Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" is the story, as told in the Christian gospels, of the last twelve hours of the life of Jesus of Nazareth. It chronicles his arrest, his trial, his scourging, his crucifixion, and, finally, his resurrection. The movie is a two hour exhibition of, what seems to me, the limits of human suffering. It is far different from any Passion presentation or interpretation I have ever seen. Whereas Jesus is usually portrayed as aloof and immune to the pain of the Passion, in this adaptation, the human vulnerability of Jesus is brought to the forefront. The movie uses the violence of the Passion to illustrate the humanness of Jesus, at the same time, however, his ability to endure and forgive the vices of man allude to some greater power.
The movie begins as the Christian Messiah prepares for his forthcoming arrest and condemnation. He knows he will die but he does not know how or when. One of his disciples, Judas, betrays Jesus to the Pharisees who immediately send soldiers to seize him. Upon his arrest he is beaten, spat upon, and condemned as a blasphemer by the leaders of the Jewish Church. He is taken to the Roman governor, Pilate, who, finding no crime, sends him to King Herod, who also dismisses him. Jesus is taken before Pilate once again and, to appease the crowd, Pilate sentences Jesus to be scourged, and he is, to within an inch of his life. Still not satisfied, the crowd cries out for his crucifixion. Pilate is finally forced to "wash his hands" of Jesus and leave him to the bloodthirsty crowd. Jesus drags his cross to the top of Golgotha where he, along with two other convicts, is crucified. Unto his final breath, Jesus begs God to forgive those that have condemned him, for, "they know not what they do." Jesus dies upon the cross, whereupon there is a great earthquake which splits the Temple. Three days later, as promised, Jesus miraculously rises from the dead.
Though I do not claim any religion, I am a student of history and understand the great impact that religion has had upon its formation. Moreover, I was raised in a Christian household and, consequently, exposed to the power of the Passion story at an early age. Never, however, have I felt the reality of it until I watched this movie. To me it would be impossible not to have an emotional reaction to this movie, whether one is Christian or not. To watch a human being suffer unfathomable pain for something which he so passionately believes is truly inspiring.
The story is taken from the gospels, the central text of Christianity. "The Passion of the Christ" contains many of the most important events of the last hours in the life of Jesus, from the Last Supper to the Resurrection. The movie also includes excerpts from many of Jesus' teachings, all of which center on love and faith. In my opinion the movie is accurate in its portrayal of the brutality of the time period. Roman soldiers were exceptionally cruel, especially to Jews. In fact, Pilate is probably portrayed as a much more congenial character than he really was. But then again, who knows, maybe the notoriously ruthless and bloodthirsty Roman governor did have an uncharacteristic reaction to Jesus. After all, Pilate was human as well. The fact that the movie iss performed in Aramaic, Latin, and Hebrew also contributes to its startling sense of realism and authenticity.
As for the movie's representation of the people's beliefs and practices, the death of Jesus Christ is fundamental to the belief system of the Christians. In fact, his death signals the beginning of the Christian faith. Judaism, however, had already been around for centuries when Jesus was born. Therefore, it is understandable that the Pharisees and Sadducees would feel their authority threatened by a man claiming to be the Messiah. Though Jesus was far from the first man claiming to be the Messiah, he may have been the first to pose a palpable threat to the traditions of Judaism.
Overall, "The Passion of the Christ" is an extremely powerful and moving picture that, arguably, offers something for everyone, whether one views the story as a religious milestone or merely an historical event. For Christians, the Passion is the most fundamental aspect of their religion. Even non-Christians, however, cannot argue that the birth, life, and death of Jesus of Nazareth signifies a turning point in history. Even from a non-religious viewpoint, the event has had an immeasurable impact on humankind. Consequently, it has been adapted and interpreted more than any other event in history. Mel Gibson's interpretation, however, offers a nontraditional and more realistic approach to the portrayal of this monumental event.