March 10, 2004
begin

write

look

learn

find

What is your reaction about Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion of the Christ?

I thought it was a good movie. No way near as gory as I was led to believe it would be (Tarantino's ear scene was far worse). The only part I didn't think worked was giving Satan a mini-me.

Alias Irrelevante

I haven't seen it yet, and I'm not sure whether I want to.

Jane, 63
West Linn, OR USA

I decided that I wasn't going to see it. I have no need to see such violence and brutality to increase my faith in God or to understand the sacrifice he made for me.

Laura, 39
Lowell, MA USA

It isn't released here for another fortnight. I've seen the other two films he directed and thought they were absolute crap, so I wasn't going to see it, but the success and generally positive feedback has intrigued me.

Jill, 61
Saylorsburg, PA USA

ugh. too violent. too bombastic. weird parts that are not in the Bible. see "The Passion of Joan of Arc" for a much better and more complex film about persecution and religious suffering.

Sarah
Lowell, MA USA

Haven't seen it, don't intend to. In the words of Flora Post, I'm afraid I'm not really interested.

Alice, 23
Wincehster UK

I read a review by a guy who was apparently a non-Christian, and he said that he felt all the
emotions people at the movie were feeling were based on their faith, not on the power of the movie itself. He said Mary was the only character who really made him feel. He also said that there was danger in putting Satan in shots with characters who were "evil" and that the violence was so extreme that it eventually became cartoonish. I imagine that I would have a similar reaction to the reviewer's, if I went to the film. On a side note, I think that it's very interesting to cast Satan as a woman. Historically, the snake in the Garden of Eden has had a woman's face in art, and in long-ago plays the snake was played by a woman as well. But I don't think there's anything in the Bible about the serpent/Lucifer/Satan being female (although
I admittedly have not read the entire Bible), so it seems to me that the talk of the movie being true to the Bible is hype.

Karen, 23
Ames, IA USA

I saw the movie. It was violent, but I could deal with that. I just thought it was unbalanced, it needed more hope at the end. You watched all this suffering and at the end, the reason for all this suffering, man's redemption and salvation, was glossed over, the resurrection was
one second.

Janet, 46
E. Brunswick, NJ USA

I haven't seen it and don't want to. I'm not into gory slasher movies. It wouldn't change what I
believe and how I feel about God, and it definitely wouldn't entertain me, so there's no point.

Cathie, 54
Novi, MI USA

Haven't seen it, but I find it amazing that folks get so bent out of shape by a work of fiction.

Felicia, 38
Lowell, MA USA

I'm not a movie goer. I've read a few reviews and marvel at the number of people who seem to feel that the movie is as important as the subject matter of the movie.

Jill, 61
Saylorsburg, PA USA

Have not seen it yet, so no real reaction.

Ryan, 29
Riedlingen GERMANY

I think that he is inclined to feel about Jesus the way he wants to, and he is just expressing his opinon/view through acting in this movie.

Melodi, 19
Gahanna, OH USA

Yesterday / Tomorrow