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With
a passionate zeal and the budget to back it, actor/director/staunch
Catholic Mel Gibson has created a religious epic which is equally
unique, inspirational, and repellent. With the script drawn from
several sources (most notably the Gnostic Gospels of the New Testament)
and all of the films dialogue in ancient Aramaic, Latin, and Hebrew,
Gibson has put together a film which upholds the vigour of his faith
in every frame.
The Passion of the Christ focuses on the last 12 hours in
the life of Jesus Christ (Jim Caviezel), where he was betrayed by
his apostle Judas (Luca Lionello), persecuted by the elders of the
Jewish temple who viewed him as a blasphemer and false messiah,
and brutally punished by the Romans. Along the way, Christ must
resist the temptation of salvation by the hands of Satan (Rosalinda
Celentano.)
Brief interludes show glimpses of a charming, charismatic and sweet
natured man destined for great things, and is a breather from the
violence as the viewer witnesses Christ being taunted, spat on,
punched, scourged to a bloody pulp, and then crucified. The most
brutal portrayal of Roman punishment thus far seen on film, the
scourging scene has to be one of the most savage and bloody sequences
in motion picture history: these are not your average love taps
seen in most films based on Jesus' life and death, with the combination
of great make up and sound effects (along with Jim Caviezel's realistic
reactions) effectively portraying the pain and anguish Christ went
through. Yet one can't help but feel that Gibson over steps his
bounds.
His approach to violence is understandable. With Quentin Tarantino
cutting off ears in Reservoir
Dogs, Martin Scorsese popping eyeballs out of
their sockets in Casino, and Steven Spielberg laying
waste to a battalion with ferocious intensity in Saving Private
Ryan, Gibson must match the over abundance of movie violence
to effectively move his audience. Yet in doing so he over steps
his intentions of showing how Christ died for our sins, leaning
more towards shock and awe, rather then awe inspiring.
Another controversial point is the accusations of anti-Semitism
thrown towards the film which are baseless and a senseless over
reaction. It is an odd accusation, as it is clear that both the
accusers and the accused (namely Jesus) are Jewish. Perhaps it had
more to do with the Holocaust denial ramblings of Gibson's father,
or that it is very rare to have the Jewish people portrayed as instigators
rather than purely as victims within popular culture, that warranted
such a reaction from the majority of the Jewish community. However,
regardless of what underlying motives said community had towards
Gibson and his faith, The Passion of the Christ is no more
anti-Semitic than it is a snapshot of Roman occupation in Jerusalem
during a time of ultra religious sensitivities which caused Jesus
to be punished.
The cinematography by Caleb Deschanel is exquisite, from the blue
moonlight fog of the films opening scenes to the Stations of the
Cross sequence, where he and Gibson drew inspiration from the works
of Caravaggio. The set design is magnificent, as the films Italian
locales are impressively transformed into Roman occupied Jerusalem,
and composer John Debney provides a moody and atmospheric score.
The acting on hand is exceptional. Jim Caviezel magnificently portrays
Christ, displaying a strong wisdom and the keen physical prowess
needed to tackle the films extensive physical demands, and Romanian
actress Maia Morgensten gives a heart wrenching portrayal of Mother
Mary. In a piece of excellent stunt casting, Italian model/actress
Rosalinda Celentano is effectively creepy as the Devil, which brings
us to an oft overlooked fact that - thanks to its copious blood
letting and various supernatural themes - The Passion of the
Christ is indeed an genuinely effective horror film.
Not your average Good Friday afternoon movie, The Passion of
the Christ is an unsettling and overwhelming film experience.
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