The artistry was wonderful; great acting and outstanding cinematography. But this film’s value is on a much more personal level. This film will enhance whatever faith or belief you bring into the theater.
Christians – at least this Christian – tend to have a sanitized version of Jesus, his birth, ministry and death. Especially his death. We know that “scourging” and “crucifixion” are brutal, but I always intellectualized these events. OK, he was whipped, a crown of thorns was put on his head and he was put on a cross, dying after a few hours and in his dying atoned for my sins.
This film puts into context and forces you to face the fact that his torture and execution were so brutal that modern man would turn away. The Passion shows the physical agony and actual torture Jesus offered himself up to so that we may, if we believe in him, can be cleansed of our sin. It forces you to look, and see the evil that is in man, what we are truly capable of when we let go. It brought into sharp focus the actual sacrifice that Jesus made for me. And in that sacrifice, the love he has for those who follow him.
Peace.
We anticipate seeing the movie again in addition to buying the DVD.
My friend began to feel faint and had to leave the theater before the crucifixion. It was very hard to watch the horrific treatment Jesus received, even knowing that it was an actor in makeup. I would never have missed seeing the film; it really brought home to me how horribly he suffered for us. The magnitude of his sacrifice has been diminished over the years, and words on a printed page just don't have the power of a screen portrayal. I am very grateful to Mel Gibson for having brought this to the screen.
I compare the movie to the attack on the World Trade Center. You can "know" that the towers were attacked, burned, and fell. You don't really understand what that means unless you've seen it. Probably more so for the people that were physically there that day.