When I saw first the film, I was alone with the DVD. I was prayerful and careful. I did not want any one else in my room. It was very, very painful. But I wanted to see it in a small dimension before viewing it on the big screen.
I would characterize it in one word: “(Too much) exaggerated”. Mel Gibson had an ideology behind his work, for which he used several sources. The movie, The Passion of the Christ, is too emotional, intense, frightening, disgusting, shocking. Some people may have been shocked or crying.
How does it compare to the Gospels? The movie begins in the garden of Gethsemane. Satan makes his appearance early, and plays a much larger role than that portrayed in the Gospels themselves. Even so, Gibson’s literal fulfillment of Genesis 3:15 is quite striking. The cinematography is exceptional, but disappears through the intensity of the drama portrayed. The dialog is spoken in the original languages of the time – Aramaic, Latin, and Hebrew – with English subtitles. Although the movie “officially” covers only the last 12 hours of the life of Jesus, viewers get a more complete picture of Jesus’ ministry and purpose – His passion – through flashbacks. For the Christian, the flashbacks are familiar stories from the New Testament that present the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus of Nazareth. Those unfamiliar with the New Testament may get somewhat lost during some of the flashbacks.
The scourging scene is the most emotional and most difficult to watch. Mel Gibson portrays the sadistic evil of the Roman penalizers in gruesome detail. The scene will make shivers run up and down your spine. At the end, there was blood everywhere. Even the religious leaders who wanted Jesus executed looked horrified at the degree of Roman cruelty.
Although Mel Gibson is a conservative Roman Catholic, The Passion of the Christ is quite true to the Gospel narrative, with little added tradition (with the exception of the wife of Pontius Pilate, and some other minor additions). The dialogue is almost word for word from the Gospels themselves. Mel Gibson has done an excellent job integrating the four Gospels into one coherent storyline that flows from beginning to end.
There are a few questions coming to our mind: Is The Passion of the Christ anti-Semitic? No! If anything, one would have to say that the film is anti-Roman.
Is the violence in the movie faithful to history?
A number of years ago, a medical doctor wrote an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association on the physical death of Jesus Christ. The article examined the historical practices of the Romans regarding crucifixion. All the practices mentioned in the Gospels were confirmed through the historical information available. Therefore, the violence, although extreme, is most likely an accurate portrayal of first century Roman criminal “justice.”
Who should see this movie?
I would recommend that every adult Christian see the movie, The Passion of the Christ. The movie brings the death of Jesus from the safe pages of Scripture and Theology to the reality of life. All the sanitized movies about Jesus and His death pale in comparison to the reality of the actual events, which are brought forth in vivid realism in The Passion. The movie isn’t easy to watch, but it will move you profoundly. When I watched the movie, the entire theater was absolutely silent at the end of the movie – one could hear the sound of air moving through the ventilation system. The Passion will give you a better appreciation of the real cost of redemption paid by God’s Son.
Should non-Christians or atheists see the movie? Even if you don’t believe in Jesus, the movie has some redeeming aspects for you. The cinematography is excellent, along with the sets, costumes, music. However, even if you think you can handle the violence, you will be disturbed by it. It is almost impossible not to become emotionally involved with the characters.
The movie is not suitable for young children. There were some children in the theater, who were terrified and crying during the movie. Some were drinking Pepsi.
Scribbling 