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mess. And the hatred of those who made said mess of your lord. But even more, he has violated one major instruction by God, to not add to or take away from scripture. Instead, Gibson has refashioned gospel in his own image.

What's there, then? Far less than you might expect. You may think you already know the plot, but you don't. For instance, I'll bet you don't know that in the garden of Gethsemane, only the Devil, no God or Angels, answered back to Jesus. The Devil is presented as an androgynous bald figure, played by a woman but coming off as an effeminate man, continuing Mel's chronically suspicious obsession with linking of evil to either coded or overt homosexuality (cf. Braveheart, Road Warrior). So, at least Mel keeps his hatreds organized.

You may also think at least a few Romans were somehow involved in the capture of Jesus. Again, you would be incorrect, according to Mel. He has nothing but thuggish temple guards arresting him. In fact, the Jews even attempt to very sneakily hide all this from the Romans, at least until they need the Romans to off him, which none can wait to do. Mary even personally implores the Romans to help their son, and the noble centurion looks like he might do so. The excusing of the Romans' part begins here and rarely lets up. Apart from the thuggish common soldiery, all Romans of any intelligence apparently loved Jesus and were disgusted, just disgusted, at these awful Jews wanting so badly to harm him, with such bloodlust - that's the only word as presented in the film - and the Romans, it seems, certainly weren't at all concerned about Jesus being yet another messiah-figure spreading sedition against an empire only there because otherwise, its royal familythat invited the Romans inwould have been deposed. Torturing and executing Jesus is something that the Jews push the Romans into. And the Jews are so eager to kill Jesus that, even when Pilate gives them the almost childishly clear choice between freeing Jesus and an apparently psychotic Barabbaswho slobbers, and sneers, and snarls at themthey eagerly pick Barabbas to be freed. I don't recall anything in the Bible that said Barabbas was some Mansonesque psycho, but there I go expecting subtlety and class again.

The Jews get their licks in as well. Much is added to increase the violence quotient at any opportunity and this is an example. Most gratuitously and early on, on the way back to the temple for his trial before the Sanhedrin, they toss him off a bridge by his chains

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