Have you seen "The Passion of the Christ" in the theater or DVD?

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I was at a parish meeting last week and there was a mention of “The Passion of the Christ”. Only about 10% of the people in attendance have seen the movie. I was a bit surprised by the small number of people that had seen it. I know it might not be something that everyone would want to see, but I was surprised that so few Catholics had seen it.

I understand there might be various reasons that people have not seen it, so if you have not seen it, why not?
 
It is a long movie, I have very few blocks of time free in a week to devote to movies. I did try a couple of times last year but it was always sold out, did not want to pay ahead for tickets I might not be able to use. It is on satellite now, but I don’t have that much time to devote. I don’t want to just watch it like another TV show, and just now there is no way to arrange the contemplative atmosphere I would like to view it. I can’t even pray at home, have to go to church or chapel. Too many people, too much commotion. Also, generically I don’t like Mel Gibson movies. He has a violent, scary world view that disturbs me. I would not like to have a topic that has been fuel for devotion for me for a long time colored by his vision.
 
I saw it twice in the theater and once on the DVD my wife bought me.

I plan on watching it again, numerous times.

I also have the three-set videotape of the miniseries Jesus of Nazareth, and I’ve watched that one several times as well.
 
If you like Mel Gibson’s “Passion”, also look into Radix’s “Meditation on the Passion of Christ” by Saint Joseph Communications - www.saintjoe.com. Very moving - one man play that really makes one reflect - perfect for Easter (just around the corner according to Wal-Mart 😃 )
 
I saw it three times in the theater… And, I have it on DVD, although I haven’t watched it yet. It takes a lot out of you emotionally… But, I love the movie. I love the way our Mother is portrayed… I also love the music.
 
I went to see it at the cinema after it got great reviews from my Bishop 😃 and I found it very moving; also bought the DVD 👍

Yours in the Spirit

Pious
 
I went to see it at the cinema after it got great reviews from my Bishop 😃 and I found it very moving; also bought the DVD 👍

Yours in the Spirit

Pious
 
I saw the movie once when it first came out in the theaters. I own the DVD but have not watched it yet. This movie drains my emotions so much that I can’t watch it that often and I have to watch it by myself. Watching my savior take the beating and then the brutality of his death along with the heart break of his mother just destroys me. My emotions are so empty after watching that it makes me not want to watch it again BUT I do plan on watching it during lent. I have to remind myself that when my emotions are broken is when GOD fills us up the most. Every single person should watch the movie to remind ourselves that dying for our sins was not a pretty sight but that he LOVES us so much that he did and will always take the weight of our sins from us. That makes this movie so beautiful and worth watching!

God Bless,
Beckers
 
I have seen the trailer of this movie many times, and most people I know who have seen it found it to be very moving. I just can’t stand violence in movies. I prefer other movies about Jesus’ life and death that don’t focus on the gore.
 
Saw the movie three times in the theatre (two private showings, one public). I own the DVD but have not watched it yet. That will happen during Lent.

'thann
 
I am Catholic and have watched the movie. It made me cry in a few places. Really a powerful movie showing me what the Lord suffered to save me.
 
I found this film to be very beautiful and moving. My comment after watching it was “It’s Holy Week on film.” We own a DVD copy and I think it will become standard Good Friday viewing.
 
I have seen it several times…I can never get tired of it. It is the greatest movie ever made and it tells the greatest love story…Christ love for us.
 
saw the movie at the theater… artistic flick… great movie… no desire to see again… i hope Mel Gibson never makes a movie about little red riding hood… the buckets of blood needed to throw on the screen would be staggering… 😃
 
PuzzleAnnie, you should really try to overcome your resistance to seeing the movie. I knew many people in my parish with your concerns and I still urged, yes urged them to see the movie. Once they did, they were glad. Not to put too fine a point on it, but I think we, as Catholics, should support this film for many reasons. I’m not saying it’s a perfect film. I’m not saying that it should “bind our conscience” But, I am saying that it offers glimpses into our faith and long-held traditions that other Christians may find provocative. For example, the Marian devotion in this film is UNMATCHED by any other movie. Also, Mel Gibson’s treatment of the Eucharist is profound. He combines “flashback” scenes to ease the intensity of the scourging at the pillar and Jesus’ walk to Golgotha. Again, you will see Catholic doctrine about the relationship between Jesus and His Mother clearly displayed. I feel Mr. Gibson has advanced ecumenism in a very effective medium.

We had a nun at our church give the “homily” right after TPOTC was first released (don’t get me started on “liturgical abuse”) and she, more or less, condemned the movie and reminded us all that Jesus was a Jew and that the devil was portrayed by a woman and this was a statement by Mel Gibson on the evilness of women. UGH. She missed the points, entirely. I wrote her a letter expressing my dismay at her “review” of the movie and asked her to reconsider her public statements (at least to let people make up their own minds about the film). I’m still waiting for a reply :).

I have found, generally, that people with only a surface understanding of the faith (my in-laws included) have the hardest time dealing with the violence of the film. The violence is graphic, but not without purpose. Many of us would like to forget the suffering of Christ and focus only on the resurrection. However, without the sacifice there would be no Easter day.
 
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Momofreds:
Not to put too fine a point on it, but I think we, as Catholics, should support this film for many reasons. I’m not saying it’s a perfect film. I’m not saying that it should “bind our conscience” But, I am saying that it offers glimpses into our faith and long-held traditions that other Christians may find provocative. For example, the Marian devotion in this film is UNMATCHED by any other movie. Also, Mel Gibson’s treatment of the Eucharist is profound. He combines “flashback” scenes to ease the intensity of the scourging at the pillar and Jesus’ walk to Golgotha. Again, you will see Catholic doctrine about the relationship between Jesus and His Mother clearly displayed. I feel Mr. Gibson has advanced ecumenism in a very effective medium.

I have found, generally, that people with only a surface understanding of the faith (my in-laws included) have the hardest time dealing with the violence of the film. The violence is graphic, but not without purpose. Many of us would like to forget the suffering of Christ and focus only on the resurrection. However, without the sacifice there would be no Easter day.
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I second these comments wholeheartedly. No movie, no experience, had the impact on me that this film did. I saw it at the cinema a few times and now I own the video, but find I can’t watch it any more (though I will on Good Friday). Only in retrospect do I realise what an emotionally draining and devastating “event” it was - I had to steel myself every single time I saw it, yet felt I had to watch it a few times - what’s the difference from meditating repeatedly on the sorrowful mysteries or the Stations of the Cross (which will never be the same again for me)
Whatever people say about Mel Gibson’s motives for making it, I say he was inspired by the Holy Spirit.
 
I saw the movie THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST once, and it led me to appreciate the Mass a thousand times over.

It made me understand the depth and meaning of the Fourteen Stations of the Cross as never before to appreciate what Christ did for us.

Though the movie was graphic, and incongruous in some scenes (such as the crow plucking out the eyeball of one of the crucified thieves???) nothing else was out of context, and it disturbed me to read that an expert on Roman history said that of what was depicted in the movie, the Romans would have done a lot worse.

A very powerful movie.
 
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