Battleangel

Usually I find Metacritic most helpful but in the case of Passion of the Christ, The the results are inconclusive. It’s one of those movies you can either love or hate I guess.

Chicago Sun-Times / Roger Ebert — It is a film about an idea. An idea that it is necessary to fully comprehend the Passion if Christianity is to make any sense. Gibson has communicated his idea with a singleminded urgency. Many will disagree. Some will agree, but be horrified by the graphic treatment. I myself am no longer religious in the sense that a long-ago altar boy thought he should be, but I can respond to the power of belief whether I agree or not, and when I find it in a film, I must respect it.

ReelViews / James Berardinelli — A gripping, powerful motion picture — arguably the most forceful depiction of Jesus’ death ever to be committed to film. It leaves an indelible imprint on the psyche; viewers of this movie may never look at a crucifix in quite the same way.

.. but everyone is not so cheerful …

Slate / David Edelstein — This is a two-hour-and-six-minute snuff movie — The Jesus Chainsaw Massacre — that thinks it’s an act of faith.

New York Magazine / Peter Rainer — It isn’t just the violence that is overplayed. There is so much creepy-Gothic Sturm und Drang in The Passion that at times it seems as if Clive Barker should get credit for the story along with Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Hmm. Looks like I’ll be waiting for the DVD RIP.

Some people sure take the passion pretty seriously though: Woman Dies During Screening Of ‘Passion Of The Christ’.