Passion of the christ: an analysis

This evening I had the pleasure to view Mel Gibson’s highly controversial “ The Passion of the Christ”. The film is a highly detailed, very graphic account of the last twelve hours of Jesus Christ’s life. The movie opens with Jesus praying in the Garden of Olives after the Last Supper. After resisting the temptations of Satan, He is then betrayed by one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot. Judas discloses Jesus’ location to the Pharisees, who have Him captured and then confront Him with charges of blasphemy. The leaders of the Pharisees take Jesus before Pontius Pilot to stand trial, which eventually results in His crucifixion. “ The Passion” is about Jesus’ will to live to die for us.

Before giving my own opinion of the film, I want to first state that I was raised in a family of extremely lax Catholic faith. This has lead me to be weary of certain religious endeavors and often very skeptical about religion in general. I have suffered great personal tragedy in many ways, including the loss of my father at the age of 18. Though I know it should be, my faith has not been of great importance as of late. “ The Passion” put everything in my life in perspective, so to speak. It allowed me to realize why we are all here in the first place – what our mission in life is: the spread the word of God. I can now see how this film can change others’ lives.

In saying that, there has been a ton of controversy surrounding “ The Passion.” I definitely believe this is a movie people either loved or hated. I could discuss the differences that surround the two points of view, however, it is completely irrelevant as to why this film was created in the first place. On thing that can be said for sure is “ The Passion” sparked a common interest among all people – it vocalized strong opinions and sparked attention and discussion. It made people stand up and take a side regardless of right or wrong and the how, when, and why.

“ The Passion” has grossed essentially $400 million. The film has broken many box office records including that of best selling opening week for an independent movie and has become staple for many theaters around the world for the past two months, and has yet to be released in several countries. This is a great feat entirely in itself. I believe its impact it will continue for years to come and the message of the movie will live on after the hype has died. A true passion play that has failed to be disregarded by critics and moviegoers alike.

In conclusion, “ The Passion of the Christ” is an incredible film that I would recommend to anyone willing to open their hearts, eyes, and minds to the reality of Jesus and everyone who isn’t. Opening up to an emotional adventure millions of people have already experienced wholeheartedly. Regardless of personal opinion or religion, spending your thoughts on the movie is acceptable as long as you’re right with God. Matthew 25: 33 states: “ And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on his left.”