Title: The Passion Of The Christ
Directed by Mel Gibson.
Produced by the Icon Production Company in 2004. Mel Gibson has shares in this Company.
Filmed in Matera, Italy.
John Debeny and his Orchestra preformed 15 songs that were heard in this film.
Languages are Latin and Aramaic. There are English subtitles.
Rated, (in Canada and the USA),18 A. This means no one under 18 should see this film.
Viewing time: about two hours.
The Script was written from a book called The Late Planet Earth that was written by Hal Lindsey, who is an anti-Semite, (and hates Muslims and Jews).
We were given free tickets to see this film, or I would never have gone to see it. I love all people and their religions, so I hope what I am going to say about this film won?t upset you.
.:The Cast:.
James Caviezel plays Jesus Christ.
Maia Morgenstern plays Mary.
Mary Magdalene is played by Monica Bellucci.
Satan is played by Rosalinda Celentano, (I found it interesting that a woman played Satan).
Gesmas is played Francesco Cabras.
Pilatus is played by Hristo Shopov
Claudia Procles, (Pilatus Wife), is played by Claudia Gerini.
Dismas is played by Sergio Rubini.
John is played by Hristo Jiukov.
.:My Review:.
The story begins with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane and the devil?s attempt to tempt him. Peter is with Judas, (who betrayed Jesus), and Jesus.
Jesus is celebrating the first night of the Passover, (a Jewish 8 day celebration that remembers the time when Moses was in Egypt, and with the help of G-d, convince the Pharaoh, to let his people go). In the New Testament this is referred to as the ''Last Supper''. During the meal, he reminds Peter that he has denied him three times.
There are flashbacks to when he was born up until the present time. But it doesn't show when his family went to Egypt, or where he was for most of his adult years.
Much later Jesus is brought to Pilate and accused of treason and blasphemy because he said he was the King and the Messiah. Without a trial he was sentenced to death. You then see how he was he torture and brutality, by his enemies.
You will see the beatings and the bloody torn scars of Christ?s body as he carries the cross through the old city of Jerusalem. The agony and pain is shown on his face. The beating and torture goes on until Christ is finally nailed to a cross. Jesus is shown hanging on the cross.
The Good Parts:
I thought the acting was superb. You didn?t have to read the subtitles to understand the meaning of what way being said. I did like the original music that was written by John Debney. It was haunting and very middle eastern. The crew that did the makeup did an incredible job.
The background music is simply haunting ? slow flutes and Celtic instruments form a heavy background in the movie and came at the right places.
I have walked the stone streets in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem, too many time to remember, and I felt that the set designer did a fabulous job.
The props were both good and bad. I though using a cardboard cross, that look like heavy wood, rubber thorns and nails, that looked real, were done well. The strange things about the props is I did not see any Jewish items, a Seder Plate, a Menorah, (a candelabra), the two holiday candles, or any Mizoza's, (a small metal or wooded box that has a scroll of the 10 commandments), on the doors.
The Things That Don?t Make Sense To Me:
The Seder begins at sundown, and last until well after midnight. King Herod would be enjoying his meal, and he wouldn?t like to be disturbed.
The home of Mary Magdalene was not in Jerusalem, but in the hills. It would have taken a long time for the Romans to go get him and bring him back to the old city by morning.
During Passover there would have been no one the streets in the old city, because a few hours ago they had finished eating a meal that had many courses, drank at least 12 glasses of wine, said prayers before, during and after the meal, and must have been sleeping.
Jesus said he was the ??son of G-d??, and it?s true, we are all the sons and daughters of G-d. The Jewish religion does not believe in Satan or hell.
Gibson was wrong when he portrayed Jews as killers. Jewish people never killed anyone on the cross, the Roman of that time did.
.:Since I Saw The Movie:.
Many people who were in theatres, in Canada and the United State, saw some miracles happen, after they saw the movie. People who had come in on crutches, or wheel chairs, stood up and could walk again. People who had come with oxygen machines, didn't need them any more. The Pope saw this movie and thought it was well done. He has been asked to make Mel Gibson a Saint. I read in my local newspaper, even thought no one has been made a Saint, until after they died, the Pope and the Cardinals are considering this.
Since the film has been released, there have been acts of vandalism, of Jewish Schools, Synagogue and Cemeteries, in Canada and the Unites States.
.:My Conclusion:.
At the time that Jesus lived the Sanhedrin, (they ruled the Temple and the Senate), and the Jewish Priests, (Pharisees), who didn?t like what they were doing. Jesus didn't like either of them, belong to a small sect, called the Essens.
Jesus did exist. He did try and convert Pagans to become Jewish. He did not want to start a new religion. He did die on the cross. The Jewish people never killed any one in this agonizing way, the Romans did!
To understand what was happening at the time that Jesus lived, you have to be Jewish. St. Paul,(not the Apostle), while he was on the island of Patmos, Greece, to make Rome the new Jerusalem.
After he died his Disciple and followers started a new religion. Christianity has lasted for over 2004 years, and that is a good thing.
I just wish people would stop blaming the Jews for what happened. People can change the world to become a nicer place if we only can learn to love one another.
The biggest loss of this movie, was suppose to be about G-d and one of the sons and daughters he loved. Jesus suffering was to tell the world about one God, and to show love to everyone. It's sad that The Passion succeeds in doing exactly the opposite of it.
I don?t recommend any one seeing this movie. If you want to see a bit of it for your self the link is:
https://passionofchrist.com/english/studyd.htm
.:Suggest Reading:.
The Coptic version of the New Testament. It wasn't changed by St. Paul, hundreds of years after Jesus died. It is the closest written record of what Jesus did and said.
It was published in 1898 by the Oxford University Press.
Thanks for reading my review.
©LL2004
