[wimpycat]

Though it may sound odd, I wondered if at some time all of us haven't had a little of Peter and even Judas in us at some time or another. Peter in that we run or shy away from from publicly acknowledging Him regardless of the cost to us. Judas in that we betray Him in our actions/words towards others. Maybe even some of the "religious order" in us in that we accuse or judge others with our prideful theology. I don't know, maybe I am internalizing something in myself.

That's what the critics missed. That's what I saw. I just got back about an hour ago from seeing the film. It's the universality of humanity, and inhumanity. We see ourselves, or people we know, in every one of the "players", if you will. Simon of Cyrene is far and away the one (besides Jesus, Mary and Mary Magdalene) I liked the most. Not that I'm like him. But there are Simons of Cyrene everywhere. Although he was obviously known to the apostles by the time the Gospels were written, it's certainly within the realm of educated speculation that they knew him only after this happened. Mel Gibson has him as just some guy, probably in town for the Passover, who was picked at random to carry the cross, and who is very reluctant to "get involved". He doesn't want to do it. He's safe in his own little world. But he does get involved. He has mercy. He has pity.

[PleaseNoMore]

I agree. I want to add that I did not expect this film to be so "personal" thus my feeling that what I experienced may have been "odd".