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.

[Rocko]

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.

It's unfortunate that your ability to quote Eisenstein cannot provide you with eyes, Ms. Bernard.

[Afronaut]

No Christian love here. This thread proves every word in her review as true.

"Many people mistake a movie for the actual subject"

Look at this thread. There is nothing resembling the love and teachings of Christ from these posts.

[Snuffington]

I think Ms. Bernard is fooling herself. Her film review takes up only a portion of her previous column. Knowingly or not, she insults various deeply held religious beliefs, and dismisses them in a particularly smarmy fasion.

Had she restrained her comments to the film, instead of making insinuations that the Gospel message is itself anti-Semitic, and suggesting Mel Gibson is crazy for holding beliefs that are very common among Christians, she's probably not be receiving such personal and hateful messages. In her insular little leftist world, she probably has very little understanding about authentic Christianity, so she didn't realize she was insulting a very wide audience, and not just Mr. Gibson.

[angkor]

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

Good point.

A bit of textual analysis reveals her actual ratings method:

"virulently anti-Semitic", "sanctimonious", "Is it anti-Semitic? Yes.", "Jews are vilified", "tortures the Jewish mobs heap upon his prisoner", "the hook nose of one bad Jewish character", "misappropriates an important line from the Jewish celebration of Pesach ...and slaps it onto a Christian context", "Jews accepting blame", "ghoulish mob of Jews", "a brutal, nasty film that demonizes Jews."

[Rocko]

You see anti-Semitism in this thread?

[MaryFromMichigan]

From her original review:

"No child should see this movie. Even adults are at risk. 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.....Is it historically accurate? Of course not....."

Liberal agenda propaganda...

[Enterprise]

You're right. Her looks have nothing to do with the article. Those who resort to attacking her looks have lost the argument by default.

[al_possum39]

.....to explain how Gibson turned that despicable historical figure Pontius Pilate into a sympathetic character and the Jews into an undifferentiated, bloodthirsty mob.

I haven't seen Mel's movie yet so my perceptions of Pilate and the Jewish religious elite have not been influenced by that movie.

I got the impression, from the Bible, that thousands of ordinary Jews came to hear Jesus preach while the religious elite hated him and sought to get rid of him one way or the other. I also got the impression , from the Bible, that Pilate was not keen on executing him. Maybe Mel just got the same impressions from the Bible that I got.

[Porterville]

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

Is that some kind of skill?

[freeangel]

The problem is that it is "hate mail", racist or bigoted when some do not agree with the views of libs. We are to agree to their view or be silent.

[RightOnline]

Know the type. Chunky, "educated" (read: "brainwashed") at some liberal college/university; can't get a date without buying one; sexually frustrated; obnoxious; just that much smarter than you and me; swears that Christians and other Conservatives are Neanderthals while she is of "the enlightened class". Can't get a real man to take care of her, so she expects Uncles Sam should assume the duties.

You know............the obnoxious fat chick you guys all ignored in class or at the bar.

[clyde260]

You CAN'T do that!!

I have high blood pressure, and right now my face is beet red from laughing so hard.

I'm in the back of my store, and if a customer ever heard me, they'd call an ambulance!

[OldFriend]

Are the comments on this thread about the woman's personal appearance any different than the attacks on Katherine Harris's personal appearance.

Have we become 'them' all in the name of Jesus Christ?

[Porterville]

You're right. Her looks have nothing to do with the article. Those who resort to attacking her looks have lost the argument by default.

I don't know, she is pretty slovenly looking.. I have a hard time taking advice or orders from slobs or those who disrespect themselves sooo much. How can a person with such obvious lack of self control with something as valuable as their life be taken seriously.... I certainly wouldn't want them organizing anything in my life.

[.38sw]

but what do her looks have to do with it?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. But making fun of her looks is much easier than actually critiquing the review.

[Porterville]

She is a Christian-Catholic bigot and is finding it out for the first time... I think it probably follows the path of a person discovering they are homosexual... first denial, then acceptance... etc, etc

[alnick]

No. Her appearance is IRRELEVANT. By trying to make an issue of what she looks like, you unwittingly prove her point.

She's wrong, so don't fall into the trap of making her appear credible.

[drjimmy]

Notice the liberal tactic of equating "disagreement" with "hate." Beyond pathetic.

I must have missed the "disagreement" in posts 2, 4, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, and 17, because all I read there is "hate." Sounds like you guys would be part of the screaming mob Mel depicts in his film

[Porterville]

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. But making fun of her looks is much easier than actually critiquing the review.

She is a slob, it has a lot to do with everything. Why do you think they make soldiers polish their boots and make their beds??? Because clean organization keeps operations efficient and minimizes mistakes. Slobs screw up everything.

[Darnright]

>"the hook nose of one bad Jewish character",

Is she referring to the man who played the Apostle Peter? Man, so she thinks he's a "bad" Jewish character?

Flawed like the rest of humanity? Certainly. Bad? I would hope not.

For the record, I found myself broken-hearted at Peter's torment. I saw no more "evil" in him, than I do in myself.