What Other Critics Are Saying (about the "Passion of the Christ")

Newsday ^ | February 24, 2004 | staff

[DentsRun]

Here's a sampling of what some movie critics think about Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."

"Relentlessly savage, "The Passion" plays like the Gospel according to the Marquis de Sade." -- David Ansen, Newsweek

"A surprisingly violent narrative ... One of the cruelest movies in the history of cinema. ... a sickening death trip" -- David Denby, the New Yorker

"the audience profile for The Passion of the Christ is true believers with cast-iron stomachs... a religious splatter-art film" -- Richard Corliss, Time

"The bloodiest story ever told..." -- Peter Rainer, New York

"It's a very great film. It's the only religious film I've seen with the exception of "The Gospel According to Matthew" by Pasolini, that really seems to deal directly with what happened instead of with all kinds of sentimental eyes, cleaned up, post card versions of it." -- Roger Ebert, on his syndicated TV show "Ebert & Roeper"

[DestroytheDemocrats]

"I believe it will humble this frail Christian. And just perhaps my faith will be strengthened for it."

Knock yourself out. I am a Christian too and I am not going to see it.

[DestroytheDemocrats]

"It is interesting in reading the responses to this the number of "Christians" responding that they don't need to see the film to know ."

What is this thing with putting the word Christians in quotation marks? Are you saying that someone who won't go see a movie, a MOVIE mind you, is not a good Christian? That's absurd.

[beckett]

Wow is that true?

All true. Ebert started out in the 70s as a screenwriter for famed B movie producer Russ Meyers. He wrote the screenplay for a few softporn flicks, including those two. When work dried up for him as a screenwriter, he turned to work as a film critic and eventually landed a gig at the Chicago Sun-Times.

[Dialup Llama]

>Remember the Russian roulette scene from the Deer Hunter? What about all the violence in Good Fellas? THOSE are examples of violence because they were so realistic.

A number of people killed themselves imitating the Deer Hunter scene. Don't see masses of critics decrying the violence in that scene.

[Reactionary]

I think what the Leftists really fear are substantive works of art.

They produce garbage. They've saturated the culture with it.

Gibson is the enemy because he will show the power of Western civilization and, by extension, the meaningless nature of a popular culture created by Leftists.

[ImpBill]

Are you trying to pick a fight?

Move on as I won't pick up the bait.

Have a nice day.

[wardaddy]

I'm very suprised.

I would have sworn Ebert was Jewish.

Damn, what do I know?

[jwalsh07]

#38, Nice post IB.

[flying Elvis]

Look at the violent movies these guys gave high marks to:

David Ansen: "Any Given Sunday": [Stone's] most entertaining movie in years. He had no qualms about the violence in that one.
On "Kill Bill" Brilliant but shallow.

David Denby: On the opening scenes of "Saving Private Ryan:"one of the greatest, most appalling things ever done in movies.
He gave "Natural Born Killers" high marks.

Richard Corlis: He loved "The American President" You all should remember that homage to Clinton.
He gave "Kill Bill" an A+.
On "Natural Born Killers": "Explosive, delirious, daredevil fun!"

Peter Rainer of the New Yorker on "Kill Bill": "Heads are severed, arms lopped off, geysers of red spray the screen. And yet it’s all in (perverse) good fun.

Yup, no agendas here at all folks. (sarc)

[wardaddy]

The more this goes on the more I realize why I will go see this film:

Because Mel Gibson deserves our support if for no other reason than because of the enemies he has stirred up....the broad anti-Christian secular humanist-relativist-equivocating Left. They are the enemies of our faith and culture ....and largely our nation and way of life....and they have been hellbent on destroying our culture for over 30 years now and someone finally has the money and guts to challenge their cultural hegemony and they have unleashed their shrill hounds of protest. I love it, they are wounded and afraid obviously. It's about time.

The other reasons have become secondary for me....

[RightWingAtheist]

David Denby is a liberal puke. Ansen and Corliss also appear to be liberal, but are at least fine writers and insightful critics.

[wardaddy]

Bet they slathered over The Contender as well...

[RightWingAtheist]

I read critics, I don't listen to them. It doesn't matter to me whether or I disagree with a particular critic What matters to me is how well they are able to articulate themselves, explain why they did or didn't like a particular movie, and their ability to provide fresh and thoughtful insights. My own tastes in movies are pretty over the map anyways, so I can't trust any one critic.

[flying Elvis]

I was intent on seeing it anyway. The cacophany of the left has only steeled my resolve.

[scan58]

I'm not so sure I will watch all the torture scenes, myself, but I am going to the theater to see it in support of Mel Gibson even if I have to close my eyes through a large part of it.

[RightWingAtheist]

Reinhold TImme is not Ebert's real name; it is the pseudonym he used for Beneath the Valley of the Ultra Vixens. It would have been rather incongrous of him to use his real name on the film right after he won the Pulitzer.

[M1911A1]

Could not agree more. I may buy a ticket, and not see the film.

[fatima]

"Four of the five reviwers absolutely hated it". That's not what they said.

[wardaddy]

Amen...steeled resolve about sums it up.

[flying Elvis]

Great Profile. My wife and I too are foreign film geeks, though they are difficult to rent in Mississippi. If you haven't seen it already, I highly recommend the Japanese movie, "Shall We Dance." Great clean movie.