The Passion of the Christ (Definitive Edition)
|
List Price: Our Price: $19.99 You Save: $6.99 (26%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $5.87 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of The Passion of the Christ (Definitive Edition)
Movie Review: The Great Love Story
Summary: 5 Stars
The Passion of the Christ is the greatest and most important story in the history of the universe. I have owned it since the DVD was first released. I recently bought it for the second time since I loaned my first one out and it has stayed in circulation. It is my belief that everyone should watch this at least once a year for life. No matter how many times I watch it, I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.Movie Review: Preaching to the converted
Summary: 4 Stars
The other night, I went to see Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" again. I must admit I didn't like it any better this time. I thought that, on second viewing, the movie would just fly by, as so often happens when you resee a film. On the contrary, I found it long and, at one point, I actually started nodding off. (Not during the flogging scene, I can assure you of that. I felt more distant and remote then, less viscerally affected by the violence.) While I didn't like "The Passion" any better, I did come away with a greater understanding of the imagery Gibson uses -- more specifically, its roots in scripture. For instance, I realized that he was portraying Judas as mad -- possessed, in fact -- based on the gospel verse that says, "The devil entered into him." At the beginning, when Jesus steps on the serpent and kills it, that echoes a verse in Genesis: "He shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for his heel." This verse has traditionally been seen as God's promise of a Redeemer for a fallen humanity. The problem is, how many moviegoers today will be aware of these biblical references -- even Christians? Gibson's film is obviously a testament to his own faith. But he has made the assumption that everybody else shares that belief, and has thus made a film that, in effect, preaches to the converted. What about those who do not believe, or who simply do not know about Jesus? Gibson's "Passion" will not reach them because it does not speak, does not even try to speak, their language. The other problem is that Gibson's version of the death of Christ is a hodge-podge of biblical influences, popular piety and his own idiosyncratic touches. Jesus's trek along the Via Dolorosa reflects, not the gospels, but the Stations of the Cross you find in every Catholic church. Many of the 15 stations portray events not mentioned in the gospels. Again, how many people in the audience will be able to separate fact from fiction? One final note: "The Passion" has been accused of fostering anti-Semitism, yet it tells the story of One who was Himself a Jew. More than that, His death took place against the backdrop of one of the holiest days of the Jewish calendar, Passover. When Mary says, "Why is this night different from all other nights?" she echoes the question asked by the youngest male member of every observant Jewish family on Passover night. And Jesus's Last Supper was a Passover meal. This is hinted at, but not fully brought out in the film. In short, Gibson takes too much for granted, assumes that his audience shares his knowledge of the Christian faith -- and misses a golden opportunity to explain that faith to others.Movie Review: the scourging alone would have killed him
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a good film which closely follows the testimony of the New Testament Gospels. The filming is graphic and detailed and the decision to have people speak in their original languages was very intelligent. The film has been accused of being antisemitic--partly because of Gibson's escapades-but I don't see it. It is no more antisemitic than the Gospels, themselves. Yes, I think it can be argued that the Gospels show an anti-Pharasee bias--make that an anti-establishment bias--but they can't be antisemitic. The early Christians, precisely the ones who wrote the New Testament, were all Jews. It is hardly credible that they were antisemites. They were, however, members of a new wave of Judaism, a wave that witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and the razing of Herod's Temple. They didn't like the Temple Establishment and their writings show it, sometimes even glossing over the Roman responsibility for Jesus' crucifixion.
The film is both detailed and excruciating. It emphasizes Jesus' suffering for mankind. It's difficult to 'overdo' something as hideous as death by crucifixion but I think the directors come close. The scourging is overdone to the point of unbelievability. It goes on far too long and is laid on with too much force. The scourging of the type depicted may have killed a man without the necessity of a cross. Of a near absolute certainty, a man so scourged would never be able to pull--even with help--the cross up to the hill of Golgotha.
Other than that I have only one other technical comment and that involves the cross, itself. The cross has become the living symbol of many Christian faiths but many people believe that there was never a cross. There is evidence that, in some places, the uprights were always kept in place on the execution ground. The condemned man carried the crosspiece on his shoulder to the place of execution.
In A.D. 70, Jerusalem fell to a Roman army and thousands were crucified around its walls. It seems highly unlikely that full crosses were used in the executions.
Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico
Movie Review: Powerful.
Summary: 4 Stars
The Passion of the Christ was much-hyped when it was released in 2004. Mel Gibson who wrote and directed this film took a lot of heat, critics said this epic was a direct insult to Jewish people. I watched this film a few years ago and this film is violent but I don't think the point of view takes aim at any religion in particular, I think every religion had a part in the horrible death of Jesus Christ. This film uses sub-titles so get ready to read dialogue. James Caviezel is a splendid actor, hope he continues to make more incredible films in the future. Mel Gibson may have been used as punching bag but you can't ignore the brilliance of this controversial drama.Movie Review: A passion for the audience!
Summary: 4 Stars
First off i cant really call myself a christian, i am reviewing this as a film lover. There are some minor flaws in this film and its not the blood! Some of the greatest movies ever made are personal movies by directors. I am not saying this is one of the greatest movies ever made but i love how in this day and age of garbage film ,Gibson punches you in the face with this film! Some reviewers have said there should have been more depth or more of Christs teachings instead of more violence. I have seen that all before, if you want to see films like that try Pasolini's The Gospel According To St. Matthew, shot in a neo-realist style. Nobody has the guts to take a chance these days on a movie. Thats why i was so glad to see this film. This is a film that should say to directors who are coming out with a supposed "movie" to get that weak crap out of here!