The Passion of the Christ

Renner's Rating:
Reel Critic Grade: A-
Running Time: 126 minutes
Rated: R

The message of Jesus Christ is love, forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life. He died on the cross to pay for our sins and become the way to a relationship with almighty God. Mel Gibson chose to tell only the second half of the story in his controversial film, The Passion of the Christ.

The Passion covers the last hours of Jesus’ life; the time between the Last Supper and his rising from the grave. It is an exceedingly graphic portrayal of the savagery heaped on Jesus leading up to his ultimate sacrifice for mankind.

For nearly two hours, we watch as Jesus is kicked, punched, scourged, flogged, flayed, whipped, spit on, insulted, tormented, and finally killed. Gibson’s intent was clear—to show the enormity of the suffering Jesus endured for each and every one of us. His hope, I believe, is that the film will force each movie patron to confront the person of Jesus and come to terms, individually, with who he is.

Does the film achieve its objective? For me, the answer is yes.....and no.

Believers, who know the life and teachings of Jesus, will find The Passion visually solidifies the core of their faith. It will be a grueling odyssey, filled with pain and emotion, but ultimately, the significance of Jesus’ actions will find new purchase in the soul.

Non-believers will have one of two reactions. Those who know something of Jesus’ back story and/or are seeking spiritual fulfillment, may be inspired to take the next step. However, those who know little or nothing about the most influential man in history will more likely find the film’s violence gratuitous and its significance lost.

From a filmmaking point of view, The Passion of the Christ fills just about every pew in the church. Writer/director Gibson knows what he wants from this film. The story and images are focused on the message he wants to send. Next to the significance of the death of Christ, the story element I was most moved by was the flashback to Jesus’ life showing him as a regular young man, who loved his mother, laughed and joked, and enjoyed the craft of carpentry. It poignantly showed Jesus was not only the Son of God, but also a person like you and me.

The acting in the film is interesting. Most of the characters are one dimensional; the weeping Mary’s (Maia Morgenstern and Monica Bellucci), the angry Caiaphas (Mattia Sbragia), the unsure Judas (Luca Lionello), the evil Satan (Rosalinda Celentano), etc… This isn’t a fault of the actors, but a limitation in the writing.

The two roles with more substance are Jim Caviezel’s Jesus and Hristo Shopov’s Pontius Pilate. Caviezel is a stand out for the physical difficulty of the role. He is able to draw us in with each grimace and scream of pain, so we feel what he feels. It’s a remarkable performance. Shopov, I thought, was fascinating to watch as his character wrestles with the dilemma of Jesus. He’s masterful as the conflicted Roman leader who longs to recognize veritas (truth).

The cinematography, helmed by Caleb Deschanel, is both spectacular and subdued. Indoors and in the Garden of Gethsemane, the film is rich, colorful, and vibrant, while the outside is drenched in drab hues and earth tones. It’s an interesting mix of images that works well as contrast to the story.

Maurizio Millenotti deserves mention for her costume design. From the shabby robes of the disciples, to the ornate ceremonial dress of the Jewish Sanhedrin, to the squeaky leather of the Roman’s, her costumes bring to life the time and the players.

The Passion has been a lightning rod for controversy, starting almost a year before its release. The main complaint centers on whether the film is anti-Semitic in it’s portrayal of the Jews role in the death of Christ. It is not. The Jews didn’t kill Jesus and neither did the Romans. Jesus’ sole purpose on this earth was to die for the sins of man. The destiny of Christ was going to be fulfilled—no matter what. Who the players were is unimportant and to focus on it is to miss the significance of the event. Sponge Bob Square Pants could have been in control and Jesus still would have died.

The bottom line is Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ is an experience. It’s a brutal, in-your-face, retelling of the greatest story ever told. And one thing is certain; you will have an encounter with the Christ and his passion. How will you respond?