DVD Review: The Passion of the Christ

Where to begin when reviewing a film who upon just hearing the name creates a charged atmosphere? I have found it a tough movie to discuss with friends and other movie fans, as the conversation opens up to include much more and turns into a bit more of a battle where feelings get hurt, and a general air of unease develops. That aside I have decided to go ahead and give some thoughts about the film and this DVD release.



Most of you reading this are probably at least peripherally aware of the story. I feel that many faiths have similar tales of a prophet, or some holy man, who is persecuted for his or her beliefs. I don't think that you necessarily need to be a Christian in order to get something out of this film. I don't want to get into any of the controversy regarding anti-semitism, I can see how someone could interpret it as such, but I truly feel that it was not the intent of those involved at all. The best I can say is see the movie before making a judgment. My fear is that many people are and have made up their mind regarding the movie before even seeing it, and that is a shame, you are missing out on a wonderful film.

Mel Gibson took a big risk making this movie. It's controversial subject matter kept all of the major studios from backing the film. Mel sunk millions of his own money into the production, moving forward with no studio back and no distributor. He felt so strongly about making this movie that he made it anyway, despite any Hollywood backlash he was bound to receive. The gamble paid off, as the film found a distributor with Newmarket Films and the people came out in droves. I saw it when it came out last year.

The cinematography is breathtaking, this is one of the most beautifully shot films to come along in awhile. There is great use of shadows and fog throughout the movie. Caleb Deschanel does a fantastic job of giving the film a distinctive look, with beautiful lighting. The music is haunting throughout thanks to a score from John Debney.

The film is subtitled, spoken languages are Aramaic, Latin, and Hebrew, and the actors involved do a fine job of making it sound convincing. Although the film is subtitled, not everything in the film is translated, and it's probably for the best. If every word had been translated there would have been way too much to read, as it stands Gibson had wanted to release it sans subtitles. One thing I like on the DVD is that we have the option to watch with or without the subs. The story is told through body movements and facial expressions, which really tell the story without having to understand the words.

The acting is also top notch. Jim Caviziel gives an incredibly moving performance as Jesus, giving us a portrait of a tortured soul who will give everything for what he believes. You don't have to believe him to be the Son of God to see how determined he is and the torture that he sustains. Maia Morgenstern portrays Mary, Mother of Jesus, we watch her as her world is torn apart in front of her, nothing she can do can stop what is happening. Finally there is Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene, a follower of Jesus who comforts Mary and deals with her pain and loss.

This movie touched me in a way I did not think it would. I am a Christian, and am not afraid to admit that this film has brought me to tears each time I have watched it. I cannot vouch for the complete authenticity of the film, but I also feel that it is the most realistic take on the final hours of Jesus put to film. It is a powerful film, and when you see it, you need to be prepared for it as it will affect you. At least I hope it will.

Video. The film is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. It looks pretty good, although it tends towards the softer side, I had hoped for a sharper image than this. Then again, my expectations were pretty high for this.

Audio. There are two flavors here, 5.1 Dolby Digital and 5.1 DTS. I do not have a DTS decoder, so I used the DD track, it sounds very good, the score sounds particularly good.

Extras. Nothing. No featurettes, no commentary, not even a trailer. But it does have one thing that I have never seen before, am audio track for the visually impaired. It amounts to a narration of the onscreen action with scenery descriptions and a reading of the subtitles. It is not something I think I will be using, but it is a neat addition.

Bottomline. A powerful film. Not much more I can say to that. I urge all of you to give the film a try. I only wish that the DVD had more to it.

Film: Highly Recommended.
DVD: Recommended.