Rating: 
Summary: "What Is Truth?" Pilate cynically asked
Review: Although I will never watch it again, I was glad that I went to see this powerful movie. It accurately portrays Jesus' last tortured hours on planet earth. I give kudos to Gibson, who was brave enough to finance this movie himself, amidst much controversy. I would encourage all to watch this movie, at least one time, to understand why throughout the ages, thousands have been willing to die for their belief in a man called Jesus Christ.
Yes, this movie is violent, but this world is violent, and Jesus did not come to escape the realities of this world, but to share in our sufferings.
Rating: 
Summary: Gibson's grievous fault
Review: From a purely literary viewpoint, the trial and execution of Christ is one of the most powerful stories ever told. But in Mel Gibson's new film "The Passion of the Christ" the fine drama is turned into coarse melodrama, as Gibson concentrates on flaying, blood-flying violence, the kind that appeals to the same people who flock to slasher movies. In fact, there may be those eagerly awaiting "The Passion of the Christ 2: Peter Gets His". Of course, there is violence in classic art. The Christian iconography of the Renaissance has canvas after canvas of whippings and nailings; but those images are static and stylized, not the graphic naturalism of motion pictures. Speaking of which: Gibson, in promoting the movie, has emphasized how realistic his picture is, an oblique put-down of the Biblical epics of he Fifties and Sixties. Granted, many of those productions were artificial and sometimes not even very entertaining. (At the risk of being hunted down by the NRA, I must admit I think "Ben Hur" is about 45 minutes too long.) But the fact is "The Passion of the Christ" possesses the same artificialities as those old films -- presenting, for instance, a tall and handsome Jesus. There is a very strong likelihood that the historical Jesus looked more like Woody Allen than Jeffrey Hunter, but Gibson's realism evidently didn't extend into casting. There are also some unfortunate lapses into what can kindly be called poetic license, including a sit-comish flashback where Mary is confused by a modern table constructed by her smart carpenter son. I'm giving the picture two stars, one for the cast's restrained ensemble acting and one for the superb photography of Caleb Deschanel. As for the movie itself, simplistic and sensationalistic, I don't think it's at all what Matthew, Mark, Luke and John had in mind.
Rating:
Summary: Great Christian Film: No Longer an Oxymoron
Review: How does one address a movie like The Passion...? So much controversy, so much blood, so much potential to both inspire and offend, yet which has become the highest grossing R-rated movie in history... To discuss a movie such as this is to attempt to walk across hot coals without getting burned.I've always loved an intellectual challenge. The Passion of the Christ is Mel Gibson's love letter to Jesus, taking the familiar Biblical tale and spelling out everything that was previously just a vague statement. Many have criticized it for it's violence, saying that it was a movie Mel made only for himself. They seem to forget that the best art was made only for the artist. And, considering this was made for The Artist, that sets it up to an even higher standard. And, on whatever level you see it, it's quite a piece of filmmaking. Gibson certainly knows how to make a wonderfully detailed, dramatic historical film, no matter what your faith, and knows how to draw out the tension in every moment. Every craftsman, from composer John Debney to cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, is at the top of their game, and Gibson's use of slow-motion makes sure you feel the wieght of every blow. Whether the film as a whole is lacking in dramatic weight depends entirely on how well you understand the story behind the story. The Biblical crucifiction is more than simply a man being beaten and killed. It is God fulfilling a mission, while facing direct opposition from all evil. An early subtitle explains that Jesus' mission was to die for all mankind, bearing the punishment for the sins of all. No easy task. The point is driven home by Satan, envisioned by Gibson as a strangely appealing, albino, androgynous type. Indeed, Satan is onhand throughout the movie, every time that it gets to be difficult. Jesus' mother, Mary, even asks when He will choose to be delivered. That's the point of the movie: will He give in? Will it be so bad that He will turn His back on His mission? The death isn't the end: it's a tragic victory.(...) Again, that all depends on what you take in.(...) Those who truly understand the depth of the movie, though, may be inspired to hug the next Jewish person they see. I'm not saying that there isn't evidence there. Caiaphus is indeed portrayed as a tooth-gnashing villain type. (For that reason, and that reason alone, I deduct half a star.) But many more Jews stand by Jesus' side when He needs them most. There is no blanket Jew-bashing going on here. Simply Sanhidren bashing. Is it a life-changing experience? Well, I can't speak for everyone, but it most definitely worked in me. Either way, love it or hate it, you'll be talking about it for a long tim after you leave the theater. And that's what a great movie is supposed to do.
Rating:
Summary: Compelling and powerful
Review: I have always enjoyed biblical movies; The Ten Commandments, David and Goliath and so on. This new movie by Mel Gibson is excellent! So realistic! Somewhat like the great film, The Titanic, I felt like I was experiencing this in real time and witnessessing it for myself. Producers and directors deserve great credit for a real masterpiece of work. As for the controversy, a lot of people get unnerved when a movie is made about Christ. But as others have stated, this is only a movie, a very good one, but only a movie. It is not scripture, although it does bring scripture to life. I highly recommend the movie and glad to see that Mel Gibson is prooving himself as a director/producer, very successful at that. Mr. Gibson went out on a limb to produce this and show us his passion. Great job Mel!
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Summary: Praise God! For He is Risen!
Review: I have been a Christian since I was 7 yrs old, however I like many strayed from Gods chosen path. When I saw this movie I was not only moved to tears but found my life changing in the most wonderful of ways! I prayed for forgiveness of my sins again because all of what Jesus endured, he endured for us. He didn't have to, ya know? And I now have the blessed assurance that I will go to Heaven! Amen! This movie is very graphic but the graphics are uterly necessary if we are to grasp the truth of what Christ endured for all of us. I hope that you will see this film and that Christ's journey will have a profound impact in your life as well! God Bless!
Rating: 
Summary: A Review
Review: I love movies that guilt trip you into believing in religion. The book was way better, even though it's overrated too. Overall I think this movie is the equivalent to toilet paper. This movie made me believe in Santa Claus more than Jesus. F
Rating:
Summary: A review of the Passion of the Christ
Review: I was very disappointed with the DVD version of "Passion of the Christ". I saw the movie when it was first released last year. The acting, the music, the use of Aramaic/Hebrew/Latin in the film with the English subtitles, were all superb.
Enter the DVD version. The cinema and actors of course are great, but there is a narrator giving me a blow by blow (pun intended) running commentary of what I am watching on the screen, and another one reading the English subtiltles to me. The whole mood and atmosphere of the original movie is totally lost, and it seems to detract somewhat from the superb acting. It's as though someone decided they were going to make a movie for the blind.
Save your money on this DVD and buy The Book. Then you can read the original accounts by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Rating:
Summary: ....Is it possible for a film to change your life?
Review: I would caveat my review with the fact that I am not a church-goer, nor have I ever taken the time to read the bible (as yet). I am however, a believer of Christ. I had heard about the film at the same time I also heard about the anti-semetic tags that were being pronouned on its director and determined to judge for myself, I went to see it. The cinema was full and I sat down a mix of nervous anticipation and the feeling what I can only describe as "voyeristic guilt" swept over me.. (I won't waste your time by detailing elements of the film - there are enough synopsis-laden reviews present..) The film to be frank, is unrelenting and contains some of the most brutal violence likely to be ever shown on screen. However, it is entirely because of this that "The Passion" is so totally compelling.. Mel Gibson's direction at times has been to throw the camera right in the midst of the torture; basically where you would least prefer to look if you were given a choice. In doing this, you are conciously reminded that the beatings, the flagilation and ultimately the cruxifiction are not areas to be shyed away - there is no luxery of choice in watching this film.. Despite the unrelenting bloodiness, "The Passion" also captures a quiet tenderness within the flashback sequences.. The flashbacks between a young Jesus and his mother Mary are only for a few minutes, but they provide a massive understanding towards Mary's struggle to find and comfort her dying son. In its finality people can mock the film, asking "where's the laughs"... or people can question the religous continuity within the Bible. I am not here to do that. I am thankful that such a masterpiece has been made that has given me the understanding of Jesus and how he died without forcing its own opinion down my throat.
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece of religious art - simply unforgettable
Review: If you've been living under a rock for the past, oh, year or so, I might as well inform you that the most controversial movie in years has been released into theaters. And this isn't Bernardo Bertolucci controversy; this isn't even D.W. Griffith controversy; this is first-rate, full-blown religious controversy, and it's done nothing but cling to every mention of director Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. Turn on the television and they're talking about it, get in any gathering of people and it comes up, open any entertainment magazine and it's front-page news. But now it's February 25, Ash Wednesday nearly two-thousand years after the event depicted in the film occurred, and the movie has hit screens. I had the opportunity to see the film earlier this evening and see how all the criticism and controversy I've heard and read stands up. Well, as you'll read, that unjust criticism of anti-semitism, too-graphic violence, and spiritual insignificance tumbles like a man beneath a cross, and Gibson's ferocious, passionate film triumphs like the Savior from a tomb. In this review, I'll try not to give away why Gibson's film is set apart from other run-of-the-mill Biblical films; you can see it for yourself. But I do want to convey why The Passion ranks as one of the most important cinematic experiences I have ever had.
Like any great epic, the first thing that stands out is how visually striking the movie is, and The Passion of the Christ is no exception. The camera trails gently through the garden, and we see Jesus. Except, this is not the mechanical, puppeteer Jesus of so many other passion plays this is a man who knows what lies before him. A man who knows the kind of responsibility he has. A man who, despite being scared out of his mind, knows that he can take the challenge. Jesus, played with grace and utter devotion by Jim Caviezel, is the human that many other narratives seem to leave out. I found myself amazed at Gibson's choice to show not doubt, but simply fear - something that would come to any man who had to endure what Jesus does in the next two hours of the film. The scenes in which Jesus is brought before the high priest Caiaphus have brought accusations of anti-semitism to the film, but anti-semitism was the last thing that came to my mind as various people stood before Him and ranted that He was nothing more than a crazy blasphemer that encouraged the drinking of His blood and the disobedience of Jewish customs. Well, to the leaders of the Jewish faith, that's what Jesus was - He was a man who went against their establishment and they found nothing more suitable than to have his life taken for it. In placid flashbacks that gorgeously contrast with the escalating violence of the proceedings, we see Jesus encouraging his disciples to love one another and even hate those that persecute them. That went against the teachings of the Pharisees, but it certainly has made the world a better place today. Gibson's film separates Jew-hating from people-loving, the notion that the film truly embraces. Not much time is wasted before the film launches into some of the most stomach-churning, brutal violence ever committed to mainstream cinema. In a brutal scourging sequence, we see pieces of Jesus' skin flayed off as multiple Roman soldiers pound him to within an inch of his life. The long, arduous trek to Golgotha features lashes with whips among other forms of physical torture. Before seeing the film, I was worried that accusations that the violence detracts from the film's spiritual meaning would ring true. It doesn't - the suffering of Christ depicted in the film produces not a feeling of pointless blood-spattering, but divine sacrifice. Jesus is shown as a man who was sent to spread a message of love and redemption, and Gibson's movie rightfully asserts that in order for it to all come to fruition, He had to endure this. But that is not to say that this movie is meant for any person, young or old. The violence is tolerable, but at times - barely. Any doubts about Gibson's intentions on making this film are dispelled in the climactic scene of the film in which Jesus has his hands and feet nailed to the cross on which he eventually dies. This disturbing-but-earthshakingly-powerful scene ranks among the most powerful I have ever witnessed in the cinema. The brutal nailing to the cross and presentation before the crowd represents the pinnacle of Christianity, the moment at which the weight of the world falls on one man's shoulders. And you feel it. At the movie's normal moments, it is accurate and engrossing. At moments like this, it's so powerful it's hard to look. I, too, probably like every other critic on the face of the earth, walked into the movie expecting to find gaping flaws, excessive use of an artistic license, and too-graphic violence, but getting up from my seat at the end of the immensely moving film, I could only think of...well, how much crap all of those critics are full of. Forget about what you've read - the violence is not repugnant, it serves a purpose; the film is not anti-semitic, it is accurate; the movie is not a publicity stunt, but a deeply-felt expression of one man's passion about one man's sacrifice. From the opening moments of The Passion, Gibson's film is a visually gorgeous, deeply emotional, and accurate rendering of the single most important event in the history of man. The film's brutal, violently moving climax elevates it to a standard of excellence that Gibson has never before achieved, and not only do I approve immensely of it, but I think that it is a landmark in religious art and a movie not soon to be forgotten. I'm trying to not use the word 'masterpiece' so much anymore, but I'm pulling it out of retirement for this movie. GRADE: A
Rating:
Summary: With the hype machine dead and gone. Passion still holds up.
Review: Its been a few months since I went to see The Passion of the Christ twice in theatre. Both times I was moved to tears and both times I witnessed the brilliant direction of veteran director Mel Gibson. I wonder, where are the riots that Jewish leaders claimed would occur? Where was the rampant anti-semitic acts that were to happen because of the this simple little film? As far as the papers were concerned, the sky was supposed to fall after this movies release. Instead a wave of love spread through out our nation. People from all walks of life were brought together by this film to celebrate their faith and witness the raw and inspiriring portrayal of the life and death of Jesus Christ. Christians everywhere were supposed to suddenly hate the Jews after watching this movie, instead something else happened. Christians everywhere showed their intelligence and good will and understood that this film had NO such message. All of that talk and concern, over nothing, all it did was take away from the REAL story about this movie. The story of a God that loved man enough to sacrifice himself for us. Come Oscar time, we will see how Hollywood treats this masterpiece. Will politics get in the way of truly rewarding the best film of 2004? Only time will tell.
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