To begin this review, one must acknowledge that I was very hesitant at first to see The Passion of the Christ. After all, the film is littered with controversy from it being too anti-Semetic to the extensive overuse of violence by Mel Gibson. However, I had heard that in seeing the film many people were moved by its emotional spectrum and the extraordinary power of the story. As such, I decided to see The Passion and try to judge it as a film and not a source of controversy. After watching it, I have concluded that all the accusations against this film are totally false. Indeed, the film is littered with graphic violence especially in the scourging of Christ. However, it adds to the realism of the story and creates a powerful effect upon the audience. There are some sequences in which the violence is absolutely shocking and what you would like to do is just leap out of your seat and scream at the top of your lungs for it to stop. But that is what makes the film so powerful. Mel Gibson refuses to let you shy away from such reckless violence because it is based on actual fact. Jesus suffered beyond recognition and died on the cross for the salvation of our souls. Gibson's depiction of the last twelve hours of Christ's life is without a doubt the most graphic, the most violent and the most realistic interpretation of the Bible story ever put onto the big screen. It doesn't hold back anything and brings with it a feeling of extraordinary sorrow within you that you feel as if it is you getting beaten right there along with Jesus. Those who are Christian should be embracing the sheer magnificence of this film because it is the first film to actually TELL Christ's story without holding back anything. Gibson's film is the definition of everything we believe in and to disregard it as some piece mindless, violent and gory trash is ignorant and selfish of the audience. Those who are not Christian will discover a well-crafted, flawlessly directed masterpiece that should be recognized as one of the best films of the year. Indeed, when one sees this, one is not seeing just a film but is also seeing a work of art, a true masterpiece that will down in the annals of cinema history. In 50 years, it will be compared to the likes of Schindler's List and Lawrence of Arabia for its sheer pageantry and graphic nature. But for now, I would accept this film as a Best Picture nominee come next February. Oh, and Jim Caviezel's Christ is perhaps the single greatest performance I think I've ever seen since Robert De Niro as Jake La Motta in Raging Bull. Caviezel conveys to the audience everything that Gibson tries to present. He presents the pain and the suffering to an extent that the audience believes that he is Christ. Without that emotion, the film is nothing. Maia Morgenstern as Mary is wonderful and deserves a Best Supporting Actress nomination, as does Hristo Shopov in the Best Supporting Actor category as Pontius Pilate. But all this would have been impossible without the direction of Mel Gibson, a man who fought the controversy to create a film of sheer brilliance. Gibson deserves a Best Director nomination and should win. The cinematography by Caleb Deschanel and the music by John Debney are also magnificent. The Passion of the Christ is a visually dazzling, superior epic that is indeed one of this year's very best films and also one of the very best religious films ever made. Accolades to Mel Gibson for giving us this masterpiece.
Review of The Passion of the Christ
