The Passion of the Christ

What’s the Story?

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST is writer/director Mel Gibson's interpretation of the last hours of the life of Jesus. It's neither fully history nor drama, though it has elements of both; rather, it's Gibson's personal, spiritual statement about the view that the suffering Jesus endured at the end of his life demonstrated his divinity and his sacrifice. The movie takes place almost entirely during the last 12 hours of Jesus' life. The characters speak in the languages of the time: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin (with English subtitles). Little effort is made to explain what happened before Jesus was captured in the Garden of Gethsemane, why his followers were so loyal, why his accusers were so threatened, or who all of the characters are and how they relate to each other. For that reason, the movie will be most appreciated by those who are already familiar with the Gospels or as a starting point for those who want to learn more.

Is It Any Good?

The Passion of the Christ is the prayer of a gifted filmmaker, but it's also a narrow and harrowing perspective on a story that, no matter what your faith, is bigger than any attempt to portray on film. As a movie, it's a respectful and reverent treatment of a story that has probably been more influential than any other in the history of the world. It has moments of great power, extraordinary cinematography, and some stunning images. But it doesn't give those unfamiliar with the details or significance of the story enough of an understanding of Jesus and the other characters to convey all that it hopes to. Some of the scenes are particularly awkward, while others seem overwrought without the missing context. The violence is intended to be upsetting, and it is -- it's extensive, detailed, and literally painful to watch.

The movie is also controversial to some in its portrayal of the Jewish elders who ordered the capture of Jesus and urged Pontius Pilate to sentence him to death. But while some viewers may choose to interpret the movie to support their views, there's nothing here to suggest that it's in any way intended to explicitly or implicitly connect the Jewish people as a whole to the death of Christ. The Jewish elders are a small group of powerful people who feel threatened by someone who doesn't support them; other Jews in the story are very positively portrayed, including Jesus, his followers, and the people who help him on the way to the crucifixion, especially Simon. The characters who come off the worst are the Roman soldiers, who laugh and taunt Jesus as they beat him and gamble for his robe while they wait for him to die. Ultimately, each member of the audience will have to evaluate the movie as a whole as an affirmation of faith or as an invitation to those who are still searching.