I risked life and limb to see The Passion of the Christ last night, amid all the uncommon snow flurries and whatnot. 
It was a really terribly brutal, brutal movie. Hard to watch, and it tops things like Saving Private Ryan and the other movies that have come out since then for gore and violence hands down. 4/5 of the movie is concerned exclusively with the horrific torture and death of Jesus. Ebert claims that this is the most violent movie he's ever seen, that it most certainly deserved an NC-17 rating, and it is likely to be the most brutal movie you've ever seen. There is very little entertaining about this movie, and I can't suggest that anyone go see it for fun.
All the same, it is a very powerful film. Many have griped about the fact that Mel Gibson didn't flesh out the supporting characters enough, or didn't include enough background into the life of Jesus or the historical atmosphere he lived in, but I hate to hear this because that's obviously not the point of the movie. It isn't to depict the life of Christ, his teachings, or the world of political and religious turmoil he lived in. This movie wants to show the torture and death of Jesus, plain and simple. I think it should be judged on that criteria, not what others think it should have been about. My one huge quibble is that most of the non-torture scenes will be impenatrable to people not familiar with the story.
The Passion of the Christ doesn't quite reach the greatness it aspires to, but it's a moving experience for those that can stomach it.
[Edited to say this movie is worth watching, but it's not a great film by any means]
It was a really terribly brutal, brutal movie. Hard to watch, and it tops things like Saving Private Ryan and the other movies that have come out since then for gore and violence hands down. 4/5 of the movie is concerned exclusively with the horrific torture and death of Jesus. Ebert claims that this is the most violent movie he's ever seen, that it most certainly deserved an NC-17 rating, and it is likely to be the most brutal movie you've ever seen. There is very little entertaining about this movie, and I can't suggest that anyone go see it for fun.
All the same, it is a very powerful film. Many have griped about the fact that Mel Gibson didn't flesh out the supporting characters enough, or didn't include enough background into the life of Jesus or the historical atmosphere he lived in, but I hate to hear this because that's obviously not the point of the movie. It isn't to depict the life of Christ, his teachings, or the world of political and religious turmoil he lived in. This movie wants to show the torture and death of Jesus, plain and simple. I think it should be judged on that criteria, not what others think it should have been about. My one huge quibble is that most of the non-torture scenes will be impenatrable to people not familiar with the story.
The Passion of the Christ doesn't quite reach the greatness it aspires to, but it's a moving experience for those that can stomach it.
[Edited to say this movie is worth watching, but it's not a great film by any means]
Poor Jesus. I don't think I'll see that flic.