The Passion of the Christ, 2004 ★★★☆☆

Snow in Georgia was the talk of the town for two days until the sun was out in its full glory and one couldn't believe that the ground was covered with snow just yesterday. But paranoia sets in pretty quick in deep south and my ski trip was canceled, paradoxically due to heavy snowfall. Gosh! What else could provide a better reason to ski than more snow? After the white-water rafting fiasco last summer, I am beginning to believe if my life is ever going to be long enough for me to indulge in all the pleasures that I have planned for. Instead I decided to have a night of passion. I am talking about the Passion of the Christ. Jeez! God knows what you were thinking of.

After subjected to a barrage of publicity and hype surrounding this latest Mel Gibson flick, I decided to check it out. Of course, seeing the jam packed parking lot since Ash Wednesday on my way home everyday did make me think that people certainly seemed to be flocking to this movie. The reviews in the papers did not help much though because it ranged from overly rapturous to blatant shock and disgust. If a movie generates such extreme emotions, it either deals with religion or sex. All said and done, the wide ranging reviews certainly bring in greater crowds as they jostle to classify themselves along the opinion scale. Neither a devout Christian nor an aficionado of mythology movies, I went in expecting zilch and solely wanted to see the technical aspects of the movie.

The movie pointedly documents the final twelve hours in the life of the Christ, with intermittent biblical stories woven in for the biblically aware person. The movie certainly was gruesome and bloody. Never had I seen so much blood spilled on the screen for an inane cause. I did cringe in pain when the nails were hammered into his open palms. Be also mindful of the scene when Jesus is flogged and whip rips off his flesh. I can be revolting and certainly not apt for the weak-hearted. Apart from the historically correct fact that Jews had condemned Christ to death, I couldn't find anything significantly offensive to the Christian soul. Gibson is careful enough not to pass any judgments regards this injustice but strangely gives a clean chit to the Roman General, Pontius Pilate, contrary to the popular Bible notion.

Treat it like any other period drama with lots of gore and you wouldn't find anything special. But the movie can certainly not be viewed objectively and you must connect with it emotionally to understand its full impact. It may be slightly difficult for a non-Christian who is not brought up on the values of the Christ but as I saw around me during the intense crucifixion scene, people were crying openly. I had warned my friends in no unclear terms that they shouldn't laugh or ridicule the movie least we get a lynching of our lifetime but then that would be aberration of the Christ's teachings. People were even content sitting on the floor to see the movie; the first time I had seen people do so in the US. The movie is already on its way to blockbuster status and Gibson is guaranteed a place in Hall of Hollywood All-Stars as well as Heaven. However, this movie would not be useful for proselytizing purposes and would only make Christians realize the sacrifice that the Son of God made for them. That message - it conveys very clearly. I can only imagine the anguish. But to tolerate such grave injustice requires a steeled will and tolerance at the highest level. If a non-religious message has to be eked out, then it places the virtue of tolerance above all.

Technically the movie was brilliant with almost accurate art direction and astoundingly cinematography. At the risk of sounding blasphemous, I must admit that Monica Bellucci, playing the role of Mary Magdalene looked incredibly beautiful even as a 'dirtied' woman.