FR MOVIE REVUE: THE PASSION OF CHRIST (post your comments here)

2/24/04 | FR MOVIE REVIEWERS

[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.

[docmcb]

The problem in portraying Christ either in words or visually is that He was completely man and also simultaneously completely God -- we believe that without understanding it. Any portrayal is going to be hard put to balance those two incompatible natures. I think visual images do tend to emphasize Jesus' humanity; how could it not be so? We can't make an image of God and the Second Commandment forbids us to try. Gibson's Christ is very human. But there are some moments when he seems Very God of Very God, also. For me the most Godlike moment is when Jesus has been whipped to the ground and stands back up, as the disbelieving Romans stare -- and then switch to the more vicious whips and batter Him down again. That's the whole Passion in a nutshell; He chose to be there, He chose to suffer, and He chose that the suffering be the worst possible. His pain, our gain, as they say.

[Guenevere]

bttt

[cpprfld]

I went last night to the 10:00 show. I thought that it was one of the most powerful movies that I have ever seen. The one thing that amazed me was the age range of people that went to the movie. I thought that it would be attended mostly by middle age and older people, I was wrong. Most of the people that I saw there were my age, and that gave me hope, because I have always felt like an outcast because of my religious beliefs.

[CobaltBlue]

It's the Stations of the Cross, including some that were used centuries ago but fallen into disuse because they took place off the Via Dolorosa. Starts with the betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemene and goes on from there.

Praying the Stations of the Cross is something Catholics do during Lent, so the movie is clearly intended to encourage prayer and meditation by giving a visual representation of the events.

Some flashbacks to better times, but mostly the events of Good Friday.

That's what it's about.

If you want something else, you're right, go elsewhere.

If you want to learn more about Jesus' life, it's not a bad place to start.

[Ronzo]

Check out this article about Mary from the online Catholic encylopedia:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15464b.htm

A lot of legends surround the life and times of Mary after the death of Jesus, but there's no historical record of any repute that tells us anything.

[sweet_diane]

"To wit, the only non-Christians in our group - my daughters two 17 year old girlfriends - were sobbing through most of the movie."

I am reminded of being their age and seeing Jesus Christ Superstar (not a likely evangelistic tool) and weeping at the 40 lashes. I had grown up going to Sunday School yet had no clue of the events leading up to Christ's death. I glued alot of cut out pictures to popcicle sticks, yet I never had even heard of Herod and the only thing I knew of Pontius Pilate was his name was in the Apostle's Creed.

That was when a flame ignited in me to seek Him. Those girls hearts were weeping in hunger having caught a glimpse of the feast!

[keats5]

You're right. I never saw it that way before, but only Jewish Priests (Levis) could offer sacrifices for the atonement of sins. So to perfect the sacrifical lamb tradition as metaphorical prophecy, it would have to be the Jewish Priests who offer up Jesus for the final and perfect sacrifice.

Thanks for the insight.

[Liz]

Looking at the TV news segments, it seems a predominace of attendees were is that age bracket. Shows the hunger for spirituality out there. You have plenty of company. Our secularized culture has failed too many of us.

[Dante3]

You are right. This was published in The Washington Times, Feb. 25:

In the role of a lifetime . . . Jim Caviezel had to endure some suffering of his own.

Of course, it couldn't compare to the real thing, but Mr. Caviezel racked up an impressive array of bodily injuries: He was accidenally struck during a scourging scene; suffered a separated shoulder carrying the cross; was struck by lightning.

Hypothermia was a continual threat as he hung on a cross, wearing only a loincloth during winter weather. He got a lung infection, then pneumonia.

And those were just the accidents. There was the script too.

"For day after day of filming, I was spat upon, beaten up, flaggellated and forced to carry a heavy cross on my back in the freezing cold," Mr. Caviezel told the Calagary Herald. "It was a brutal experience, almost beyond description. But I consider it all worth it to play this role."

[keats5]

"I want to go alone to see it."

Good luck being alone in that theater! I went "alone," because I stayed home with my little girl when the rest of the family first saw the movie. I sat with a bunch of other lone women, and by the end of the movie we were all sharing tears and tissues.

[time4good]

"I saw nothing but love in this movie. "

That's the way I described it to someone today. The word just came out. Also - PERSONAL.

[commish]

Official First day numbers are in!

PASSION OF THE CHRIST sets ALLTIME Midweek opening for a non summer/Holiday Movie!

$26,556,573

CONGRATS MEL!!! YOU HAVE A MEGAHIT!

[Liz]

I'm an atheist... I came away ashamed, of myself, of man, and of the inhumanity committed by pure evil. I cried throughout and am now thinking it through, I had to confront my beliefs, and found them lacking.

The devil taunts people making them question themselves, hoping they'll turn to him ,rather than to God, for solace.

Mel said he was inspired by CS Lewis' book the Screwtape Letters in his depiciton of evil througout the film.

These were excellent plot devices employed to reinforce the many mutations of evil. ....The classic ugliness of the satanic image after Judas betrays Jesus. ....The soft, enticing voice of the androgynous being tempting Christ in the Garden we then see with a maggot emerging from its nostril. ....The scene with evil moving effortlessly and silently among the crowd. ....And the scene with the satanic “baby" caressing its "mother" was truly unnerving. If you haven't already read it, get a copy of TSL....Barnes and Noble has copies for $3.00. I buy several copies at a time and hand them out to friends in time of need.

[docmcb]

"The scene with Simon were amazing. Perhaps the most amazing was after Jesus fell the second time, Simon helps him back up, encouraging him to go forward, telling him that he's almost there, that he can make it. I found myself "rooting" for Christ not to give up, to continue and then it hit me that he was only going forward to his own death; but then I realized that this was the whole point."

For me also the interaction between Jesus and Simon was powerful, but I saw it differently. I saw Jesus helping Simon help Jesus carry the cross. And when Jesus' arm wraps over Simon's as they're carrying, I lost it (again).

[keats5]

"But, I am still wrestling with the whole good v. evil thing in regard to the High Priests. Weren't the priests doing what they were required to do? Priests were the ones ordained by God to carry out blood sacrifices. Jesus had to died, there wasn't an alternative."

I have the same problems with Judas.

[Liz]

Fantastico. Thanks for posting.

The three-day take is estimated at around $50 million.

Probably will be more as The Word spreads.

[docmcb]

You are perfectly correct that Judas and the high priests (and Pilate et al)were carrying out their parts in God's plan. I imagine that's one reason (among many) for Jesus to ask God to forgive them -- they don't know what they're doing. It's also why we're all to blame and all forgiven.

[over3Owithabrain]

And the secularists are doing all they can to talk people out of seeing this movie. They do not want this film to be one of the all-time blockbusters.

[commish]

Not only did Passion smash the midweek opening but look at these numbers Per Screen :

Box office Mojo now has Passion at $26,556,573

Passion opened at 3006 theaters and 4600 screens. Spiderman opened on a FRIDAY at 3700 theaters on 7500 screens.

$26,000,000 / 4600 = $5652 per screen on a WED

$43,000,000 / 7500 = $5733 per screen on a FRIDAY

IOW, PASSION OF THE CHRIST took in the same PER SCREEN amount as Spiderman, and it did it on a week day!

EAT THAT HOLLYWIERD!!!!!!!

[SoDak]

Yes, the imagery of mother and infant, and mother and man. It was very powerful.