The Passion of the Christ

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4 out of 10

This is Mel Gibson’s film about the death of Jesus, and a brutal death it is too. This is one of the most unrelentingly violent films I have ever seen. What respite there is comes in the form of brief scenes of Christ's life, but these are few and far between.

I don’t know who this is meant to appeal to. Most people I know (whether Christian or not) are not going to want to sit through what amounts to two hours of a man’s sustained torture in glorious Technicolor. At least I seriously hope they don't.

There is very little here for anyone familiar with even the most basic knowledge of Christianity. The great shame is that it is very well made, the performances are good, cinematography is amazing and it is a movie that raises issues that will make you think. You can't say that about too many films.

However, I didn't really know what the point of the movie was. The focus on the torture and brutality was at the expense of any background to Christ’s life. It left the film without any real plot. In the end it felt as if it is was me being tortured and I just wanted it to end.

Comments

Mal said…
Well, you've done nothing to make me change my mind on whether I want to see this film. Mel Gibson: nutjob, or what? Discuss.
10:15 pm
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