The Passion Of The Christ

I made it home for Christmas! While sitting here reading over my journals from Iraq, I came across an interesting entry from a day in Iraq, April 20th, 2004.

Today was a fairly uneventful day. The camp came under mortar fire this afternoon, this is unusual. They usually wait until after dark to start their mortar attacks. The enemy mortar crew were all killed as a consequence. Their day light mortar attacks turned out to be a bad idea for them. My QRF (Quick Reaction Force) team came off of a twenty-four hour shift this evening. As we are all on standby we decided to go to the brand new theater here at our camp. They are playing The Passion Of The Christ. Everyone has heard one thing or another about the movie. Most of us are religious in one way or another, at one level or another…

Sgt. Hall and I were intrigued by the idea that we were able to watch a movie about Christ in what may very well be the cradle of life. We sit just North of Baghdad between the Tigress and Euphrates rivers. The idea that we were seeing a film about Christ in what could have been the Garden of Eden is a trip. We were able to watch the movie about half way through before we came under a mortar attack. We heard the impact of several rounds, everyone stayed inside the theater. The place was packed, there were people sitting in both isles on the floor and standing in the back against the wall. After their normal three round attack, the film continued. I heard our mortar crews return fire as our attack helicopters flew over to engage the enemy.

As the Romans beat the flesh off of Christ, I wondered if the Iraqis were organized and coming through the wire and soldiers cried. I did not want to meet my end in a movie theater in Iraq. I went outside to get a breath of fresh burnt air and survey the action going on. The mortar sirens filled the air as I heard helicopters firing their missiles a mile outside the wire. I went back in and watched the end of the film.

As a Christian, I felt hurt. The film was quite brutal. I had heard that Gibson made the film as actual to the real deal as he could… I look forward to seeing the film when I get home, it‘s hard to pay attention when you are under fire and as paranoid as I get...

I made it home and have watched the movie again. As it turns out, I missed a lot of the film the first time around.


Jesus: Forgive them, Father. They know not what they do.


The Passion Of Christ (2004)

Directed by Mel Gibson
James Caviezel as Jesus
Maia Morgenstern as Mary
Hristo Jivkov as John
Francesco De Vito as Peter
Monica Bellucci as Magdalen
Mattia Sbragia as Caiphas
Toni Bertorelli as Annas
Luca Lionello as Judas


This movie has had an impact on my life in more ways than one. First off, it is the first and only film that I have ever seen in a combat zone. When ever I think of this film I think of where I was and what we were going through. At the time, I figured that as much action as we were seeing, that I would never make it out of I Iraq in one piece. I remember thinking that it was fitting that The Passion Of Christ may be the last movie that I may see. I was medevaced three weeks later. The film had an emotional impact on me at the time but I just tucked it away with the rest of any emotions at the time. A combat zone is no place for emotion.

There are a lot of mixed feelings about the film. Some people believe that the film was entirely too graphic, while others feel that the film is a masterpiece. Although I do not think that the film is a masterpiece, I think the film was very good. I think Gibson did just what he was trying to do. He wanted to make the most realistic film about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and he did just that. He intended on making a film that was just like the day Christ was crucified. He wanted every lash of the whip, every punch from a Roman fist, every betrayal of his followers, and every judge of his life to be noted in his film, and they were.

I think the film is good in several aspects. First of them being that, I think the film was historically accurate. From a religious point of view, the film had an enormous impact on me. A lot of us Christians believe and realize that Christ died on the cross for our sins, we just don’t visualize the actual length, extent and intensity of the crucifixion. If you are a Christian the movie will have a strong emotional impact on you. The whippings that Jesus goes through before he was crucified on the cross, are nothing less than horrifying! The scenes are quite disturbing. Be assured that the film is very graphic and the whipping scenes are brutal and graphic. There is a lot of blood in the film. Gibson wanted to show the viewer the torture and suffering. Was the film too graphic? I do not know. Was the film realistic? You bet it was.

The directing of the film was good as well as original. Gibson was able to mix the spiritual battle that is raging between Christ and Satan, while keeping the viewer informed here in reality. Gibson also broke up the brutal crucifixion of Jesus by using flashbacks through the eyes of Mary. This gives the viewer a break from the onslaught of beatings. The cinematography was also very good. Mixed with the special effects, the scenes were very convincing. The acting by all involved was outstanding. Every part in the film was played excellent. Especially noteworthy are the performances of James Caviezel as Jesus and Maia Morgenstern as Mary. To keep the film as realistic as possible, Gibson used what is believed to be the actual language of the people at that time, Aramaic / Hebrew. Although the viewer has to read the English subtitles, the film still flows with out much consequence. I hardly realized that I was having to read subtitles.

I would recommend The Passion Of Christ to anyone who practices any religion. It is too easy to say, Christ died on the cross for my sins. Here you have to watch it for two hours and I must say that it is not comfortable. On that note, do not let your kids see the film. While the message is there, the scenes are too graphic. I give the film five of five stars!

Quote from The Passion Of Christ

Satan: Do you really believe that one man can bear the full burden of sin?
Jesus: Shelter me, O Lord. I trust in you. In you I take refuge.
Satan: No one man can carry this burden, I tell you. It is far too heavy. Saving their souls is too costly. No one. Ever. No. Never.
Jesus: Father, you can do all things. If it is possible, let this chalice pass from me... But let your will be done, not mine.
Satan: Who is your father? Who are you?


Similar Movies

• The Ten Commandments


RUNTIME: 2 Hours 7 minutes
Rated : [R] for very graphic violence.


Thanks for the read,
~Mac

© 2004 Joe McMaster