What has been lost amid all the controversy is that this is not a very good film when you consider just its merits as a film. Despite the violence, the film is incredibly boring. Unless you are a Christian and, therefore, have a vested interest in the story, the director, script, and lead actor give the audience no reason to care about what's going on. And I suspect that if Jim Cavaziel weren't playing Christ, no one would care. This film is benefiting from the fact that a great many Christian Americans are unable to separate how they feel (or believe they are supposed to feel) about Christ and how they feel about the film. Just because you believe in Christ doesn't mean you are required to like this film. Jim Cavaziel has absolutely no charisma on screen. Jesus clearly had charisma. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had so many followers in his lifetime. Additionally, unless you are a Christian or someone who at least knows a bit about the New Testament, nothing is really explained in this movie. Ultimately, Mel Gibson is attempting to preach to the choir. We Christians in the audience don't need to be proselytized to, so the fact that only the converted could understand this film seems odd to me. But not everything about this movie is horrible. For one, it doesn't deserve the controversy it has incited. I have read that this film shows no sympathetic Jewish characters. I find such things odd considering that two of the high priests early in the film denounce the arrest and hearings against Jesus. Furthermore, all the people shown to be lamenting Jesus' fate as he carries his cross were Jews. I do, however, agree that Pilate is inaccurately portrayed. Even if you're going strictly by the Scriptures, Pilate more than anything was afraid of taking responsibility for Jesus' death for fear of a violent reaction from his many followers. I didn't sense any of that coming from Pilate in the film. And as for the violence, only during the scourging did I feel it was gratuitous and overdone, but only somewhat. The extent of Jesus' flogging wounds, however, are portrayed such that you don't believe any person would live through it. It was perhaps too extreme. Ultimately, I don't know what Mel Gibson thought he would achieve with this film. Sure, many people claim to have been moved by the film. I think they were confused. I cried during the film, but that's because what the film was attempting to portray made me think about what Jesus was put through. So I began to cry as a result of my thoughts, not because of what I saw on screen. For such a violent film about a topic that is deeply meaningful to so many of us, this film is incredibly sterile and unfeeling. If someone really wants to get closer to Christ, skip the film, read the Bible, and go to church and pray.
Reviews
6 Reviews
Surprisingly Boring
16 November 2003
How can a movie so loud and violent be so boring? The story is not the least bit engaging and even the slightest reason to care about the life and death of the characters is never established. And we're supposed to believe that someone who was shot in the stomach just days earlier can walk for several miles and take part in a battle and remain alive and unscathed. To top it all off, Russell Crowe is just not convincing as a naval captain. The effects were very well done and the "look" of the film is nearly flawless, but it wasn't the least bit interesting.
Nightcap
(2000)
See it for the acting, but...
15 November 2000
The performances, particularly that of Isabelle Huppert, are about the only thing to recommend this film. It certainly looks stylish and polished, but if you give one moment's thought to it, you'll realize that not one bit of the plot makes any sense. To top it off, the denouement's arrival comes out of left field, thereby leaving it far from being credible. This film will certainly not be remembered.
La dilettante
(1999)
Nothing short of hilarious
13 March 2000
This film truly is remarkable in that what promises to be a pleasant time turns into a riot. I laughed out loud more at this film than I have at any in years. Catherine Frot does a marvelous job as Pierrette and Pascal Thomas gives us a film that is refreshing in that, contrary to seemingly all American films, does not pander to the audience. We aren't given a lengthy exposition in which we learn everything up-to-date on the characters: we're simply thrown in the middle of the action and need to use our head to find our bearings. Let's pray this film gets distributed in the US.
Galaxy Quest
(1999)
Excellent Satire
22 February 2000
At first glance, one would expect this to be just another bad spoof, but the writing and performances keep this moving and humorous the whole way through. Just when you see something on screen that seems cliche and overdone, another character will make a comment to criticize the person who did it. Nothing escaped the screenwriters. And Sigourney Weaver was especially impressive in this. Her character is the bombshell stuck with the throw-away role, but she doesn't let that stop her. When you see this film - and you must - keep your ears attentive for the quick jibes that fly by so fast you risk missing them. This is one of the better comedies I've seen in a few years, perhaps ever. It stays clever throughout.
A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story
(1995 TV Movie)
Entertaining but flawed
17 January 2000
This movie was a great way to get some understanding of someone who seems to have been famous forever. It's fun and keeps moving, but at times it was hard to keep track of the passage of time in the film. It didn't seem clear how much time was passing from scene to scene and, before I knew it, it was 1987.
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