THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST

Director: Mel Gibson (Braveheart, The Man Without a Face, you might know him as an actor ...)
Starring: James Caviezel, Maia Morganstern, Hristo Shopov, Hristo Jivkov, more

Mel Gibson's talk-show-fodder/religious-pain-spectacle was both more and much less than I hoped. More, in that it really was a beautifully shot, masterfully directed visual work of art. There were a few truly spectacular shots and a consistently high quality to the visuals throughout. There are better, more beautiful art movies each year, but this film will undoubtedly rate among the highest cadre in 2004. The film was also emotionally significant. I certainly felt a few crescendos of powerful emotional awareness on my part. Unfortunately, there were a number of negative aspects to the film as well. As a story, I didn't find it well constructed. Mel strangely focused (almost exclusively) on the pain and suffering of Jesus and gave mere lip service to the resurrection. You should note that the important Christian holiday is Easter, not Good Friday, and rightly so. The film really was barbarically intent on the pain. I could accept this if the pain was there for a reason within the story. I didn't find the reason. Also, I should note, the film was certainly anti-Semitic. I'm not convinced that it was designed as propaganda (that Mel himself meant for it to be an anti Jew film), but the results were there nonetheless. That's a dangerous and rather unnecessary place to go considering the story. In the end this is a movie of high highs, and low lows. I understand that it arouses some passion in our current society - in some ways unjustly, in others understandably. Regardless of those aspects, the film itself is notable, successful in many ways, but with major flaws nonetheless. The highs are high enough to warrant a good grade, however.

Standouts: Impressive emotional highs.
Blowouts: Blatant anti-semitism. Horribly messed up veil in the temple metaphor in bible. When Christ dies, the veil is torn in the temple. Therefore, people now have a direct connection with god. Mel ignored this metaphor and instead showed the temple cracking and demolishing. I.e. It looked like god hated the Jews and was showing how wrong they were. Blah blah blah.

Grade: A-