"Passion of the Christ": the negative Reviews are coming out
02-25-04, 10:51 PM
#126
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Originally posted by DouglasRobert
I, myself, have no desire or need to see this film. Even if all the reviews were 100% good, I will never view this film.
I don't like preachy movies, and this is one of those.
It just seems that so far the only people that have been interviewed on TV and giving rave reviews are what I consider, religious nuts. Crying and such and praising God and speaking Bible verses. If I want to be preached to I'll go to a church, I am not going to spend money on this film even when it comes out on DVD.
I think it will probably open big in the Bible belt, but I can't see it open big in larger cities. Couple of things against it are No major stars, Storyline will turn off non-Christians or athiests. Majority of people are Christian in this country, but very few are actually practicing, church going types. R Rating, very violent and gory for families. The only reason this got made is because Mel Gibson used his clout in Hollywood to get it made.
If it does open big, probably around 45 Million I think it will fall off very quickly and probably gross around 80 to 100 Million total.
My 2 cents, and I don't mean to offend any one with my opinion, but it's a free country and I can voice my thoughts on this film and spend my money as I see fit. And I won't give Mel Gibson one cent of my money to see this film.
I, myself, have no desire or need to see this film. Even if all the reviews were 100% good, I will never view this film.
I don't like preachy movies, and this is one of those.
It just seems that so far the only people that have been interviewed on TV and giving rave reviews are what I consider, religious nuts. Crying and such and praising God and speaking Bible verses. If I want to be preached to I'll go to a church, I am not going to spend money on this film even when it comes out on DVD.
I think it will probably open big in the Bible belt, but I can't see it open big in larger cities. Couple of things against it are No major stars, Storyline will turn off non-Christians or athiests. Majority of people are Christian in this country, but very few are actually practicing, church going types. R Rating, very violent and gory for families. The only reason this got made is because Mel Gibson used his clout in Hollywood to get it made.
If it does open big, probably around 45 Million I think it will fall off very quickly and probably gross around 80 to 100 Million total.
My 2 cents, and I don't mean to offend any one with my opinion, but it's a free country and I can voice my thoughts on this film and spend my money as I see fit. And I won't give Mel Gibson one cent of my money to see this film.
It's very simple in fact, it's basically a procession of Christ making his way toward the cross, with a lot of flashbacks of his and other people's memories when he sees them across the way.
I thought it would be preachy as well. There is not even that much dialogue spoken in the film. What is said is very slowly and sometimes subtitles stay on the screen 10 seconds or more.
I believe that quite a few people, regardless of religion, would find this interesting.
But that's just my two cents.
02-25-04, 11:00 PM
#127
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Originally posted by wlmowery
This is exactly correct. Most negative reviews claim to base their decision/opinion on the alleged failure of the film to deal with the reason for the sacrifice or Jesus' teachings or the full message of the gospel... etc....
But that tries to make the film into something it was not designed to be. All Mel Gibson sought to accomplish was to meditate on the physical sufferings of Jesus Christ. It is a visual poem on a single point, the cost of scarifice. To denigrate the film for being focused on its only goal to the exclusion of what a third party may wish to see instead is disingenious.
This is exactly correct. Most negative reviews claim to base their decision/opinion on the alleged failure of the film to deal with the reason for the sacrifice or Jesus' teachings or the full message of the gospel... etc....
But that tries to make the film into something it was not designed to be. All Mel Gibson sought to accomplish was to meditate on the physical sufferings of Jesus Christ. It is a visual poem on a single point, the cost of scarifice. To denigrate the film for being focused on its only goal to the exclusion of what a third party may wish to see instead is disingenious.
02-25-04, 11:04 PM
#128
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Originally posted by Big Quasimodo
This needs to be said again and again, IMHO.
This needs to be said again and again, IMHO.
Agreed. It would sound odd if it were titled
"The Suffering of Christ" but that it was what the title of this
film means.
It doesn't refer to Jesus' passion for people, love or whatever everyone who doesn't like it seems to think it should be about.
02-26-04, 07:20 AM
#129
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Originally posted by whynotsmile
If he wanted to tell the story and passion of Jesus, he has failed misserably. Passion of the christ? should be death of the christ.
If he wanted to tell the story and passion of Jesus, he has failed misserably. Passion of the christ? should be death of the christ.
I would say that the "Passion of Christ" was acurately portrayed, as "Passion" here means suffering.
02-26-04, 08:18 AM
#130
Banned
thought i'd post this since i was told in a previous thread that "there would be no protesters".
they were all over the 86th street threatre in NYC. my favorite sign:
"HITLER GIVES PASSION THUMBS UP"
they were all over the 86th street threatre in NYC. my favorite sign:
"HITLER GIVES PASSION THUMBS UP"
02-26-04, 08:32 AM
#131
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Originally posted by whynotsmile
Overall I would give it an A-/B+
everything in this movie was amazing. Beautiful, hautning score, great acting, great cinematography, great makeup, etc etc etc.
If all gibson wanted to do was make a movie about the last few hours of Chirist's life, he has suceeded greatly. If he wanted to tell the story and passion of Jesus, he has failed misserably. Passion of the christ? should be death of the christ. can't fault hte movie if he wanted to do that, but as my mormon friend I saw it with said "that just didn't go far enough"
Overall I would give it an A-/B+
everything in this movie was amazing. Beautiful, hautning score, great acting, great cinematography, great makeup, etc etc etc.
If all gibson wanted to do was make a movie about the last few hours of Chirist's life, he has suceeded greatly. If he wanted to tell the story and passion of Jesus, he has failed misserably. Passion of the christ? should be death of the christ. can't fault hte movie if he wanted to do that, but as my mormon friend I saw it with said "that just didn't go far enough"
I think it was a very interesting choice, because I have never seen a movie about Jesus that focused solely on this aspect and truly got it across. This film clearly did. And it was amazing to behold. Especially, when intercut with bits of Jesus' message, which clearly, in the world of humans you view at the time, was completely opposite of what the pervailing view would have been - a completely new idea - It used to be "an eye for an eye" - but Jesus said "Love your enemies as your friends", etc. These ideas were radical and "new", but so "right" when they were heard, obviously.
This intercut with what he had to willingly go through, a man claiming to be the Son of God, and completely blameless, without sin - he would have been able to stop it at any time. To come down from the cross, to end his torture, etc. But through that entire horrible day, he never gave in to that temptation.
The film was a very enlightening experience for me in terms of what Christianity is - and it did make me want to read the Gospels. I have not done so in many many years.
02-26-04, 06:04 PM
#132
Banned
Originally posted by BRIAN 1972
thought i'd post this since i was told in a previous thread that "there would be no protesters".
they were all over the 86th street threatre in NYC. my favorite sign:
"HITLER GIVES PASSION THUMBS UP"
thought i'd post this since i was told in a previous thread that "there would be no protesters".
they were all over the 86th street threatre in NYC. my favorite sign:
"HITLER GIVES PASSION THUMBS UP"
As the son of a (Protestant) WWII vet who fought to liberate Europe and those in the death camps, I think anyone who held up those signs should thank God...if that person believes in the One True God...that those horrible "Christians" were around to lay down their lives to defeat Hitler. Shame on those who ignore history to fuel their own anti-Christian animosity!!
