Passion on a biblical scale

“The Passion of the Christ”

Starring: James Caviezel, Monica Bellucci, Maia…

“The Passion of the Christ”

Starring: James Caviezel, Monica Bellucci, Maia Morgenstern, Hristo Shopov

Directed by: Mel Gibson

The buzz of controversy surrounding Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” is reminiscent of the release of Martin Scorsese’s “The Last Temptation of Christ” in 1988. Scorsese’s film portrayed a flawed, human Jesus, angering numerous groups and sparking protests before and after its release. This time, however, the controversy has resulted in record-breaking presales and heated debate across the country.

“The Passion” begins with Jesus (Jim Caviezel) praying in Gethsemane just before his arrest, and concludes with a (very short) resurrection scene. Mary (Maia Morgenstern), along with Magdalene (Monica Bellucci), follows her son from condemnation to death. As Jesus journeys towards Golgotha, he receives the support of his followers and the jeers from an angry mob.

To provide us with a bit of context for the two hours of brutality, Gibson interjects brief flashbacks of Jesus’ childhood and deeds. The moments from his past clarify his relationships with the other characters, from Mary’s protectiveness of him to the healing of Magdalene. Few of Jesus’ messages are recalled, though snippets of the Sermon on the Mount and the Last Supper are juxtaposed with Jesus’ torture and crucifixion.

With sparse dialogue, be it Aramaic, Latin or Hebrew, “The Passion” reaches its emotional peaks through stunning imagery. When Jesus is arrested, the blue, ethereal night is broken by the vibrant yellow flare of torches. Guards and disciples clash, and their movements, beginning in slow-motion, suddenly accelerate with a jolt. The result is a heightened awareness of time and movement, increasing the sense of significance of every action within the film.

Considering the disturbingly graphic violence of “The Passion,” it’s no surprise that Caviezel dislocated a shoulder and was accidentally whipped twice during filming. Not a square inch of Jesus’ body is intact by the time he’s actually crucified, an event that includes explicit aerial shots of nails being driven into his palms. The scenery and sets are breathtaking, particularly the open-air Roman arena in which Jesus is condemned, though their beauty is hard to notice with the shocking brutality in the foreground.

After nearly two hours of horrifying bloodshed, the conclusion feels extremely brief. Jesus’ burial shroud empties, and he steps past the camera and out of the tomb. The rushed resurrection hardly balances the intensity and length of his execution.

The debate about the anti-Semitic elements in “The Passion” revolves around the placement of blame for the death of Jesus. Pharisees, members of a sect of Judaism characterized by strict adherence to Jewish laws and traditions, demand the death of Jesus again and again throughout Gibson’s film. The High Priest, Caiphas (Mattia Sbragia), accuses Jesus of blasphemy, lining up with his fellow priests to smack their prisoner and spit on him.

With a massive, angry mob behind them, the Pharisees plead with Pontius Pilate (Hristo Shopov) three times for Jesus’ death — they even demand crucifixion as Jesus stands barely alive and torn to ribbons by whips made with broken glass. After securing their wish, the Pharisees journey with the mob to Golgotha and ridicule Jesus as he hangs on the cross.

While the Pharisees come off as a cold group of men annoyed with a blasphemer, the Roman soldiers behind the devices of torture are portrayed as ignorant, sadistic, drunken fools — men for whom Jesus asks forgiveness. Pontius Pilate is a sympathetic, likeable character, tenderly discussing the nature of truth with his wife. He refuses to sentence Jesus to death until realizing that “the Pharisees apparently hate the man,” and he must acquiesce or risk a revolt.

A pale, androgynous Satan (Rosalinda Celentano) makes numerous appearances with an entourage of snakes and demonic children. As Jesus is brutally whipped, the Pharisees watch while Satan weaves through their midst.

Although Gibson has ardently stressed that his film is not anti-Semitic, the possibility of “The Passion of the Christ” triggering negative sentiment exists if the events of the film are taken out of context. It’s vital to keep the film in perspective as Gibson’s interpretation of the gospels while being bombarded with the intensely emotional imagery.