Reviewing Why The Movie Passion Of The Christ Is Controversial

"The Passion of the Christ" has sparked controversy since the time period before it was released. Everyone seemed to have a different opinion. Jewish people seemed to think that the movie made them seem evil, much like Nazis were made to look evil in "Schindler's List". Catholics seemed to have no problem with the movie, citing the fact that it is told from the point of view of a Catholic person (Mel Gibson). Gibson says that the movie merely reflects what he was taught throughout his life.

However, no one seems prepared to answer one major question; religious beliefs set aside, was this really a good movie? "The Passion of the Christ" is so focused on the savagery and negativity of Jesus' final hours that it actually seems to succeed more in assaulting the spirit than uplifting it.

This movie is the construction of an extremely unnerving and painful show that ends up being almost depressing. Most films of a religious nature similar to this one are not as lacking in grace.

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In fact, Mel Gibson has departed drastically from the tone and spirit of earlier American movies about Jesus, which were design to soothe the audience rather than terrify it.

This version of the gospel is extremely violent. The final hour consists of a man being beaten, tortured, and killed in very graphic and lingering detail. Once he is taken, Jesus is cuffed and kicked. He is the flogged first with canes and then with whips that had rocks and pieces of glass on the end.

By the time the crown of thorns is put onto his head, he is a barely recognizable mass of bloody flesh moaning and screaming in pain.

While the movie may be biblically accurate, it seems to have more of a horror movie feel than it does a religious one. Especially considering the fact that in the beginning, as Jesus prays, the camera tiptoes around him somewhat like a stalker. That, along with the fact that the devil slinks and sneaks around like the average horror-movie monster nearly takes away the religious basis of the film.

Another part of what makes the movie so grim is Mel Gibson's inability to think outside of the box. In this case, he is unable to go beyond the normal structure of a movie narrative. In most Mel Gibson movies, the story line plays out as a scenario in which violence against the innocent is avenged in an awesome way. In this case, the story's ending seems extremely rushed, although the rest of the movie is sort of drawn-out. Because of this, it seems to be a dissatisfying account of the death of Christ as it was supposed to be.

As far as religious accuracy, "The Passion of the Christ" leaves viewers wondering exactly what all the blood was shed for. It is this inconclusiveness that is the most prominent artistic and biblical acuity failure in this movie.

All in all, although most of the movie was historically accurate, the movies accuracy was so drowned out by the gore and violence that it left me wondering exactly what the point was. Did Jesus die for our sins? Since the movie doesn't capture what he died for and only makes the point that he was tortured and killed, I wouldn't be able to tell from watching the movie. On a scale of 1-10, for special effects a definite 10; for accuracy about a 9; for historical acuity an 8.5; for fulfillment, a big goose egg.