Upon reflection of this movie, one word comes to mind: powerful. Mel Gibson’s vision of the last twelve hours of Jesus’ life packs an emotional punch as no other version has. You’ll find no gloss in this film; the violence, that is so often tamed down when this story is told, will grab you by the throat and not let you go until well after the last frame plays.

The events being played out before the viewer is punctuated by the performances of the actors; Maia Morgenstern brings an emotion to her portrayal of Mary that leaves one feeling exposed and raw. Jim Caviezel’s portrayal of Jesus is filled with honesty; the actor was nowhere to be found, he became the character. I found no flaws in any of the performances as I felt wonder, compassion, fear and hatred just from seeing those emotions on the actors faces.

The cinematography is stunningly beautiful and haunting at the same time; Gibson’s passion is evident in every frame of this film. The story holds true to the Gospels with very little creative license and what was added for dramatic benefit didn’t take away from the truth of the story.

I went into this movie knowing the story and expecting to be touched by it but I wasn’t prepared for the intensity of my emotions. The violence was difficult to watch; the joy that the Romans took from beating Jesus is excruciating to see. I recommend The Passion of the Christ to movie lovers for it is cinematically brilliant; for Christians, I believe this is a must see film



Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD