The Making of 'The Passion of the Christ'

I saw the film and it did make a impression on me,I felt that parts were missing in the film that were needed,such as a section on Jesus home life and the events that led up to his Saviour journey. Also an inter-reaction from the Priests,into why they decided to Kill him,and what led up to it,from Mel Gibsons thoughts and reasoning,would have been interesting.

There is no question this portrays the evil doings of man, as it states in the Bible,look what we have done to Six Million people fifty years ago,and three thousand people four years ago.

The only problem is that the facts of his life can not be proved to be totally like this film portrays,the only facts that can be enforced is the evil deeds that we as people are capable of,we have not changed from the beginning of time.

The beginning is promising. Satan is quite spooky sitting by Jesus, and it seems like they are going to have a talk when the Devil starts saying 'I don't think you can handle carrying everyone's sins'. A-ha, so there is a story about 'is it possible for one man to carry so much weight? Can God want that'? But there is about 7 minutes of decent cinema in the entire film. Instead of answering, Jesus just collapses to the ground moaning and gasping. Not many 'ideas' in the rest of the movie. From then on, the film is basically the guy getting a beating that is enough to kill a man in 5 minutes. How can you take it seriously?

In the bible Jesus spoke quite a lot, and his sentences are considered the most sacred moral teachings in our (Christian, of course) society. But in 'passion', the Man hasn't much to say. He cries. He falls to the ground about every 5 minutes. He keeps his mouth open. He crawls. He rolls his eyes in pain. It does get kind of repetitive. By the time the cross comes, you stopped caring about the pain inflicted in Caviezel (his worst performance ever) because it stopped being a person about 70 minutes before. Caviezel is just the Thing that Gasps and Rolls his Eyes (TGRE). Mary mother of Jesus (terrible, terrible performance), John, Judas, Caiphas and a bunch of other people run around bumping into each other with perplex looks in their empty eyes while Jews make savage faces like monsters bashing TGRE and Romans look like savage apes flogging TGRE. When he fell down for the 4th time in slow motion (gasping and rolling his eyes, of course), I just yawned and said 'I get the point, nail the (expletive) already'. Ah, and there are some short flashbacks. Lots. Do you care about them when you watch? Not really. The first one is completely out of touch with anything biblical. It shows 'Jesus' being a 'common (middle-class American) man', working in carpentry, making jokes and tickling a woman (his mom). Character development! Absolutely ludicrous, a bad scene even if you like this movie. What else? Ah, kids in ugly makeup, as "demons". Kinda scary - and very pointless.

If the movie wasn't spoken in ancient languages, (the best decision Gibson could possibly make in his life) I would have completely lost all suspension of disbelief. Instead, I lost that suspension only when TGRE was in focus. Really, if this movie was spoken in English I would just regard it as a very, very expensive b-movie. But the dialogs in Aramaic and Latin give it a solemn atmosphere that the poor screenplay and directing could never give. Because of that, I yawned and laughed a lot, but I did not totally despise the film.

REDEEMING SCENES: Satan's presence in the beginning (further presences are just Kitsch or grotesque) and the flashback to the lord's supper during the crucifixion. It connected very powerfully the image of the crucifixion with the catholic eucaristy. For the violence, well, of course it is in the same level as other Hollywood movies. But in action and horror movies you usually don't feel the violence is real. Same here.

In short, a movie that is intentionally 'thin' in ideas because it is supposed to be 'felt' by its visuals. But for a non-Christian, the visuals are sometimes grotesque, sometimes silly - mostly random violence on TGRE and silly people with empty eyes doing nothing important. On the other hand, the movie appealed so much to Christians because it is a story they care a lot about painted in strong colors with all the Hollywood camera tricks and special effects mankind is addicted to. If you are one, don't miss it.

I have recently purchased this movie The Passion of the Christ, and a study guide to the movie "A guide to the Passion - 100 Questions About The Passion of the Christ". If you do not know about Jesus, I urge you to find out more for yourself. Please don't just go through life following the crowd and not experiencing things for yourself. This movie, in my opinion, is able to change YOUR LIFE. Not in the way that it will make you rich, or famous, but it can touch you deeply seeing the way Jesus suffered and died. You just need to watch the movie with an open-heart, or open-mind, and then think for Yourself, "Why did Jesus do this?", and "Is it true Jesus died for me?". If you have read this far, you can see I am no expert writer, like the critic who commented on this movie. I know they were only doing their job, but it sounds specifically harsh the way they talked about the movie and the people involved in it.

Let me finish by saying; See for yourself if Jesus can make a difference in your life. I can tell you that my life has been turned upside down in the last 6 months, and that I am so happy Jesus is in my life and that I have a relationship with Him now!

Give God a chance, and God Bless You All!

I have viewed a lot of comments on here and what I don't understand is how can so many of you be so close-minded? Most of you are saying how bloody and violent it is. Well, ummm, HELLOOOOO, that's what it was like for Jesus back then. Also, he did that for us. He went through all that pain and suffering for US!! For those of you that say it lacks a plot, well apparently you saw some interest in the movie to see it for some reason. If you wanted to know more about it then how hard is it to get your hands on a bible and look up the story? Or, you could have called a local preacher and asked him where you could find the story in the bible. You all knew this was taken right from the bible just based on the title. If you knew nothing about it then look it up. Shoot, you even could have ran a search for it on a search engine. All you had to do was type in these simple words, "Story of Jesus Christ" or you could have used, "The death of Jesus" Honestly, how hard is that? If you would have done your homework about this film before seeing it you would have seen that everything in the film was dead on!! That includes all the blood and gore and all the pain and suffering. All of you people that said this film was crap what don't you go read that part of the bible and maybe then and only then you'll see it was written beautifully. Maybe after you do that you'll also realize that Jesus went through all that pain and suffering for YOU!! The reason he did all of that was because he wants you to live a life of eternity with him in paradise and not in hell. But, even if you don't decide to read the story and you decide to stay with your negative comments, I just hope that you will have a good explanation as to why you didn't believe when God asks as you go before him during judgment day.

Dear Mr. Mel Gibson,

Just a note to say thanks for producing the film, The Passion of the Christ. I appreciate your courage in making this film. The original language-how beautiful this film is. The work…I can't imagine what it takes to have the fortitude to bring this work to its completion. It's as good as it's gonna get this side of heaven for an accomplishment of "work well done good and faithful servant." I actually don't know how you ever managed to accomplish this task in the face of liberal adversity with content and God-given subject matter. Thank you, Mr.Gibson. You're skill, time and effort leaves me as a viewer speechless and is why I haven't written until now. This movie and the look on Mary's face, when they are scourging our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, captures the dark of darkest pain, sorrow and suffering we'll ever know on this earth. The look on her face and in her eyes…the acting-it just leaves me weak...you know where you have one of those really bad days where you're praying for the sweet release death will bring...and you're on the floor perhaps in the fetal position sucking your thumb and wrestling with feelings of loss of all hope, weeping with the trials of this life...the loss of a loved one, a broken relationship, a broken heart, loss of job, an addiction {SIN & TEMPTATION) where like brother Martin Luther you pray, "I am Yours, SAVE ME.". You captured that look in the film on her face with all the horrifying sounds in the background…what must it have been like for her and the Disciples/Apostles to witness this Biblical unfolding of events? Oh my gosh!!! I just can't wrap my puny little brain around the magnitude of the situation. The film really causes one to reflect, to pause, to think. Like the song, "I can only imagine."

I am glad to LIVE at such a time and know a person (YOU) that sees this part of history as something worthy of film-making and the silver screen…most worthy, if you will, of our every thought in these difficult days. We are called to glorify God-to glorify His Son. Thank you for making the point-hitting the target right on. Every morning I pray to hold my thoughts captive to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and watching this film helps in that mission.

I sobbed uncontrollably like two days after I saw the movie for the 1st time. And it was about a year before I could watch the movie again. I am watching it now faithfully Mr. Gibson because I want to learn the original language. The film and your work…they are just that beautiful to me.

Jesus SAVES!!! Thank you for making this film. All other films pale in comparison. I love watching the film and listening to the words in the original language. I love the film because it calls me to repentance for my sin, for my depravity…for my rebellion. It calls me to look at how He suffered and died that I might live and live in HIM. It is a very difficult film to watch because of the TRUTH it speaks of GRACE!!! We are not worthy.

I just want you to know I appreciate all you did in making this film. It's the best film EVER!!! Thanks for staying the course and not giving up. You're in my prayers. HOLD FAST to the promises in the Bible. Don't give up. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I don't mean to ramble on and on like the deposition for a whiplash injury accident from the law offices of Norton, Frickey and Associates but ding dang it…color me dazzled!!!

Sally

L2 Church 1477 Columbine St Denver, CO 80206 www.L2today.com

Reformed Life Ministries Holy Grounds {a Women's Coffee Shop Ministry} Vaco Apparel

PS Tell your family (the wife and kids) thanks for the sacrifices they made so the film could be done on the viewers behalf.