[Lurking Libertarian]

Gibson is not merely telling the Gospel account, but adds to it in ways that consistently accent the culpability of Jews and mitigate that of the Romans. He adds violent beatings of Jesus--by Jews--that are not in Scripture. He changes the entire feel of the story as the Gospels tell it. In the Scriptural account, Jesus is snatched quietly, at night, to avoid the crowds. Jesus is willing to go quietly, and keeps the disciples from fighting back. He is held while the high priest gathers his council. During it, there is some physical abuse by the guards and some taunting and one slapping of his face, but the Evangelists don't elaborate on this or draw it out. Then he is delivered to Pilate. Gibson changes the tenor of all these scenes, making them more dramatic, more violent, more frightening. He also adds scenes that contradict explicit statements in Scripture. According to John, the Jews refuse to enter the Praetorium. No Jew--not even a disciple--is depicted as present in the Praetorium. But Gibson has them there.

[Dog]

I will see it for myself and make my own judgement on it.

[Tempest]

One mans perceptions are not another mans. I say go see it for yourself and decide for yourself and let others do the same.

[dennisw]

The point here is this film will use modern film technique to make this film very bloody and realisticly so. Quentin Tarantino techniques to send it over the top. Clearly stamping it as a Hollywood production

This will accentuate emotions a lot more than the same film done 40 years ago without modern cinematic technology. Crudely put: Floggings, closeups of the nailing to the cross, scourging, crucifixion and other sufferings of Jesus can be and will be much more evocative than in older such films, than in passion plays done on stage in Europe.

[LS]

Don't know about that, but I do know about this:

"A Roman comes and orders them to stop: “You were ordered to punish him, not to scourge him to death.” This is but the first instance where Romans are depicted as having a conscience, or at least a limit to what they will inflict on a person."

It had nothing to do with conscience. A person who was (possibly) subject to crucifixion was NOT to be beaten to death before crucifixion; any soldier who did so took his place on the cross! In the case of Jesus, the soldiers did not know what Pilate's decision would be, therefore they dared not kill Jesus with the whip.

[Swede Girl]

From seeing the previews, it seems to me that the beatings were depicted as much more violent than what the Bible states. I guess there will be much discussion about this after the movie comes out.