|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by carl langley on 2004-02-26 00:36:42 |
really good review greg,
i cant wait to see this film, as i am an avid Christian. what denomination/religion are you?
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by Greg Ursic on 2004-02-26 00:57:52 |
Thanks Carl. For the record I was raised a Catholic, but have long been Agnostic. Regardless one's secular or spiritual viewpoint however it is an amazingly powerful film.
Again, I can't stress enough that this is not a film for children or people who are disturbed by violence.
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by John Ulmer (email, web) on 2004-02-26 05:08:53 |
I can't wait to see it, either. It doesn't open here for another month, but I'm a Christian and a big Mel Gibson fan, so I just can't wait.
The critics are ridiculous, they mainly bashed the movie for its violence...yet Kill Bill they liked? They're hypocrites, they just didn't like it because it deals with something unfamiliar to most of them--Jesus--and shows the crucifixion the way it really happened, not any of this "Last Temptation of Christ" stuff that's all glamourized (no offense to Scorsese, but it's one of his worst).
I haven't seen the movie but I'm pretty sure I'll love it.
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by TheCriticalMass on 2004-02-26 05:26:15 |
The issues brought up by critics are not hypocritical in the least and mainly address these issues:
-Jesus was a jew, yet all the Pharisees are portrayed as being rabidly against Jesus and the ones responsible for his death, when it is commonly known that Pontius Pilate condemned scores of jews to death without requiring any particular provocation.
-Jesus certainly had friends among the jewish clerics and scholar, and in not presenting this, it's choosing to provide a simplistic view of events which do a disservice to the Jewish community.
Needless to say, as this is a "passion play" in the old world tradition, there is understandable consternation in the jewish community as passion plays have often stirred up anti-semetic fervor throughout history.
However the main gripe about the film is that it never provides any context about who Jesus was, or why anyone would be so afraid of him that they would want to see him dead, in such a horribly horrific fashion. It's just unrelenting horror. Crucificion was not a punishment invented for the torture of Jesus, it was inflicted on untold scores of victims by the Romans. That was simply the way of the ancient world, and in depicting it in a particularly gruesome and hyper realistic fashion, it may serve to help believers more fully appreciate the agony suffered, but understandably is not an end unto itself that is bound to satisfy anyone who is actually looking for a traditional story.
Many critics feel that the compression and focus on the passion play aspects is not enough to recommend the film. That does not make them hypocritical.... only honest.
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by Joe Rickey on 2004-02-26 11:22:30 |
Great review. I will be seeing TPOTC this weekend and I cannot wait. For the record, I am Catholic.
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by Joe Rickey on 2004-02-26 11:27:13 |
It's been reported that TPOTC made between 15-20 million yesterday alone. This film definitely has a chance to become one of the highest grossing films of the year, amazing for a film with subtitles for two dead langauges.
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by Judex.1 (email) on 2004-02-26 13:33:00 |
Very refreshing to read a non-inflammatory review from someone who actually watched the film. The controversy surrounded this film is practically a rerun of the "Last Temptation Of Christ" debacle, with much fury being raised by folks who haven't seen the film, and usually refuse to, since they KNOW it is bad.
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by John Ulmer (email, web) on 2004-02-26 13:40:57 |
Re: "The Critical Mass"
No, this is not an anti-Semitic film. No, I have not seen it, but people have been saying it's been anti-Semitic since it went into production.
All productions revolved around Jesus and/or the Bible will always stir controvery. "The Omega Code" was a bad, bad movie--but if you'll read many reviews, a lot of the critics bashed it because they disagreed with its content.
Most film critics are probably not Christians/Catholics, and I'm sure a large number are Jewish, and I'm sure a large number of them are very liberal and have been eagerly anticipating their chance to torture Mel and his film simply because they disagree with its message.
I'm glad this film has been made, because for once it shows what the crucifixion would have been like. Not the weak, sweet crucifixion we see on posters and in Sunday school videos. The way it REALLY would have looked.
I am looking forward to this movie very much. I could end up disliking it, but I very much doubt it.
This is one of the only films where I believe most of the mainstream critics actually have a person agenda, i.e. Gigli. (As Ebert pointed out, it was a bad movie, but most of those critics were jumping on the bandwagon...I'm not supporting it, I hate BO and JLo, but I can't imagine it's worse than Pod People or Manos the Hands of Fate.)
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by Greg Ursic on 2004-02-26 20:20:07 |
I really don't like to discuss specific elements of films, but something mentioned in an earleir comment needs to be corrected: not all the Pharisees in the film are against Jesus, indeed several step forward to defend him and are pushed away.
This should be enough to convince anyone that this was not a "Jewish Conspiracy" but Gibson clearly shows that the person who helps Jesus with the burden of the cross to Golgotha (another Jew) clearly bears no ill will against him and in the end does not want to leave his side.
I was so disturbed by some of the comments that I saw on the news from movie-goers that I asked that an addition be made to my review (unfortunately there have been problems with my server as of late) and have added it below.
I feel I need to add that if the revelation you take from this film is "The Jews killed Jesus", you have completely missed the point that Gibson was trying to make (he has said as much in interviews). As one theologian noted (and any Christian who has picked up a bible should know) as Jesus died for all mankind's sins, we are all equally complicit in his death.
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by Joe Rickey on 2004-02-27 13:22:13 |
Well, I saw this last night instead of waiting for the weekend. I found it to be a simply stunning film. Powerful, moving, and most definitely heartbreaking. It's definitely my favorite film of the year thus far.
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by John Ulmer (email, web) on 2004-02-27 20:07:11 |
Re: Greg
You're right, the entire point is that Jesus LET HIMSELF DIE for our sins. He was not "killed" by the Jews. If He had wanted to live He would have lived.
He let Himself be hung on the cross to die for mankind's sins. That's where so many people misinterpret everything because they don't bother to take the time to pick up a Bible and actually read for a change.
It amazes me how so many scholars argue and argue over these things yet it's so blatantly obvious to anyone who's read the Bible that Jesus let Himself die.
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by carl langley on 2004-02-29 15:04:22 |
I got to see this movie last night with my school. This was the first movie I ever cried in; not to sound like a macho man or anything. I just cant really relate to crying to something I know isn't real at the present time, even historical stuff. (I really came close to crying in Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan).
Last night I bawled. It was very emotional, the scene where they are whipping Jesus with those whips with nail-tips was harrowing. Mel Gibson has created a masterpiece, and I automatically put it in my top 100 of all time. This hit home for me. I just don't know if I'll ever watch it again. But everyone SHOULD see it.
What a movie!
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by Joe Rickey on 2004-03-01 19:06:07 |
With 125 million plus after one weekend, this film definitely has a chance at maintaining the number one spot for the year as far as box office goes with some people thinking that it has a chance to break Titanic's record for the highest grossing film of all time. I think that we have to wait and see how much it drops its second and third weekends before making such a bold statement.
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by carl langley on 2004-03-01 19:11:49 |
I dont think anyone will sniff Titanic's record; especially this movie. For two reasons. One, many of the non-Christians will not appreciate this movie to see it more than once. Two, the Christians who REALLY appreciate this movie, do not want to see it more than once b/c it is way too emotional and more than one viewing can take away the impact that it is not just a movie for them. Titanic had people rushing to the theater to see it 5-6 times a pop. I say this movie doesnt gross any more than 250 million.
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by TheCriticalMass on 2004-03-01 21:29:10 |
I didn't say it was anti-semetic. What I said was... it is a passion play, and that these historically have stirred up antisemetism.
For someone who admits they haven't seen the film, you should probably stay out of the discussion until you have.
You started out by bashing the critics who don't think the movie is that great, and accusing them of having an agenda because they don't agree with your preconceived notion of how great this film is.
Yes there has been a lot of media attention given to the film, and some of that attention was focused on creating controversy. At this juncture it is clear that the old addage of "there's no such thing as bad publicity" is clearly working in this case.
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by John Ulmer (email, web) on 2004-04-02 04:44:41 |
Well guess what Critical Mass, I saw the movie, and I stand by my words. There is NO anti-Semitism at all. I've posted much about this in my review and on IMDb so I'm not going to re-write it here. But as I read somewhere else: "If people consider what a group of people did 2000 years ago to be a reflection of them in the present, then they are looking for a reason to hate the movie."
Jesus carries his cross and is helped by a Jewish man along the way, who doesn't want to leave him after everything is over.
If anything, this is anti-Italian with the Romans beating Jesus and being portrayed as vicious animals.
|
|
|
Re: Passion of the Christ, The (2004)
| | Added by Joe Rickey on 2004-08-08 16:09:21 |
This film ended up making over 370 million; huge but since overtaken by Shrek 2; a far less superior film that never approached the wit of the original. TPOTC DVD is due August 31 in the states.
|
|
Add new comment
All comments are owned by their posters.
Please e-mail [email protected] with complaints.
|
