THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST / **** (R)

Ebert really nails the whole point of this movie: It makes the crucifixion come alive for all the kids who read the right words in church in reenacting Jesus’ death but never envisioned what it was they were saying.

One of Ebert’s comments prompts another link.

If it does nothing else, Gibson’s film will break the tradition of turning Jesus and his disciples into neat, clean, well-barbered middle-class businessmen. They were poor men in a poor land. I debated Martin Scorsese’s “The Last Temptation of Christ” with commentator Michael Medved before an audience from a Christian college, and was told by an audience member that the characters were filthy and needed haircuts.

Last night I found this diatribe against the movie which really must be read to be believed. It’s a hoot!

One complaint is that Jesus is portrayed in the movie as having long hair. A fair complaint, I guess, considering the buzz cut Leonardo Da Vinci gave Jesus in his paintings. It also accuses Mel Gibson of making a graven image…and committing this sin 24 times a second for the two hours of the movie. The very act of making any movie about Jesus already has Mel in trouble in half a dozen ways before they even get to the complaints about his particular film.

I’m hoping to see this film in the next day or so and post a review on our Reviews site. Any other contributors wishing to do so may post them on the reviews site.