10/10
I think this is the most powerful film I've ever seen, and it makes me respect film, the cinematic medium, more than I ever have before. I think it's a film of
immense emotional magnitude and I would undeniably consider it to be a
masterpiece. This is an intensely personal film that strikes you in the heart, and flanks you with images of brutality and beauty, evil and good, cruelty and
complete, absolute, love. It's a cinematic masterpiece.
First of all, I loved the sound of the Aramaic language. I loved the Latin spoken with hints of Italian accents and without the academic dryness that has haunted it for so long. Who knew dead languages were so poetic? These languages
added a great deal to the whole experience of the film. We experience this film, instead of watching it. We break through and take part in it, similar to how we can take part in theater.
Maia Morgenstern broke my heart over and over again in this film, the mother
and child connection was so strong, loving, and beautiful, and yet so sad and heartrending. Mary's strength in the face of overpowering sorrow in this film was incredible, her warmth and love emanate from the screen. I fervently hope she receives Oscar attention, because she is amazing and an inspired choice for
this role. And James Caviezel did something incredible, he portrayed Jesus as a man of joy (not goofiness), solemnity, strength, and dignity (not austerity, detachment, or stoicism) but most of all, an all encompassing love, even in the face of immense suffering. And yet despite being God, this Jesus is not a
superman; Jim made The Christ very human, and as a human, very vulnerable,
which makes His, human, strength all the more incredible. Caviezel was perfect, and I hope he is well rewarded next year.
Morgenstern and Caviezel's chemistry is a genius stroke of filmmaking. Jesus
needs His mother desperately, and she must find the strength to support Him
even though it is her greatest suffering to watch, and yet she is strong. It is beautiful, and it touched me deeply. It is a most human and universal of feelings, the parent-child bond, and here we see it put to it's greatest test. Through the connection we see on film, we are given a vehicle of understanding, of empathy, and it makes Mary and Jesus identifiable and familiar on a whole new level.
I think the pace was very swift, it was over before I knew it, and although it was very violent, I do not think it was tedious or gratuitous. I found the mechanism of violence to be a necessary part in the story being told, and yet I felt it all, which is kind of new for me. I've watched a lot of violence and gore, and I guess am desensitized to it. But I found this to be more painful than standard "action" violence. I think it was the closest to feeling pain without feeling it. I find "Gladiator", "Saving Private Ryan", "Kill Bill", and "Black Hawk Down" much
more violent, in a certain way: with the detached limbs, broken bones, guts, and brains etc. Everything here is a prolonged beating with blood, but nothing is decapitated except for a guy's ear, and we hardly even see that. In fact it's the implication of pain (the sound effects, yikes) which makes this so effective. Most of us don't know what it's like to get a foot blown off, but it's easier to imagine getting whipped by something, or getting gravel in a bleeding gash, or hitting a bruise really hard. Pain is the key here, and I think through the violence we are shown the evil of violence, which gets lost in a lot of films, because here we are made to empathize in a very visceral way, in addition to emotional: we have to see what He went through for us, and do we see it. I don't think I'll ever forget. And I think there was more pain Gibson could have added that would still have been authentic.
I did not feel, as many critics said, that it was an "angry" film. I think it was the complete opposite. It is brutal and intense, but I found the message of Love in this film to be incredibly powerful and the crux of the whole thing: that through all this, Jesus never had hatred in His eyes. It doesn't need to be explained, mere glimpses in this speak more than pages of dialogue; that has always been a
device I've loved - the power of the human face. I felt that the numerous acts of kindness and love from strangers, be they looks or gestures or even more, in
this film drove it further and lifted the audience from the savagery, which they are meant to do.
And I didn't find it anti-semitic at all, in fact if you pay attention there are quiet a few details and elements of scenes in the film to point out the fact that the Jews as a people were not liable for Christ's death. I would explain, but space does not permit. But as I pointed out above, this film doesn't try explain many things to you, because it expects it's audience to pay attention. So pay attention,
everything you need to know is there: you don't need to know the names of the people who are kind, but just to see that they are kind. There are films, that aren't "2Kool 2", that expect you to pay attention anyway, and details, subtle as they are, are suitable, wonderful, devices for a complex, meaningful narrative. I shudder to think of the day that everything needs to be exposed and explained 15 times apiece.
It's beautiful and profound. I think it's a work of true art. It is a brave, brave piece of filmmaking on many levels, and it will stand the test of time.
I think this is the most powerful film I've ever seen, and it makes me respect film, the cinematic medium, more than I ever have before. I think it's a film of
immense emotional magnitude and I would undeniably consider it to be a
masterpiece. This is an intensely personal film that strikes you in the heart, and flanks you with images of brutality and beauty, evil and good, cruelty and
complete, absolute, love. It's a cinematic masterpiece.
First of all, I loved the sound of the Aramaic language. I loved the Latin spoken with hints of Italian accents and without the academic dryness that has haunted it for so long. Who knew dead languages were so poetic? These languages
added a great deal to the whole experience of the film. We experience this film, instead of watching it. We break through and take part in it, similar to how we can take part in theater.
Maia Morgenstern broke my heart over and over again in this film, the mother
and child connection was so strong, loving, and beautiful, and yet so sad and heartrending. Mary's strength in the face of overpowering sorrow in this film was incredible, her warmth and love emanate from the screen. I fervently hope she receives Oscar attention, because she is amazing and an inspired choice for
this role. And James Caviezel did something incredible, he portrayed Jesus as a man of joy (not goofiness), solemnity, strength, and dignity (not austerity, detachment, or stoicism) but most of all, an all encompassing love, even in the face of immense suffering. And yet despite being God, this Jesus is not a
superman; Jim made The Christ very human, and as a human, very vulnerable,
which makes His, human, strength all the more incredible. Caviezel was perfect, and I hope he is well rewarded next year.
Morgenstern and Caviezel's chemistry is a genius stroke of filmmaking. Jesus
needs His mother desperately, and she must find the strength to support Him
even though it is her greatest suffering to watch, and yet she is strong. It is beautiful, and it touched me deeply. It is a most human and universal of feelings, the parent-child bond, and here we see it put to it's greatest test. Through the connection we see on film, we are given a vehicle of understanding, of empathy, and it makes Mary and Jesus identifiable and familiar on a whole new level.
I think the pace was very swift, it was over before I knew it, and although it was very violent, I do not think it was tedious or gratuitous. I found the mechanism of violence to be a necessary part in the story being told, and yet I felt it all, which is kind of new for me. I've watched a lot of violence and gore, and I guess am desensitized to it. But I found this to be more painful than standard "action" violence. I think it was the closest to feeling pain without feeling it. I find "Gladiator", "Saving Private Ryan", "Kill Bill", and "Black Hawk Down" much
more violent, in a certain way: with the detached limbs, broken bones, guts, and brains etc. Everything here is a prolonged beating with blood, but nothing is decapitated except for a guy's ear, and we hardly even see that. In fact it's the implication of pain (the sound effects, yikes) which makes this so effective. Most of us don't know what it's like to get a foot blown off, but it's easier to imagine getting whipped by something, or getting gravel in a bleeding gash, or hitting a bruise really hard. Pain is the key here, and I think through the violence we are shown the evil of violence, which gets lost in a lot of films, because here we are made to empathize in a very visceral way, in addition to emotional: we have to see what He went through for us, and do we see it. I don't think I'll ever forget. And I think there was more pain Gibson could have added that would still have been authentic.
I did not feel, as many critics said, that it was an "angry" film. I think it was the complete opposite. It is brutal and intense, but I found the message of Love in this film to be incredibly powerful and the crux of the whole thing: that through all this, Jesus never had hatred in His eyes. It doesn't need to be explained, mere glimpses in this speak more than pages of dialogue; that has always been a
device I've loved - the power of the human face. I felt that the numerous acts of kindness and love from strangers, be they looks or gestures or even more, in
this film drove it further and lifted the audience from the savagery, which they are meant to do.
And I didn't find it anti-semitic at all, in fact if you pay attention there are quiet a few details and elements of scenes in the film to point out the fact that the Jews as a people were not liable for Christ's death. I would explain, but space does not permit. But as I pointed out above, this film doesn't try explain many things to you, because it expects it's audience to pay attention. So pay attention,
everything you need to know is there: you don't need to know the names of the people who are kind, but just to see that they are kind. There are films, that aren't "2Kool 2", that expect you to pay attention anyway, and details, subtle as they are, are suitable, wonderful, devices for a complex, meaningful narrative. I shudder to think of the day that everything needs to be exposed and explained 15 times apiece.
It's beautiful and profound. I think it's a work of true art. It is a brave, brave piece of filmmaking on many levels, and it will stand the test of time.