So my editor at The Stranger emailed today and asked me to write a review of The Passion Of Christ. I didn't have any particular interest in the movie, but I'm always interested in doing more writing, so I called Jaelle and we went to go see it together.
I'll post a link to the review when it's published, but my initial reaction is : eeuw. I've seen Braveheart, so I knew Mel Gibson had a blood fetish, but - whew. Seriously gory.
And not a particularly affecting movie, either. I mean, I was raised Catholic, so I know the backstory, but really, once you leave the theatre, it doesn't stay with you, because you don't get to know Mel's Jesus. (Or his Mary, or anybody else. You get a snippet of Pontias Pilate, but only a snippet.)
So my grade: C. It's filmed beautifully, and someone did a one HELL of a job on Jesus's body makeup. And it's sort of interesting as a cultural touchpoint. But it's a nine-days-wonder.