Week of real hatred: film critic suffers backlash to 'Passion' review

New York Daily News ^ | 2/29/04 | Jami Bernard

[Brian Mosely]

In 18 years as a professional movie critic, I've never gotten the response that I had this week to my one-star review of "The Passion of the Christ."

I knew the reaction would be hostile - movie critics routinely get hate mail, even one time for a review of "Bambi."

But, as they would say in an action movie of the kind Mel Gibson formerly made, this time, it's personal.

[don-o]

What interests me as a movie critic is the profusion of people who do not understand or care how to evaluate a movie.

What interests me is a movie critic who cannot lay aside an animus againt the subject matter to fairly evaluate a movie.

[Leroy S. Mort]

She says in her review:

Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" is the most virulently anti-Semitic movie made since the German propaganda films of World War II....
Religious intolerance has been used as an excuse for some of history's worst atrocities. "The Passion of the Christ" is a brutal, nasty film that demonizes Jews at an unfortunate time in history.

and then whines:

In 18 years as a professional movie critic, I've never gotten the response that I had this week to my one-star review of "The Passion of the Christ."

What did she expect?

[don-o]

Other critics who reviewed "The Passion" received similar hate mail, although Gene Seymour of Newsday told me he has yet to be called a "ho."

Now she gone and dissed the "ho's."

[chance33_98]

Is that monica's jealous sister?

[Rocko]

Ultimately, does it matter what Jami Bernard writes? In a hundred years Mel Gibson's work will be remembered; Jami Bernard's will not.

[Vision]

lololol

[kenth]

My main objection to "The Passion" is that Gibson has used the tools at his disposal to disguise sadism as piety. My tools, meanwhile, are words.

But it takes more words than there is commonly room for in a newspaper to encompass all the fine print. Otherwise, I would have cited Soviet theories of montage to explain how Gibson turned that despicable historical figure Pontius Pilate into a sympathetic character and the Jews into an undifferentiated, bloodthirsty mob.

Due to space limitations, film reviews are like compressed files. Not all readers are able to "unstuff" them.

It's such a shame that we aren't all as intelligent as she to be able to see through Gibson's use of film to lead us around emotionally. It is a shame too that the newspaper doesn't afford her enough space to be able to use enough small words that we could understand.

Never mind that she could have done this here instead of whining about her unaccepted criticism.

[equus]

It looks like a pretty reasonable essay to me. If Gibson has the freedom as a human being/artist to make exactly the movie he wants to, why shouldn't a critic/essayist have the freedom to say exactly what she thinks? Why is it called whining? It's a free country.

[Arkinsaw]

There is only one reason you give a movie of this quality 1 star and it has nothing to with art.

[SkyPilot]

According to this twisted logic, if I take issue with Gibson as a filmmaker, then I must be anti-Christian. If anything, I am anti-bad filmmaking. My main objection to "The Passion" is that Gibson has used the tools at his disposal to disguise sadism as piety. My tools, meanwhile, are words.

No comment necessary.

[equus]

What's wrong with her face? Three noses--one cyclopian eye? You want her to look like Charlize Theron or something? Post her picture but be sure to post your own, too! LOL.

[CaptainK]

Excellent point. It's making me rethink my reaction to the movie.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Yep.

[Spyder]

why shouldn't a critic/essayist have the freedom to say exactly what she thinks?

Amen! This thread alone proves her point - criticizing her looks as much as what she had to say. Debate the movie, disagree with her viewpoint, but what do her looks have to do with it?

[LowOiL]

There is only one reason you give a movie of this quality 1 star and it has nothing to with art.

Hammer, Nail, Head. Nutshell.

[b4its2late]

I would post it but I am HTML dyslexic.

All dyslexics of the world, UNTIE!

[b4its2late]

I knew the reaction would be hostile

And the dumb liberal still went with it......

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I sent her the following email after reading her review of Mel's film:

Greetings,
I read your review online and was compelled to respond to your question at the end;
"Whatever happened to the idea that the centerpiece of every major religion is love?"

Perhaps, for an answer, you should read the teachings of the Christ.

Last time I checked, Mel Gibson is not the centerpiece of Christianity and is not the person attributed with coining the phrase, "That which you do unto the least of my brothers, you do unto me."

[jeremiah]

I would be interested to see which movies she rates rather highly. I'll bet the violence in movies in "Kill Bill" were OK and great art, at least that is my opinion.

[Poincare]

Hey Jami,

Heat. Kitchen.

(Perhaps you're in the wrong profession?)