzzled by the film's treatment of the Romans, at first: Pilate (and especially his wife) were portrayed as compassionate victims, almost, of politics - whilst the soldiers were nothing less than bestial. Eventually I decided it was a plausible line to take.

If you have got this far, then you are probably going to select the movie, to make your own mind up. I think, on balance, that is the right thing to do.

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89 out of 156 people found the following review helpful:

Distasteful, distorting, disgusting

Aman1 from Middlesex, 10th August, 2004

Whatever your religious stance, it is hard to deny how brilliant and powerful the story of Christ's crucifixion is. Therefore despite the cloud of controversy surrounding the film, I was excited to see Gibson's take on the story.

I walked out of the movie with a slight distaste in my mouth, and a profound sense of disappointment. In many ways, the movie's was morality was far too simple. For example, the Jews are condemned as simple antagonists, when the situation was far more complex (It doesn't need a historian to work that out).

The violence of the movie is almost sadomasochistic in nature. Although some may argue this works to show just how much Christ suffered, I feel it gives a film a far too unbalanced take on Christ and his life. The interludes into his past always comes as relief, and are always far too brief.

The film, and this story's pivotal moment is the crucifixion itself, and this is the biggest letdown of the film. Both emotively, and as a symbolic device, it fails completely in the movie. The problem is that we have been shown so much violence, the viewer becomes almost numb to any violence after Jesus begins carrying the crucifix.

I had recently read a famous Old English poem called The Dream Of The Rood, and must say it moved me far, far more than anything in this film did. Both politically, and as a movie, this film fails miserably.

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36 out of 48 people found the following review helpful:

An all too human tale.

Northernsky from , 8th October, 2004

Unless you delight in the in the suffering of others it’s hard to enjoy this film, as you would most movies, in a conventional sense. It is undeniably compelling though, and at times quite moving. You’d have to have a jagged piece of flint instead of a beating heart not to find this powerfully impelling.

The controversy surrounding this baffles me. I cannot understand the accusations of anti Semitism and although it is portraying scenes of excruciating violence in trying to remain true to the story of the last 18 hours of Jesus it doesn’t have any choice but to show the miserable pain and torture inflicted upon him. Though Gibson, who’s past record for historical accuracy is risible does linger rather too lovingly on the suffering at times. This lends the film a gruelling element so that when the crucifixion finally takes place it’s almost a relief it’s all over. The flashbacks are effective devices for showcasing the powerful personality behind the gore and the one of Mary running to Jesus as a child intercut with her comforting him lying scourged and beaten is supremely affecting.

Put aside the religious politics and consider what this man went through in order to validate his beliefs as he saw them and this is an unusually powerful piece of cinema. Very well acted and lent an air of authenticity via the use of Aramaic and Latin this is an all too human tale of a remarkable human beings last hours on Earth.

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16 out of 23 people found the following review helpful:

All blood and no passion

Sam from Midlands, UK, 2nd January, 2005

Like marmite, people seem to either love or hate this film; I didn't have strong feelings about it either way, although to dismiss this film simply because it has subtitles as some reviewers have done is ludicrous.. There are good and points to it, it is very well shot, and it certainly does have an impact. Very violent, so only watch if you think you can take it. The trouble with all the suffering is that there isn't really a plot to go with it and the long walk with Jesus carrying the cross is frankly boring. It would have been good to see a bit more of wht led up to Jesus' betrayal. Despite being called the Passion of Christ there is very little emotion of any kind besides pain shown which prevents the film engaging the viewer further. Although equally violent, the final few scenes on the cross are among the best. Again, very well filmed, although quite why a camp Satan who seems to have escaped from the Seventh Seal keeps appearing is never quite clear, although a bit of mystery doesn't do any harm.

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