Passion of the Christ, The  (2004)

Starring: James Caviezel, Maia Morgenstern, Monica Bellucci
Director: Mel Gibson

Rating: R

Studio: Newmarket Films

Release Date: 02.25.04

Review Posted: 03.03.04

Spoilers: None

By Christopher T. Bryan

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. For many it is known as a day of mourning, and this year it is also the opening of one of the most discussed movies in recent memory made by one of Hollywood’s A-list, Oscar-winning celebrities.

The movie referred to is, of course, The Passion of the Christ, directed by Mel Gibson. The film attempts to tell the story of the last days of Christ before his crucifixion. I say the film attempts to tell the story because with the media and debates surrounding this film it is difficult for the audience to focus on any story it may be telling without bringing a preconceived opinion of the work to cloud their judgment. Too often the public is told what to think without being allowed to come to terms with material themselves. With that I will try to look at Gibson’s film from a strictly critical point of view.

Gibson chose to forego the English language and shot The Passion in Aramaic, a decision that bodes well for Gibson’s primarily visual telling. Shooting the film in Aramaic not only gives the film further authenticity, it also frees the audience from sticky dialogue. The audience instead is completely focused on the screen: reading the subtitles and taking in Gibson’s vision.

His vision is not pleasant. He unblinkingly tells the story of Christ’s crucifixion, and he does not leave out a gory detail. The visuals are hard to take, but I couldn’t help thinking about primetime network television, such as the show Fear Factor, which regularly features people eating pig guts and live insects, or the wildly popular movie Hannibal where Lecter eats a live man’s brains from his head. The difference here is that Jesus is a figure that many hold close to their heart.

Gibson does offer some reprieve from the violence through flashbacks. One example occurs as Jesus is being marched through crowded streets carrying the cross and being whipped. Flashback to him entering Jerusalem, greeted by crowded streets, this time though the people hold palm fronds, not whips. The irony is obvious, in fact sometimes Gibson pounds us over the head with it and in one scene it is so overdone that it almost has an unintended comical effect.

The audience often takes on the perspective of the camera. As Jesus is whipped he stares into the camera, directly at the audience. The message is that he is going through this for the audience, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of guilt. The Passion gives new visual meaning to a story studied by many faiths, and this will make some uncomfortable.

The acting comes second to the message and the visuals. However, both James Caviezel (Jesus) and Maia Morgenstern (Mary) offer fantastic performances. I am sure this is not only due to their acting skills, but also the material being dealt with.  Maia is gut-wrenching as the mother who watches her son die.

Overall, this is a film that will spark discussion. It is a shame that conversation wasn’t ignited until after the public had a chance to view the film for themselves. If you can’t handle blood, violence, scenes of torture and death, then this is not a movie for you. This is Gibson’s baby, and as an artist he has shown us his take on a well-known story. If viewed with an open mind, The Passion of the Christ is a film that will inspire intellectual debates among intelligent people.

Film Rating: êêê  (out of 4)

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