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Well, I think it's about time that I put down some thoughts on The Passion of the Christ. Certainly, I was too overwhelmed right after I saw it to effectively communicate much of anything about it. Now, in addition to Dan's comments on the subject, I have a few of my own...
- To quantify this movie as “good“ or “the best I've seen“ or similar, is EXTREMELY difficult for me. While on one hand, I fully realize that this movie is Gibson's vision, based on various references and his own understanding of those references, in fact, most of the movie is accurate in many ways. Therefore, like other true depictions captured on celluloid, (i.e. documentaries), the elements of truth abstract it from subjective judgments. It's true whether it was good or bad, whether I enjoyed it or not, etc.
So, people ask, but did you like it? No, I didn't “like“ it. It was a brutal, emotional, gut-wrenching, humbling story that hit me at the very fiber of my being. Personally, it was torturous - albeit nothing like what Jesus endured. However, for those that just insist on an answer, it was a very well done movie that was at the same cinematic standard as all of today's mainstream movies. If you compare it to other “Christian“-themed movies, there's light years of difference.
- Gibson makes some interesting things happen in this movie. As Dan pointed out, the Satan character is wholly disturbing. Jesus is shown as the true human male that he is - joking with his mom, getting dirty while playing, taking pride in his work, etc. Mary was positioned and portrayed equally as Jesus' mother and a very identifiable “every mom“ character that would tear the hearts out of other mothers in the audience. I cannot tell you how many women I've heard say that they placed themselves in Mary's shoes and can't imagine what it would be like to watch their own sons experience what He did.
- Mary also delivered what I consider to be an Oscar-caliber performance. At times, I felt that she outshone Jesus' character. I would be shocked if she gets even a nomination due to the controversial and unwelcome subject, but I think she was incredible.
- I don't think this movie is the witnessing tool that most Christians thought or hoped it would be. For some, it's too graphic and they wouldn't get the Message delivered in the movie BECAUSE of the movie itself. It's also too incomplete. Certainly, the crux of Jesus' sacrifice is His death and resurrection. But it's also His humanity. He was the God-man; wholly God and wholly man at the same time. Not to mention His arrival to this world or the reason for it (the Fall of Man), in the first place.
- This movie is, however, a great conversation piece. Is it 100% Biblical? No. Is it even 100% documentable? No. Has it gotten people to talk about Christ and His sacrifice for us? You bet. If this movie only furthers discussions on the topic, it's a success. I don't agree with all of the depictions detailed in the movie, but that's OK because it is something that I can debate with my friends over lunch. If that movie begins a discussion that plants a seed that leads to his understanding and acceptance of Jesus Christ as his Saviour, then this movie has been used by God.
- Finally, this movie should shake every believer to their boots. On one hand, it's humbling to see what happened - what Christ physically endured in His sacrifice for us...ME! He had a Mom, “Dad“, brothers, friends, etc that He loved and love Him back. Plus, He endured and carried the weight of the world's sins on His back. It's this point that is particularly difficult for me. I had a difficult time watching parts of the movie. I did, but it was a matter of willpower. What was depicted, presumably what He endured physically was but a fraction of the pain and suffering that He triumphed against. He endured the pain, death, sin, separation from God...that's SO much more than most think about.
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