Advantages: Good Acting,
Disadvantages: Quite Barbaric In Places

...The Passion of the Christ released in 2004 and directed by Mel Gibson is a film that I have only recently seen for the first time. At the time of its release I made a conscious decision to avoid watching this film due to the huge amount of hype that surrounded it. Having now watched this film I am left with a mixture of different thoughts and feelings. I am not a religious person and this is also another reason why I probably did not rush out to the Cinema on the release of this film. I also had even less interest in rushing out to see it when I discovered that not only were there no big name Hollywood Actors amongst the cast but that all of the dialogue was spoken in a mixture of Latin and Aramaic, with English subtitles displayed across the screen. The entire script for this film is taken from chapters 14 and 15 of Mark's Gospel... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Very engrossing film, great characters.
Disadvantages: Special effects nothing special.

...I have recently bought and watched The passion of the Christ so i thought i would share my views on the film with you all. This film is not only directed but also co-written by Mel Gibson and stars : *James Caviezel as Jesus, *Maia Morgenstern as Mary, *Hristo Jivkov as John, *Francesco De Vito as Peter, *Monica Bellucci as Magdalen, *Mattia Sbragia as Caiphas, *Toni Bertorelli as Annas, *Luca Lionello as Judas, plus many more. This film tells you all about Jesus's tremendous journey that leads to his death (crucifixion), he was betrayed by his fellow disciple Judas, shortly after the Last Supper and is based on the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Unlike previous films about Jesus, The Passion of the Christ looks not at the life or death of Jesus, but on his unbelievable murder. Mel has borrowed from... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Gives people without a religous education/background a small insight!
Disadvantages: Very emmotional possibly disturbing to some!

...After my usual shopping trip last week, I returned with The Passion of the Christ on DVD. Without wanting to upset anybody I am one of those people who struggle to take in anything to do with religion, god and the bible etc, I prefer to and am able to mentally digest the more scientific methods of evolution, life in the seas, bacteria and so progression begins etc. Anyway my previous knowledge of Christ was only the bits we did in music and song etc at primary school. I knew he was born to the virgin Mary, he was a carpenter, he worked miracles, was crucified and rose again on a Sunday, anything else is a bit scattered in my scatty head. Finally I got to sit down and watch this movie and nothing had prepared me for what I was about to see! The first thing that struck me was the subtitles, the film is spoken in Jewish and Latin (I... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: great hype caused by the non-comprehending Jewish community
Disadvantages: nothing but hype

...CAST: James Caviezel as Jesus the Christ Maia Morgenstern as Mary the mother of Jesus Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene Hristo Shopov as Pontius Pilate Francesco De Vito as Peter Hristo Jivkov as John Luca Lionello as Judas Rosalinda Celentano as Satan Toni Bertorelli as Annas Mattia Sbragia as Caiphas Director: Mel Gibson Screenplay: Ben Fitzgerald, Mel Gibson, and Benedict Fitzgerald Music: John Debney soundtrack album available on: SONY soundtrax Running time 127 mins available on : DTS and DOLBY DIGITAL in selected cinemas I happen to chance THE PASSION (aka. The Passion of the Christ), as of this writing yesterday where it have just started on its regular screening. I opted to get the ticket for the upper level, however - since the movie have already started, i first sat myself on the lower... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: It followed the scriptures well with some added artistic freedom
Disadvantages: VERY violent, but this was supposed to be!

...Whether you believe that Jesus is the Christ or just a figure in history, the fact is he did exist, was condemned to death and did go through scourging and crucifiction. This film describes the hours of Jesus betrayal, denial, torture and death intimately. Christians believe this was done for their salvation. The punishment was to be brutal and the movie shows it. I found the acting to be top notch. Jesus was potrayed well and the back flashes showed some of his compassion and belief in love. Mel Gibson's use of a female as a devil figure was artistic and also hit home. The devil can manifest itself as anything. I won't give away any of the little "gimmicks" Gibson used to bring out the evil that was shown in this character. Some were subtle but very much on the mark. Mary, Jesus mother, was well done with few words. One... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: history lovers might enjoy it
Disadvantages: very violent film

..."The Passion of Christ" by Mel Gibson It is very hard to believe that the Mel Gibson, as the main actor, of some idiotic commercial trash Hollywood productions, can even think this way. Maybe the guy went to be influenced by some Christian sect; therefor he decides to "redeem for his sins". The sins attached to his Hollywood life-style. I even heard the information that he’s often guest in the Monastery of Hilandar, Orthodox Christian Monastery in Greece, booked only for men [to women visits are not allowed], next to a Prince Charles of England. Prince Charles actually donated the monastery after the recent big fire, couple months ago. I mean yea, the monastery did not received big donation from Greek or Russian Orthodox Christian Society, but from Prince Charles, who, as the rumor say, comes to monastery to paint in peace... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: none to speak of
Disadvantages: violence, gore, preachy, boring, confusing...

...I was very disappointed and dismayed. I had a sinking feeling from all the reviews I had read of Mel Gibson's infamous movie, The Passion of the Christ, that I wouldn't care much for it and yet when a strong Christian friend offered me her DVD copy, I decided to see for myself what all the fuss was about. My only consolation is I didn't pay for the, um, torture. The overly long movie, even at two hours, but replete with requisite slow-mos at key religious moments, offers the Roman Catholic Gibson's dramatic interpretation of the last twelve hours of the life of the much-suffering Jesus of Nazareth, portrayed courageously by the quite handsome with European features, white-skinned Jim Cavaziel. I've heard that he's so religious that he started a prayer time before work on the set and the one day he forgot to lead it he was stuck... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: violent
Disadvantages: violent

...You know, there's only so long you can watch somebody being beaten, whipped, flogged, kicked, slapped, punched, scarred, stabbed and mutilated before you start to feel distinctly uneasy about the whole thing. But maybe I'm just being a wimp. If that kind of thing is your bag, then The Passion of the Christ will certainly hit the spot. Telling the story of the last twenty-four hours of Jesus' life, this film is perhaps the most relentlessly violent I have ever seen. And I don't mean in a gung-ho, wahey, bring on the slaughter, Arnie kind of way. More of a 'bloody hell, can't we put The Muppet's Christmas Carol on instead' kind of way. After lulling us in gently with maybe fifteen minutes of staid conversation and howling at the heavens, it all kicks off, and we're treated to a good hour and a half of Mr Christ getting seven bells knocked... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: The simple fact that it's about Jesus.
Disadvantages: The sheer scale of blood and vivid scenes.

...The night before last I was on my way to the local Indian to get a takeaway. I had no plans to get anything else. But, as I have to walk past Blockbusters, I noticed that this film, The Passion Of The Christ, is now out on DVD. So, I bought it. The funny thing is, the man who served me said, "You do realise this is subtitled?". "Er, yes, that's one of the reasons I'm buying it!" was my reply. I hadn't seen it in the cinema and was a slightly unsure of what to expect. Yes, I'd seen all the hype in the news and media at the time. But, until you've seen the film, you'll be left wondering what all the hype was about. Yesterday I decided to watch it. I must admit, I was slightly nervous whilst placing the DVD gently into my Alba DVD player. I'd seen clips of it on telly, and had an idea what to expect. As I said earlier... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Very inspiring, heart moving and mind blowing.
Disadvantages: Scenes are gory and violent as in real life.

...... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful