Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

Sometimes I wish I could blog from work. Waiting for my breakfast this morning I stood reading the NY Post's front page story of reactions to The Passion of the Christ. First, the "experts" "review" the movie. I read a lot of movie reviews and they always tell the story of the movie, how the acting is, how the story and dialogue is, the quality of the music and lighting, etc... The Passion reviews, are different, they sound more like historical and theological criticisms. This is just weird. They also focus on the violence, which I could understand because it does sound relentless.

Jonathan Foreman says the movie is a "product of a distinctly perverted sensibility", but "Nor do I believe it will provoke pogroms, if only because the film is probably too slow to work as rabble-rousing propaganda, whatever the intentions of its maker"---emphasis mine. He goes on to describe small details in the film that he claims are historically inaccurate.

Lou Lumenick gives a more positive review but also compares Gibson to Leni Riefenstahl who made positive films about Hitler.

The Post also had two pages of average people quoted after watching the film. These non-experts said:
"I'd give it 10 stars. It's one of the best movies I've ever seen in my life," said Maritza Castro, 32, who had tears streaming down her face as she left a preview screening for church groups at the Magic Johnson Theater in Harlem. "

"Yanira Gonzalez, 39, hugged her husband, Pete, outside the Magic Johnson Theater.
"It was very powerful. If you don't know Jesus, by the time you finish watching this movie, you definitely will," she said."

Guess whose opinions I trust?? And check out the photo of the young couple hugging each other after the viewing. Obviously this film is dangerous!

Then at lunch, I read the reviews in the Daily News and Newsday which were more of the same. I guess it was too much to hope that the bigotry would be put aside and the reviewers would give professional reports on the movie. Jami Bernard in the Daily News says:
"Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" is the most virulently anti-Semitic movie made since the German propaganda films of World War II." but "once you strip away all the controversy and religious fervor - is a technically proficient account of the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus of Nazareth."

See that? the damn thing has "religious fervor", no wonder it must be stopped!!

Of course the Catholic League is on the case and in a wonderful press release, points out the opinions of these same reviewers on past violent, bloody films.


So let me get this straight, the movie is no good because it does not stick to the Bible, is too violent, historically inaccurate, contains 'religious fervor' and is anti-semitic? Little to no mention of acting, lighting, music, plot, action, etc.. These reviews have made up my mind about a few things:

1) I am going to join the Catholic League
2) I am not only going to see the movie on Friday night but also pay for extra tickets just to help sales
3) I will never listen to any complaints of "anti-semitism" ever again
4) I am going to attend the traditional latin Mass on Sundays

#1 and # 4 were both in my head for awhile and these reviews just made me determined to do them. # 2 and # 3 only occurred to me after reading the reviews