07.04.2004

Flesh and blood

Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ (general release)

The passion of the christ, directed by Mel Gibson, dramatises the final hours of Jesus’ life. The film (and I am confident I shall not be spoiling the plot for anyone who has not seen it yet), begins with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, and ends with his crucifixion on Golgotha. Bringing the bible to the big screen is often controversial; and Mel Gibson has certainly opened the floodgates with this adaptation.

Gibson of course is no stranger to controversy in his directorial career. His previous pseudo-historical blockbusters, Braveheart and The patriot, were heavily criticised for their casual treatment of history. In both instances Gibson rewrote it to present overly simplistic and distinctly biased versions of events. The combination of his penchant for modifying history to suit his own purposes and his membership of an obscure christian sect virtually ensured that The passion would provoke a storm of controversy.

Critics have described the level of violence in the film as being gratuitous and dehumanising. Religious groups have accused the film of, if not being explicitly anti-semitic, then at least of perpetuating outmoded prejudices. The film has also come under fire for some rather tasteless merchandising, which includes replica nails inscribed with a verse from the New Testament (although it has to be said that the sale of religious gewgaws generates considerable profits for the christian church itself). Somewhat bizarrely, it is also possible to buy a book of the film.

Whether the controversy is warranted is something of a moot point. Certainly the depiction of violence is shockingly graphic and unremittingly brutal. Certainly some of the artistic interpretation is questionable (for example, there is a flashback sequence that suggests that Jesus invents the idea of using a chair to sit at a table). However, what is unquestionable is that The passion is an extraordinarily powerful film.

Shorn of all its mythological trappings, the crucifixion of christ is a story of humanity at odds with inhumanity. It is the story of a man struggling against the corruption of the established order and the imperial occupation; betrayed by his friend, condemned by the people he sought to help; and beaten, tortured and ultimately executed. Yet throughout, he remains defiant and shows compassion and forgiveness for those who have treated him so cruelly.

The medium of cinema is ideally suited to depict such scenes. The scourging of Jesus is without doubt the most shocking screen violence I have seen. I defy anyone to watch this scene and not flinch as the Roman soldiers gouge chunks of flesh from Jesus’ body. The portrayal of the virgin Mary, not as any blessed saint but as a mother unable to prevent her son’s suffering is deeply moving; particularly when he stumbles and falls, and the scene is juxtaposed with Mary watching Jesus stumble and fall as a child. The depiction of violence is shocking but it is not gratuitous. Rather, it starkly portrays it in all its horror and inhumanity. Anyone who has ever glibly dismissed violence or casually advocated capital punishment should see this film.

The passion is not without its faults. The inclusion of supernatural elements weaken the impact of the story, particularly the presence of Satan, who is shown driving Judas to commit suicide, moving amongst the crowd and mocking Jesus. I have to say that giving the devil such a prominent role somewhat absolves humanity of the blame for this crime against a resistance fighter. Satan’s presence might be merely metaphorical, but the suggestion that somehow he is behind acts of evil diminishes humanity. Sadly, humans do not need supernatural encouragement to engage in oppression: they are quite capable of doing so of their own free will, driven by particular class interests. There is also a rather dubious moment when a crow attacks the crucified man who refuses to acknowledge the person hanging next to him as christ. A worse crime than those of the torturers and oppressors, it seems.

The Passion of the christ is not an easy film to watch. It is not light entertainment. As well as being a deeply harrowing experience, it was a curious one for me: I cannot remember being moved by the story of the crucifixion before, but I was when I watched The passion. I had previously never related to Jesus as a man of flesh and blood, but this film succeeds precisely because of its depiction of the story’s humanity. This central precept, the trials and triumph of humankind, is something that all of us, believers and non-believers alike, would do well to contemplate.