Passion of Christ

It's brutal, it's intense, and there's no room to breathe. I sat in a packed theatre, like many people, waiting for the Passion to begin. Waiting to see what all the hoopla was about. Knowing it would be intense and knowing it would be violent. It was more than violent and it was more than intense.

Strong dissent from the Jewish community was that it portrayed Jews as cruel and it created anti-Semitic sentiment. Mel Gibson's father was in the news as well, for some extremely anti-Semitic words, "the Holocaust is over-dramatized, I think most of those Jews now own Brooklyn," but Mel Gibson took a strong stance and said, "This is not about my father. It's about the Passion of Christ," and about the passion it was.

It centers around the last hours of Jesus Christ's life - the eternally argued Messiah - from his time in the garden, subsequent arrest, and beaten path to the cross, the Via Dolorosa, the Way of Suffering.

This depiction of the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus opens with his betrayal by Judas, his condemnation by the Pharisees and his appearance before Pontius Pilate. Pilate tried to pass the responsibility of Jeses' fate onto King Herod, but Herod returns Jesus.

Pilate gives another opportunity for the crowd of many Jews and the Jewish hierarchy to choose between Jesus and Barrabas, a condemned thief and murderer. The crowd chooses Barrabas.

This is the point that many Jews today argue. Is Gibson trying to say that the Jews killed Jesus, not the Romans? Christians argue, yes, because the Jews were given the chance to rectify and release Jesus from his torture, but Jews argue, if his death was predetermined, as the bible says, then a pardon was not to be had.

Protestors are saying that Gibson's movie suggests anti-Semitism. Pilate washes his hands of the matter and Jesus is forced to carry the cross through the streets to Golgotha where Roman soldiers crucify him. Although, Jesus briefly fears that God, his Father, has abandoned him, he regains his faith and proclaims, "Into thy hands I commend my spirit."

The movie depicts his struggle, in very specific terms, his abuse with cat-o-nine tails, prodding, vinegar, whips, and fists. A veritable blood bath ensues throughout the 127-minute screened carnage. During one showing of Passion, an elderly woman died of a heart attack, causing many in the industry to question the violence displayed throughout. Gibson argued that he cut whole scenes to avoid the appearance of anti-Semitism, but he would "draw the line at censoring material. It was a violent act and needs to be depicted as such." In one scene, Christ says, "Shelter me, Oh God, I trust in you." He willingly crawls onto the cross in almost palpable relief.

What was most discernable, at least to this viewer, was a sense of deep respect from the audience. There were gasps, choked cries, covered mouths, and looks, but when you turned your head for release from the grotesqueness of nails being driven visibly through a man's hands, you saw the angry tears on everyone's face, not just your own.

The true test, is whether this movie has commercial and sociological impact. Most critics agree, on both sides, that it does. The movie is expected to receive tremendous acknowledgement at the upcoming awards. The actor who played Christ, James Caviezel, who's been compared to Montgomery Clift, was forced to buff up for the role, gaining 40 pounds in muscle to carry the replicated cross (estimated weight of 150 lbs). He was reportedly "struck" by lightning during his portrayed nailing to the cross and all actors involved were instructed extensively in phonetic Aramaic. Many promoters of the movie say this, alone, sends a message to Jews that this movie is far from anti-Semitic.

For many Jews, this is their first hearing of the ancient Torah language and, for many Jews and Christians alike, it is their first glimpse into the graphic, brutal slaying of one of the most enigmatic characters of world history. Whether Christian or not, you walk away questioning what a powerful sacrifice this man made. If you don't believe it to be a sacrifice, it was certainly about the conviction one man held for humanity and the power of redemption.

At the least, this movie was a mirror for this viewer. Would I be strong enough to stand for what I knew to be a travesty? Or would I turn away? I didn't like the reflection of myself that I saw. If that was the message, it was definitely received.