The Passion of the Christ

The fact that there is precious little English spoken here can come across as a little off-putting at the start. Until, that is, you remember that this is a story that has been told several times - not least in the bible, and so actually the language of the dialogue doesn't really matter so much. Once I was over that, I was rather impressed by the standard of production presented here by Mel Gibson. Jim Caviezel has a wonderful vulnerability and potency in his portrayal of the last day spent by Jesus before his crucifixion. The cinematography is very good, as is the glorious attention to detai...

**_The Suffering of The Christ_**

Helmed by Mel Gibson, “The Passion of the Christ” (2004) details the excruciating last 12 hours of the life of Jesus (Yeshua) Christ as detailed in the Bible, as well as various devotional writings. Jim Caviezel stars in the eponymous role and it’s hard to imagine a more fitting person in the part. Also notable are Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene, Hristo Naumov Shopov as Pontius Pilate and Jarreth Merz as Simon of Cyrene.

Obviously, this isn’t a fun movie. You have to be braced for it, as it’s shocking in a reverent way. This explains why one...

**A film rooted in the Gospels and Catholic devotion**

Mel Gibson focuses the entire narrative on roughly the last twelve hours of Jesus’ earthly life, from Gethsemane to the tomb, following the Passion accounts in the canonical Gospels with additional details drawn from traditional devotional sources. By narrowing the scope so radically, the film becomes a sustained contemplation of Christ’s suffering and sacrificial love rather than a generalized “Bible story.”

The use of Aramaic and Latin gives the film a sense of historical and liturgical authenticity, drawing viewers into t...