I just saw this movie a little over four hours ago and I am hard put to verbalize my experience. For believe me, this is a movie that you will experience and not just see.
To start off with, there is a lot of violence in the film. I do not recommend it for anyone under the age of 12. You know your own children best, so you make the decision on whether they should see it or not. I have read the Gospels and usually glaze over the violence of the times. I do not believe there is any gratuitous violence at all. I believe this film is as close to the actual occurrences of Christ's last 12 hours before crucifiction as there is.
Here is a brief explanation of the story, the 12 hours up to Christ's crucifiction. The movie starts off with Jesus in the Garden praying to the Lord, he is betrayed by Judas, arrested by the pharisees, beaten on the way to the pharisees, mocked and ridiculed in front of the pharisees and crowd, then taken before Poncious Pilot (sorry for my spelling) to be judged to death. The pharisees cannot judge a man to death, that has to come before a Roman Court. At first Pilot refuses and send jesus back to King Harrod to be judged. Harrod deems Jesus crazy but not to be put to death. The pharisees take Christ back to Pilot who puts teh decision up to the crown on who to release, a known murderer Barnabas or Jesus. The pharisees and crowd choose Barnabas. Pilot agrees to beat Jesus, which is done thoroughly. He is beaten by rattan staffs, and then by the cat of nine tails (a leather whip with 9 tails with pieces of iron and chards of glass imbedded in the leather whips). This is very graphic and though they do not show every strike, you can hear them and actually feel them. This scene is very very powerful.
I felt as if I was there during the entire movie. The scene in the garden where He is arrested sparked the warrior spirit in me. I so wanted to get up out of my seat and draw a sword and fight along with Peter.
Needless to say, I can hardly do justice to the vast array of emotions that ran thru my body during this movie. One particular scene shows the cat of nine tails getting stuck in Jesus' back and the Roman soldier has to actually rip it out of his back. That scene will stick with me for a long long time. Another scene that stuck with me is when he is being nailed to the cross. To actually see the spike go thru His hands, to see the blood running down the side of the cross, to hear the hammer hitting the spike with every hit is forever etched in my mind.
At first I was taken back by the violence of the film, but in order to do justice and be a true portrayal of this time I believe that is was very necessary. I was appauled by the acts that Christ went thru, but now realize that he had to suffer the most evil attrocities that humanity had to offer in order to save humanity from evil.
All in all, this film has impacted me and changed my life. How, I can not say right now. Ask me again in 6 months and I might be able to tell you at that time. I just know that my blinders have been shed and now I can really see.
I highly recommend this movie to anyone and everyone. I believe everyone should see it twice though. The first time to dispel any pre-conceived ideas you may have gotten from the press and the second time to realize the full impact of the film. I plan on seeing it again with my wife and my family.
God Bless!
Matt
