You have to admire Mel Gibson for the courage of his convictions, if nothing else. Few people would have had the gumption to make "The Passion of the Christ"--a harrowing violent, uncompromisingly religious reenactment of the arrest, condemnation, and crucifixion of Jesus. Yet make it he did, offering up not only one of the most controversial films in recent history, but also one of the hardest to critique.
There can be no denying that this is a powerful movie. Religious issues aside, it is hard to be unmoved by such an unflinching depiction of the depths to which humanity can sink when moved by mob rule, fear, or the simple indifference to--or worse, delight in--the pain of our fellow beings.
A more difficult question to answer is: how does "Passion of the Christ" stack up as a spiritual experience? Chances are, what you get out of this movie will depend on what you bring into it. If you're a Christian, than "Passion" provides a way to examine one of the primary tenets of your faith, although it may or may not renew that faith. If you're not, than Gibson probably won't change your mind, or even help you understand Christian doctrine.
From the cinematic perspective, "Passion" is very well done. Jim Caviezel is called upon to play what is arguably the most influential figure in human history, but he does not disappoint, gentle in moments of serene strength and captivating in his debasement. Gibson includes some nice character moments: the private agony of Jesus' mother Mary (Maia Morgenstern), a centurion's growing doubt of the justification of his actions, the journey of Simon of Cyrene (Jarreth Merz) as he first unwillingly, then bravely, helps Jesus bear the cross to Golgotha. The more supernatural aspects of the story (such as Jesus healing a man injured during his arrest) are handled in a nicely understated manner, and the production values are all top-notch.
What "Passion" misses is a sense of context, an appreciation of the events leading up to the Crucifixion. Jesus was certainly a martyr, but he was also a social reformer, a teacher, a healer, a friend to the disenfranchised and downtrodden of the world. He spoke out against the hypocrisy and semantics of the religious leaders of his day, and created controversy that unsettled the political officials--both sought to neutralize him as a result. And though Gibson shows some brief scenes of Jesus' ministry, a more thorough acknowledgment of it would have provided more depth to the story, and perhaps even quelled some of the accusations of anti-Semitism that have dogged the film.
A prayer in the Lutheran church calls Jesus "a sacrifice for sin and a model of the godly life." Both are instrumental in understanding who Jesus is as both a historic and religious figure. Gibson does an excellent job of showing how Jesus died, but one wishes he had spent a little more time on how he had lived.
There can be no denying that this is a powerful movie. Religious issues aside, it is hard to be unmoved by such an unflinching depiction of the depths to which humanity can sink when moved by mob rule, fear, or the simple indifference to--or worse, delight in--the pain of our fellow beings.
A more difficult question to answer is: how does "Passion of the Christ" stack up as a spiritual experience? Chances are, what you get out of this movie will depend on what you bring into it. If you're a Christian, than "Passion" provides a way to examine one of the primary tenets of your faith, although it may or may not renew that faith. If you're not, than Gibson probably won't change your mind, or even help you understand Christian doctrine.
From the cinematic perspective, "Passion" is very well done. Jim Caviezel is called upon to play what is arguably the most influential figure in human history, but he does not disappoint, gentle in moments of serene strength and captivating in his debasement. Gibson includes some nice character moments: the private agony of Jesus' mother Mary (Maia Morgenstern), a centurion's growing doubt of the justification of his actions, the journey of Simon of Cyrene (Jarreth Merz) as he first unwillingly, then bravely, helps Jesus bear the cross to Golgotha. The more supernatural aspects of the story (such as Jesus healing a man injured during his arrest) are handled in a nicely understated manner, and the production values are all top-notch.
What "Passion" misses is a sense of context, an appreciation of the events leading up to the Crucifixion. Jesus was certainly a martyr, but he was also a social reformer, a teacher, a healer, a friend to the disenfranchised and downtrodden of the world. He spoke out against the hypocrisy and semantics of the religious leaders of his day, and created controversy that unsettled the political officials--both sought to neutralize him as a result. And though Gibson shows some brief scenes of Jesus' ministry, a more thorough acknowledgment of it would have provided more depth to the story, and perhaps even quelled some of the accusations of anti-Semitism that have dogged the film.
A prayer in the Lutheran church calls Jesus "a sacrifice for sin and a model of the godly life." Both are instrumental in understanding who Jesus is as both a historic and religious figure. Gibson does an excellent job of showing how Jesus died, but one wishes he had spent a little more time on how he had lived.