www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Have you seen "The Passion of the Christ?"

I plan to see the movie this evening. I dread knowing how crowded the theatre will be, but I believe it'll be worth it.

What are Catholic and Orthodox hierarchs saying about the film?

I just saw it this afternoon..all in all, I liked it, and plan to see it again. I especially liked the charecterization of Simon of Cyreane; he remains a relatively unexamined figure in most explorations of the Passion. Also the Good Thief.
I would definately give a "gore warning" to anyone with a squeamish stomach, especially re:The Scourging at the Pillar.
My only complaint was the addition of the exchange between Mary and Claudia (Pilate's wife) and that overall Pilate was protrayed as far to sympathetic.

Well, he spoke Latin, so he had to be a good guy. :rolleyes:

Dave

My initial thoughts during the first half were that I am definitely not worth this. Later I thought "Have mercy on me". My advice to those who have not seen it - don't drink any liquids before the movie, and have some tissues with you (especially if you are a mom). I am interested to see my sons' (17,16,13,11) reactions, but my husband will have to take them. I can't handle it again just yet.

Dear Friends,

I saw the film this afternoon. I wept.

Lord have mercy on me for my sins against God.

Lord have mercy on me for my sins against my neighbor.

Lord have mercy on me for my sins against myself, the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner.


Paul

Paul,

My reactions precisely.

Dan L

Dear Dave and Dave,

I saw Pilate as a man torn apart. He knew Jesus was an innocent man and something more.

His worldy concerns (his job) pulled him to pacify the Sanhedrin. Like ourselves he sold Jesus out. And as we often do, he tried to distance himself from his evil deed by washing his hands and even pleading for Jesus, yet he gave in to the crowd.

It is interesting that the Ethiopian Church honors Pilate as a saint. Seems that Pilate converted to Christ after his encounter with Jesus.

God bless,

Paul

I just got out of the movie theater two hours ago. What an experience! First of all, DO NOT take little kids to this movie. I have watched many, many horror movies, and none of them come close to the realness depicted in this film.

What I got out of The Passion is a very strong sense of Christ's love. I wanted to reach out to the screen and hug Him close to me. My heart ached for the Theotokos as she watched Him beaten and killed. Yet, her deep faith was very evident.

The character of Satan made my skin crawl... okay, I'm giving too much away! Go, watch, be enlightened.

Dutchman

I thought I would add some of my own input concerning the film. I
will not mention the positives--they speak for themselves--but will
point out the trouble spots.

First, how will you likely find the film?

I'd say you'll 'enjoy' it very much. It is masterful cinema and is
very bloody.

Still, forgive a chronic critic his turn at the whip.

I saw it a couple of nights back.

It was a powerful film, though the worries of some critics (not those involving the political and social maelstrom that is the anti-Semitic issue, but about the technicalities of the film itself as an artistic production) about it would not be unfounded. It is great, but it isn't a smash hit. I am happy to have watched it, but
let me point out what I found to be lacking.

I found myself concentrating much on the Aramaic and spotted what I could of its striking similiarities with Arabic (Latin is not my
specialty, but Gibson did good in having Italians speak it--they sounded quite fine). The high priest and the Madonna came out sounding quite satisfactory, contrary to my expectations, but my
strongest gripe in this film is the stark contrast between Jim Caviezel's powerful physical presence, impressive body language, capable acting, strong timbre of voice and impressively powerful cries of pain and agony--and his disappointing Aramaic/Hebrew. I am sad and very upset to say that his was the worst--in fact, his Latin was much more convincing (not only does he fail to capture an adequately convincing level of Semitic pronunciation, but there does exist a noticeable American accent in his pronunciations that is unmistakeable [it's not strong, but it's there]--this being his fatal flaw over which I couldn't help wincing)- -which served him
badly in the more climactic flashback scenes (I will hasten to add that the Last Supper was shorter than what I anticipated) where he
had a small, critical number of chances to present and transform his wordless, silent, and impressively powerful physical performance and
personality into the form of powerful words and accomplished and striking vocal delivery. This would have been accentuated even further by the fact that the film uses words sparingly and in short amount, a powerful device in the film that could have been used brilliantly had Caviezel only been able to accomplish masterfully
with his tongue what he could with his physical acting. This highly tempered use of the spoken word by Jesus in the film only served to
highten one's anticipation of an equally powerful presence through speech. Fortunately for most of the audience, they will fail to
detect this phonetic shortcoming which severely wounds the film. But for my accursed ears, Caviezel's 'this is My Blood' proclamation
which could have been one of the film's defining moments just bombed. Maybe a second viewing will soften what I hope are knee-jerk, overly severe verdicts on this matter. Keep in mind I never pretended to expect Caviezel to speak the language flawlessly, but that I am comparing the result of his efforts with those of his
co-actors from the rest of the cast.

Many will argue over the score of the film, but I didn't find it as captivating as I had hoped. It could have been improved upon. Also,
Gibson intended to transport us into as authentic an environment and atmosphere as he could with regards to the culture, time, and place
in which Christ lived (hence his stress on a Semitic, Hebrew Christ). Music is a very strong vehicle in such aims, and unfortunately the score failed to offer me a taste of the Middle
East and Oriental cultural mileu with which I am familiar. The world I saw felt a little too surreal. I still think wonders would have
been worked had Gibson simply filmed in Syria (in Aramaic-speaking Ma'loula) with native Aramaic-speakers and incorporated some of the
music from that part of the world.

Again, the strong Eucharistic scene I thought was present in the film did not materialise. It was a little too fleeting.

Despite the foregoing harsh criticisms, I still find the film an outstanding cinematic production boasting of superb cinematography
amongst many other points of excellence such as the beautiful women who graced the film with fine acting. So do watch it and enjoy it. The more one criticises, the more it indicates he takes the film seriously and sees where its potential could have taken it had its maximum been realised.

You will forgive me for presenting a review that suggests a viewing of the film with a less religious eye than that with which many of
you I'm sure will be watching this film. Rest assured you will be provided with much over which to meditate.

In IC XC
Samer

Dear Samer,

I was thinking about what you said about the movie not having used real Middle Eastern music. I believe that the last good movie about the life of Jesus did. However, in contemplating what I thought was brilliant artistry used in the film, which I saw yesterday, and which my husband (who loved it, will see it again)and I have not been able to stop talking about, I believe that the surreal music used by Mr. Gibson was appropriate.

This was a dark, heavy, profound movie about, in my opinion, the clash of the two realms in those last hours...the realm of evil and the realm of God...and in this personal interpretation, the surreal music seemed to be fit perfectly with the surreal rendition of those last hours.

As for the comments you had about the accents of the actors, all I can say is that thank goodness they weren't speaking Greek! (or else it may have been me complaining!)

All in all, the movie was brilliant, and was an experience.

Thank God that Christianity has triumphed over the secular, anti-Christian sentiments of Hollywood. My friends, nine months ago, not one movie theatre was going to pick this movie up!

Yours in Christ,
Alice

We were able to see it this morning at 11am, never thought about seeing a movie on Sunday morning, but those were the only tickets available for a while. Anyway....

My reaction seems to be somewhat different than most. I truly found myself repenting of my sins right away and asking God's mercy on our souls.

But, I saw the contradiction in the beauty of the evil one. His showing how beautiful evil tries to appear to the soul and tries to confound us. How when we are so caught up in sin, though we know what we ought to do, all too often we continue in our sin. I loved the relation to Gen. 3 also. My husband says he wonders how long it will take the animal rights people to say something.

The blood didn't bother me and I was never really upset by it (and I am not one to watch bloody movies), what I saw in the blood was God's majesty. That Christ's received His blood and heart from Mary, but He was sheding Divine Blood. The Blood of the Father. That as the beatings were related, that only the strength of God's majesty, His mercy and grace, let us persevere through the pain. That only God could have possibly survived the beating that He took, the carrying of the Cross, and then finally sucuming to the Crucifixion. A mere human would have died under any of those. How in our pain and suffering God desires to endow us with His stregth and mercy, but all too often because of our nature we don't allow Him too even though we think we do.

When Christ was turned over on the ground as He was on the Cross, as he sancitified the waters at His Baptism in the Jordan River, His Blood spilled out and sanctified the world as it spilt on the ground.
That no matter how we destroy ourselves if we repent through His majesty shed on the Cross, he forgives as he did the repentant theif with the actions of the raven. That no matter how our souls can appear(the actions of the raven) His blood was spilt so that the repentant thief would ask forgiveness.

The last for now was the carrying of the cross, how when he helped Jesus carry the Cross he was so completley changed. We are so completely change when we accept the pain and suffering of carrying the Cross.

But above all I was just full of JOY! I felt somewhat guilty, but I could sit there and say Oh my God, you did this for me, it was not tears of sadness, it was tears of joy. Thankyou Sweetest Jesus.

Rani Rose

Dear Sam and Alice,

I appreciate your comments about The Passion of the Christ. Based on my experiences learning French and German, I can imagine that hearing Aramaic spoken improperly can detract from the film. Having no knowledge of Aramaic, I gave them a free pass. If they spoke it badly, I simply did not notice.

It is also true that we can debate aspects of the movie, and whether some scenes could have been filmed differently. Movie critics cannot resist second-guessing directors. I also second-guess them.

Nonetheless, I must state that Mel Gibson has made a remarkable film. The last time I noticed a similar accomplishment came in 1989, when Kenneth Branaugh directed and starred in Henry V. He took a play that many people ignore or even dismiss as propaganda (It has an unmistakably jingoistic character.) and made an extraordinary film. One critic called it "a bold, new film."

Mel Gibson has also made a truly bold, new film. Breaking with tradition and defying the norms of our day, he has created a work that expresses the Christian faith in a manner that no one could have imagined. We all know the story, have heard it recounted, have seen icons and statues depicting it, yet never before has anyone presented it so starkly, so vividly.

We cannot idealize or beautify or sanitize the Passion. We need to see what actually happened, as painful as that may be. As Pope John Paul II said of this movie, "It is as it was."

At end of the movie, I sat there dumbfounded and only three words came to mind: HE IS RISEN. The basis of the Christian faith is found in this simple, yet astonishing fact. INDEED HE IS RISEN.

Mark and Alice,

Thanks for your comments. I agree that despite the aforementioned shortcomings, it was still a superb film. The emphasis on extended comments on Aramaic are somewhat out of proportion because it does not concern a general audeince. Most will fail to notice what I mentioned. My commentary on the matter pertained only to my viewing of the film as a Semite who can more keenly detect the character of attempts at reproducing Aramaic phonemes.

In IC XC
Samer

Hi, these are just some thoughts after watching the movie (spoilers):

I saw it friday night and though I came close to welling up a couple of times I didn't become as emotional like some people described. I don't know if I wasn't letting myself or not though I did come really close, my breathing got short and I averted my eyes a few times. But the film stayed on my mind all night and the next day, so much so that I decided to see it again which I did last night (saturday).

Watching it I thought of the Sorrowful Mysteries and the Way of the Cross and of the Anima Christi prayer (..Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me..) I also thought of a prayer my family says during rosaries for the dead:

Si por tu Sangre preciosa, Se�or, lo has redimido; que lo perdones, te pido, por tu Pasion dolorosa.

which more or less means:

If by your Precious Blood, Lord, you have redeemed him; may you forgive him, I beg you, by your sorrowful passion.


I got the impression of evil being so tangible and how real the struggle is. I looked away a bit the first night, especially during the flagellation scene but the second night I tried to watch as much as I could. On moment that touched me is just after Jesus is condemmed by the Sanhendrin and the crowd begins to beat and punch him more and more and he seems to be drowning in the mob. It really moved me becasue he seemed so helpless, I felt he really was drowning in a way and then Mary says "it has begun". And the look on Mary's face as she stares at the Devil across the way, so determined, and both in persuit of her Son.

The scenes with St. Veronica and Simon of Cyrene were excellent, as was the Devil casting doubts at Jesus during the Agony in the Garden. It was watching a clip of that scene that convinced me to see the move this week. And Jesus telling his Mother, "See, Mother, I make all things new." In the midst of his suffering he is still tender with his own Mother who tries to confort him. That's when I came closest to crying.

Did anyone else notice Jesus and the Apostles sitting upright during the Last Supper scene? I know back in those days people reclined by low tables but is this a bit of symbolism here? Was it the same (tall)table he was building for a rich man in the earlier scene? And did anyone catch how he sat for a moment upon the table himself? What about Veronica's Veil, and the face left upon it. Did anybody catch that?

There were several times when everyone in the theater gasped, like when he was turned over on the Cross and for a moment it balances on the side, you think his face is about to be crushed. And when Mary goes to kiss his feet and his blood is left on her lips, that made an impression too.

I have a million thoughts. Maybe I'll write some more after I get some sleep.

Dear Friends,

The issue of the sympathetic portrayal of Pilate in this movie is one that was most certainly the original early Christian understanding of Pilate's role in the Passion of the Lord.

Origen makes mention of Pilate's letter to the Emperor of Rome by way of explanation of his actions.

There was a tradition that Pilate repented of his condemnation of Christ et al.

The Christian East not only had a positive appreciation of Pilate, but the Ethiopian Church, as we know, honours Pilate (and his wife) as Saints on June 25th.

The Byzantine Churches honour Pilate's wife, St Claudia Procla.

Alex