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The Passion of the Christ  (2004)  -R-

Directed by:  Mel Gibson

Written by:  Benedict Fitzgerald, Mel Gibson

Starring:  James Caviezel, Monica Bellucci, Claudia Gerini, Maia Morgenstern

April 25, 2004

The Bible—Gladiator Style

By J.D. Taylor

When watching a film like Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, inevitably a person’s own religious beliefs will come into play.  So I should start out by saying I’m an atheist.  I use reason to guide my life, rather than mysticism.  I believe man should hold himself up as the highest being possible, put his faith in himself, rather than some mystical being. 

But I am a film fanatic, and despite my religious beliefs, or lack thereof, I can still appreciate a well made film about Jesus or the Bible.  Since I believe the Bible is a fiction perpetrated by mankind, it’s just as good as any other made-up story.  Unfortunately, I do not appreciate a brutal depiction of and leading up to a man’s crucifixion, that’s both unbelievable and filmed with over-the-top techniques.

The Passion of the Christ takes place during the last 12 hours of Jesus’ life.  He is tempted by the devil, betrayed by Judas, tried by the Romans, tried by the Jewish hierarchy, nearly beaten to death, then by the Romans again, then beaten some more on his way to the crucifixion, and finally crucified. 

The one scene that is very pertinent, that I think explains best how religion can ruin society, is when mob justice chooses to let Barabbas go free over Jesus.  Barabbas is a known and convicted murderer, and Jesus just had ideas that challenged the church.  The mob, i.e. the people, society at large, would rather let a known murderer go free, than someone who challenged their ideas, who challenged their religion.  They chose mysticism over reason, and this idea is what is wrong with how religion was practiced back then, and today.

Look at the church’s reaction to priest molesting children.  Rather than punish the priests, give them up to the law—the reasonable result to atrocious unlawful, and immoral, behavior—there is a cover up by the Catholic Church to protect the priests.  The idea of the Catholic Church must be upheld at all costs over reason and accountability.         

The main problem with The Passion of the Christ is that it does not feel like the personal film Mel Gibson made it out to be.  Although I do respect that he filmed it in Aramaic, a dead language, the way Gibson filmed it feels very Hollywood.  A lot of the film techniques seem to be spawned from Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, and it makes you wonder if Gibson is just aiming for another Oscar (winning his first for Braveheart).  There’s entirely too much slow motion, and all the demon children made me think at points I was watching a horror film.  And then the actual constant torture of Jesus made me think the same thing.

This film is like The Faces of Death series, with its realistic-looking blood and torture.  At one point, we see Jesus’ ribs showing, he’s been beaten so badly.  No man could take that torture and stand up again, let alone carry a cross for a long stint, as Jesus does in this movie.  The torture he takes is just not believable.     

Mel Gibson mentioned on Jay Leno that there are plenty of films out there, like Kill Bill, that are more or just as violent.  But the difference is, most of the time, it’s not as realistic as The Passion, and not constant bloodletting and torture.  Kill Bill had lots of blood, but it is cartoonish, and Tarantino offset the violence with comedy.  Here with The Passion, once the torture starts, you’re forced to bear it for a good hour and half straight, with no break.  I consider myself pretty desensitized to violence, but I started to feel sick to my stomach after awhile. 

Mel Gibson certainly accomplished what he set out to.  After investing over $30 million of his own money, and going on an overexposed media blitz on every TV show possible, including an interview on 20/20 by Barbara Walters, The Passion of the Christ has earned over $360 million so far, domestic. 

Recommended Alternatives:  The Last Temptation of Christ; Braveheart