This is the only Christian film I have ever seen in the cinema, unless you count, films with a Christian or Religious theme to them. This, as the title suggests is the story of Jesus Christ. Or at least part of it, told in the form of a movie and holding back nothing when it came to blood and gore. In terms of movies this one was nothing that special, some parts made little or no sense and others (as with some other films, you really needed to have read the book, but in a Christian sense, this film was moving and a wake up call.

Director Mel Gibson went out on a limb directing a religious film for a largely atheistic audience and some of the critics dug in deeply. You can tell that this film has clearly catholic roots, the depiction of Mary as mother to all the deciples is clear and her part in the story is played up a lot.

Personally, although I flinched a lot during the very long and drawn out flogging, (if indeed that's the right word) I thought that it was worth seeing, at least the once. It did a good job of portraying the significance of the death of Jesus, though I personally felt it missed out far too much of the story and gave just a glimpse of the ending. As is true of a lot of films, the book is far better ... check it out.

One thing that sticks out, though is a scene where Jesus makes a modern high table, I can't find it anywhere in the gospels!

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