Movie rich in gore, not anti-Semitism

Don’t expect any theological revelations from Mel
Gibson’s much-debated new release, “The Passion of The
Christ.” Staying far clear from any meaningful debate about
the origins of Christianity, Gibson instead has created a film
which is singularly designed to showcase the physical torture
experienced by Jesus of Nazareth during the last 12 hours of his
life.

Departing from much of the speculation surrounding “The
Passion of the Christ” before its release, there is little
evidence of overbearing anti-Semitism in the film.

Yes, there are a number of scenes depicting powerful and angry
Jewish leaders calling for the crucifixion of Jesus (played with
convincing intensity by Jim Caviezel), but they hardly seem more
vicious than the Roman thugs who dish out the actual physical
punishment.

And Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Palestine charged with
deciding Jesus’ fate, comes off more like a spineless fast
food restaurant manager than a ruler of men. In depicting his
consenting to the will of the mob to sentence Jesus to a gruesome
death, Gibson admonishes Pilate’s cowardice and complicity
just as much as the bloodthirst of the leaders of the
Pharisees.

Instead, Gibson is intent on spreading the blame for
Jesus’ death around to nearly everyone and then proceeds to
spend the next two hours trying to make sure we never forget
it.

To accomplish his goal, Gibson, who directed the film and
co-wrote the script with Benedict Anderson, chooses to present a
medieval and horrifically gory depiction of the torture and
crucifixion of Jesus. First he is beaten and spat upon, then
whipped raw with canes, as the camera follows him to capture
lengthy shots of his flesh literally being torn off by successive
leather whips with metal hooks on the ends. The
bleeding-from-head-to-toe savior is then marched up to Golgotha,
where tight, slow-motion close-ups show endlessly spurting blood
coming from the force of the nails being driven into his hands and
feet.

Clearly, Gibson seems to be declaring the strength of his faith
by showing just how badly Jesus suffered on that final day. With
every gratuitous gush of blood, every scene where that blood is
then carefully wiped up by the faithful, the director hopes to
inspire believers. But those who do not believe that Jesus’
death was the ultimate sacrifice of mankind, and maybe even those
who do, will find the ultimate effect of the film to be more
nauseating than inspiring.

That said, despite Gibson’s public assertions that young
people ought to be able to see “The Passion of the
Christ” if their parents approve, no child should see this
film. It is traumatizing enough even for adults.

Ultra-violence is not the only problem inherent in “The
Passion of the Christ.” Bizarre filmmaking touches, which
generally sit in opposition to the incredibly realistic and
un-Hollywood-looking torture scenes, as well as the use of the
original Aramaic and Latin throughout, pervade the film.

There’s the driving, epic action movie-style musical
score, which occasionally feels as though at any moment, Jesus may
rise up into the air as the camera pans around him, a la “The
Matrix,” as he proceeds to kick the butts of his persecutors.
In fact, the final scene, when Jesus rises from the dead, plays
alarmingly like the end of a Samurai flick: Here comes Jesus, ready
for the ultimate showdown.

Satan’s appearance in human form as an androgynous,
hairless spectre with a demonic baby in tow and a thunderous
earthquake that accompanies the film’s final moments also add
to the general impression that this movie is less of a religious
controversy and more of a mediocre Hollywood action film, resting
too heavily on blood and gore.