The passion of the Christ

Englischer Titel: The Passion Vélemények (német): "No child should see this movie. - Even adults are at risk. - Mel Gibson's ì
"The Passion of the Christ" is the most virulently anti-Semitic movie made ì
since the German propaganda films of World War II. - It is sickening, much ì
more brutal than any "Lethal Weapon."

The violence is grotesque, savage and often fetishized in slo-mo. At least in ì
Hollywood spectacles that kind of violence is tempered with cartoonish ì
distancing effects; not so here. And yet "The Passion" is also undeniably ì
powerful. - Because of all the media coverage of this movie and the way it ì
was shown only to handpicked sympathizers until yesterday's screening for ì
movie critics, many questions hang in the air: Is it historically accurate?

Of course not. As with any movie, even a documentary, this one reflects the ì
views of its filmmakers, who are entitled and expected to use their art ì
persuasively. Gibson has been up-front about his own religious agenda. - But ì
is it any good?

"The Passion" - once you strip away all the controversy and religious fervor ì
- is a technically proficient account of the last 12 hours in the life of ì
Jesus of Nazareth. - The movie is sanctimonious in a way that impedes ì
dramatic flow and limits characterizations to the saintly and the droolingly ì
vulgar. - That said, there are many things in its favor - a heroic physical ì
effort by star Jim Caviezel; stunning cinematography by Caleb Deschanel, and ì
the chutzpah to have the actors speak in the dead language of Aramaic (with ì
some subtitles). - Is Gibson devout, or is he mad?

Had Gibson claimed Napoleon helped him direct, instead of divine spirits, the ì
answer would be clear. Even so, a touch of madness is often a good thing in a ì
director. - But "The Passion" feels like a propaganda tool rather than ì
entertainment for a general audience. - Is it anti-Semitic?

Yes. - Jews are vilified, in ways both little and big, pretty much nonstop ì
for two hours, seven minutes. - Gibson cuts from the hook nose of one bad ì
Jewish character to the hook nose of another in the ensuing scene. - He ì
misappropriates an important line from the Jewish celebration of Pesach ("Why ì
is this night different from all other nights?") and slaps it onto a ì
Christian context.

Most unforgivable is that Pontius Pilate (Hristo Naumov Shopov), the Roman ì
governor of Palestine who decreed that Jesus be crucified, is portrayed as a ì
sensitive, kind-hearted soul who is sickened by the tortures the Jewish mobs ì
heap upon his prisoner. - Pilate agrees to the Crucifixion only against his ì
better judgment.

The most offensive line of the script, which was co-written by Gibson with ì
Benedict Fitzgerald, about Jews accepting blame, was not cut from the movie, ì
as initially reported. Only its subtitle was removed. - "Passion" assumes the ì
audience already knows Christianity 101, and plunges right into the aftermath ì
of the Last Supper. Taunted by an effeminate, seductive Satan and ì
anticipating betrayal, Christ suffers. - Oh, does He suffer.

The movie is a compendium of tortures that would horrify the regulars at an ì
S&M club. Gibson spares not one cringing closeup to showcase what he imagines ì
Jesus must have endured. - The lashings are so brutal that chunks of flesh go ì
flying and blood rains like outtakes of "Kill Bill." - The Romans capture ì
their prey with the help of a terminally regretful Judas, then haul Him ì
around to be whipped, beaten, spat upon, mutilated and finally crucified - ì
all with the cheering encouragement of a ghoulish mob of Jews. No one in the ì
crowd speaks up for Jesus, not even, strangely, his mother (Maia ì
Morgenstern).

Religious intolerance has been used as an excuse for some of history's worst ì
atrocities. "The Passion of the Christ" is a brutal, nasty film that ì
demonizes Jews at an unfortunate time in history. - Whatever happened to the ì
idea that the centerpiece of every major religion is love?" (Jami Bernard, ì
New York Daily News, 23. Februar 2004)

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