Coming to us in a blaze of controversy, The Passion Of The Christ may be, and is, a lot of things. But one of these things is not boring.
You're familliar with the story. Suffice to say, this version is drenched in gallons of blood and features some of the most disturbing looking children you will ever see. However, this is probably the movie's main downfall. By the time we get to the crucifixion seen, it is fair to say that the novelty of the ultraviolence wears off. The violence has lost it's effect leading to the most important message of the film being drowned out in a sea of monotony.
The film's failures don't end there. While the director of photography has done a very fine job with the visuals, it seems that they belong to a different movie altogether. The cinematography is always clean, crisp and beautiful. This grates with the extreme violence we are shown, and seems to undermine the darkness of the film.
The cast is decent, with Jim Calvaziel making a particularly striking impression. The direction is brilliant at times (the flogging scene is hugely powerful, as is the use of flashback), heavy handed at others. The repeated use of slow motion and choir-like music is massively irritating. It's almost as if Gibson thinks the audience needs to be reminded the fact this is story is Important.
However there are two massively objectionable things in the movie. The first is the depiction of the Jewish authorities, who unlike all any of the characters in the film (with the exception of the devil) are seen to be pure, almost the eptiome of, evil. The other, is the heavyhanded treatment of the "end" of the story, where Mel Gibson employs cliche so pretentiously, only a religious film could get away with it. The last shot of the movie reminded me of a bad superhero film.
The Passion is brave, beautiful and memorable, but fatally flawed. Despite the performances and a couple of superb scenes, this film comes across as monotonous and empty. The spiritual message seems to have been sacrificed in order for a level of violence so excessive, it makes Death Wish seem understated.
You're familliar with the story. Suffice to say, this version is drenched in gallons of blood and features some of the most disturbing looking children you will ever see. However, this is probably the movie's main downfall. By the time we get to the crucifixion seen, it is fair to say that the novelty of the ultraviolence wears off. The violence has lost it's effect leading to the most important message of the film being drowned out in a sea of monotony.
The film's failures don't end there. While the director of photography has done a very fine job with the visuals, it seems that they belong to a different movie altogether. The cinematography is always clean, crisp and beautiful. This grates with the extreme violence we are shown, and seems to undermine the darkness of the film.
The cast is decent, with Jim Calvaziel making a particularly striking impression. The direction is brilliant at times (the flogging scene is hugely powerful, as is the use of flashback), heavy handed at others. The repeated use of slow motion and choir-like music is massively irritating. It's almost as if Gibson thinks the audience needs to be reminded the fact this is story is Important.
However there are two massively objectionable things in the movie. The first is the depiction of the Jewish authorities, who unlike all any of the characters in the film (with the exception of the devil) are seen to be pure, almost the eptiome of, evil. The other, is the heavyhanded treatment of the "end" of the story, where Mel Gibson employs cliche so pretentiously, only a religious film could get away with it. The last shot of the movie reminded me of a bad superhero film.
The Passion is brave, beautiful and memorable, but fatally flawed. Despite the performances and a couple of superb scenes, this film comes across as monotonous and empty. The spiritual message seems to have been sacrificed in order for a level of violence so excessive, it makes Death Wish seem understated.