Outside (My) Movie Box: Part 2

I can honestly say that it took me a very long time to sit and watch this movie. I had my reasons for not watching it. None of them religious or anti-Mel Gibson. But, this weekend, after some pushing from HIM, I watched "The Passion of the Christ." Can I just say that I am amazed and a fan now. It was really great. I think Mel Gibson and his cast and crew did an excellent job at portraying the words of the Bible onto the screen. The film is as great as so many of my friends have said. I wasn't a skeptic of that. I just had my own reasons for avoiding viewing it. I can say that I was wrong for doing so for so long.

First off, the fact that the movie is entirely spoken in Aramaic and Latin did not diminish the experience for me. I am a reader as you all know, so subtitles are my friend. The authenticity of this film astounds me. I was just simply amazed by the way everything came together in this film. The darkness of some scenes played well with the lightness of others. It was just a very fluid film. I was not fully prepared for how brutal the beating scene would be. It was hard to watch and digest. It made me sad and angry and caused me to cry. It was just so inhumane.

Although I am not completely sold on the entire idea that Jesus was a white man, I do loved that Mel Gibson did go against the perceived norm. He did not cast a blond hair, blue eyed man to play the role. I love the fact that Jim Caviezel had dark hair and strange brownish, orange colored eyes. The portrayal of Lucifer was so epic. The fact that I really couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman, the extreme paleness/lack of any color, and the really black robes all played into the darkness that is Satan. The scenes in the woods were poignant to me as well. The darkness of it just meshed so well.

The scene that remains with me the most from this film is the very last 10 seconds of it. The resurrection scene is so poignant and great. I love the way it was filmed. To see Jesus resurrected with holes in his hand walking out of the temple is so strong and spiritual. This scene made me cry again. I also believe that the movie had a greater impact on me since I am currently reading the Bible. The stories that I have read were ultimately brought to life in this film. I love when a filmmaker gets it right. Mel Gibson, in my eyes, did just that. "The Passion of the Christ" moved me. I loved it more than I thought was possible. I am so glad that I finally sat still for a while and took it in.