Posted on 02/24/2004 11:28:50 AM PST by Liz
All the world is waiting for the powerful message in Mel Gibson's ground-breaking film, The Passion of Christ.
Post here your own personal reactions after seeing the film set to open tomorrow, Ash Wednesday. Passion has previewed in some areas.
Also post reviews and pertinent comments from your state and area's newspapers and publications.
To address some of the criticisms... first, it IS graphic, and very, very intense. But the violence in the film serves a purpose. Growing up, the way the Passion is told to us, it's almost possible to believe that Christ just got a bum rap in court, carried a small crucifix in His hand while He hiked up a hill, then died peacefully in His sleep. You start to take on that "yeah, He died. Sad, really" attitude about it. Then, something like this awakens you to the suffering, the agony He went through to cleanse us of our sin. I read somewhere today someone writing "had He atually been tortured like that, He would have died long before He was crucified." It's important to remember He was not simply an ordinary man, and it was God's will that this take place exactly as it did. Every blow falls for a reason.
As for anti-semitism, there simply is none. None. True, the main "bad guy", if you will, is the lead Jew in the temple. But many Jews in the city are shown supporting Jesus. Saying that portraying a Jew as the villain here puts all Jews in a bad light is akin to saying Mussolini puts all Italians in a bad light, or Ted Kennedy puts all people from Massachusetts in a bad light. It's a stretch. In a city largely populated by Jews at that time, doesn't it make sense that the antagonists AND the protagonists are Jewish? To see this as anti-semitic is to WANT to find anti-semitism, in my view.
The theater wasn't sold out, but this was, oddly, the only show the entire day that didn't. It was on 10 screens at this complex alone, running constantly, and selling out. The theater was stone silent throughout the film, except for sniffles, and gasps. The gasps were odd, in that in a slasher film, you won't hear people gasp like that when a victim gets knifed. This, well... you knew it was coming, and still you wince. Very, very potently done, and once again a reminder of just what Christ went through. T'weren't a walk in the park, folks.
Lastly, the interspersing of the flashbacks was extremely well thought-out. Without them, I, too, may have been of the "wow, did Mel forget what this was all about and just go for the gore?" school of thought. With them, you understand that Jesus knew this was coming, He knew it was going to be agonizing, and yet He kept going, out of His love for us. That is the beauty of the story.
The attacks on the film by the leftist mainstream critics are predictable. Christ tells us there is such a thing as right and wrong. Leftists don't want to hear about "wrong", because they'd have to change a large percentage of their lifestyle. It struck me as I was watching this that leftists are the Romans of our day. They are the ones who see themselves as superior. They are the intelligentsia. They are the ones who, when their lifestyle is threatened, are quick to attack Jesus, attempting to drive Him out of public life in any way possible, ridicule His followers, and generally eliminate Him from society as we know it. I keep waiting for the first one to stand up and say "Truly He was the Son of God".
Anyway, sorry for the length. I'm wound up from the intensity of the film. See it. Your opinion will likely differ from mine, but see it. You won't regret the decision.
yep. I recognized a bit of the Latin from my high school days.
The subtitles weren't a problem for those of us who know the Gospels, so we knew what was being said much of the time.
Oh do, and if you are like me, you will then want to read almost everything else the man wrote. Thank you for your description of the portrayal. I knew I would see this film, after your description, I will see it tomorrow.
On their weekly film critique show last week, both Ebert and Roeper gave the film "two thumbs way up". Both stated they did not feel the movie was anti-Semitic.
From ChristianityToday.com: The Passion and Prejudice - Why I asked the Anti-Defamation League to give Mel Gibson a break - by Michael Medved, 02/24/04
Also check this site out: SeeThePassion.com - An independent website (and petition) supporting the movie, "The Passion".
For the past few days, I've been very excited about this movie, judging from all the hype. I've read about people leaving the theatre in tears, and crowds sitting in silence for 5 minutes after the movie was over. I've also read about people not being able to talk at all for 10 minutes to an hour after the movie. I have read that it's something you'll never forget.
About 3 hours before I left to go to the theatre, it dawned on me that I should probably take some of the hype with a grain of salt. So I did, and it was a good decision.
It was a pretty good movie.
Earth-shatteringly good? Perhaps.
Was I in a state of stunned silence for an hour after the movie was over? No.
Brought me to tears? No. I cry almost every time at the end of Rudy when the team carries him off the field. Especially if I've had a few beers. But this movie wasn't the kind that would make me cry. But that's just me.
It was a movie about the torture and crucifixion of Christ. That's what you should expect to see when you buy your ticket because that's exactly what you get.
The violence? If you've seen Saving Private Ryan or any slasher movie, you'll be fine. If you're one of those people that hasn't been to a movie theatre since 1976 and don't own a television, you may be a little shocked, but perhaps you should get out more often, too.
The acting, direction, cinematography, costumes, etc..... MASTERFUL.
Probably the best thing I liked about the film was the Good vs. Evil aspect. There is a Satan character in the movie, and Mel Gibson makes that quite obvious.
Also, the anti-Semitism hype we've all been hearing about. The Jewish leadership in the film is definately portrayed as the bad-guys. So after watching the movie, I can understand why the "anti-defamation" types are hysterical.
Star rating.. 5 stars being best , 1 being worst...
**** 4 stars out of 5.
Well folks, that's my amateur review. Take it for what it's worth. :)
It's right at 2 hours, but it goes by fast. There are no dull moments.
Yes. If you read the context, someone said that since actions speak louder than words why should Mel say anything about the Holocaust. My response is that if saying 6 million or so Jews were murdered in the Holocaust he could make a movie that says it. He knows how to make movies. It takes more effort to make a movie than stare in a camera in an interview and tell the American people the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. That can be a daunting challenge.
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