| Dan |
So, what did you think of the film? |
| Margaret |
That was amazing! I cannot believe how well done that movie was! I cannot remember the last time a movie touched me like that. |
| Robert |
Really? I thought it was a good movie, but … I don't know, it felt very manipulative. |
| Dan |
Manipulative, how? |
| Robert |
Everything was so extreme — it was like I was meant to have all these strong reactions to everything. |
| Carla |
Yeah, I saw something where Mel Gibson said he wanted people to "feel" the story. But what's wrong with that? |
| Margaret |
Yeah. I don't see anything wrong with someone making a story so vivid. I've read the story of the Crucifixion dozens of times, but I never saw it like I did today! |
| Tomer |
But I'm not sure what we saw today was totally accurate — people will see the movie and think that it happened just that way. I don't know that's such a good thing. From a biblical point of view, Gibson took an awful lot of license. |
| Margaret |
What's the big deal? It was close. What got changed? |
| Tomer |
Well, for example the appearances of Satan and some of the more mystical things — those were added by the movie. The children tormenting Judas, Mary's interactions with Jesus along the way, perpetuating myths about Mary Magdalene, things like that. That's confusing. |
| Margaret |
It doesn't have to be confusing. It's not really changing the story, its just telling it a new way. People are smart enough to know that movies aren't real. |
| Tomer |
Oh, I'm not sure about that! My nana still thinks Charlton Heston is Moses and that Jeffrey Hunter is Jesus. |
| Carla |
What do you mean by that? |
| Tomer |
Those are the actors that played Moses and Jesus, and ever since my grandmother saw them she thinks that's exactly what they looked like. Movies are powerful. |
| Robert |
"A picture is worth a thousand words" is a cliché but it is also true. I know I will always see the crucifixion in this movie whenever I hear the word in the future. But I really question whether the real Crucifixion was anything like the movie showed it. |
| Carla |
And from a forensic point of view, I'm not sure that what we saw is all that accurate. I have a professor that said the bloodiest part of the Crucifixion would have been the head injuries from the thorns. I'm not sure such a bloody picture is necessary or helpful. I need to go back and read the scourging part. I don't remember it being like that. |
| Margaret |
But it sure made it feel real! |
| Dan |
So, what was the best part of the movie for you? |
| Tomer |
It felt very real — not just the Crucifixion — but it felt authentic, you know? It was like being there — I think that was really well done. |
| Carla |
It made me want to invite some of my friends who think being a Christian is all about being nice and sweet. I kept thinking, "This is what it really means to be Christian." |
| Margaret |
For me it was like I already said. It touched me. I want to be better. I want to figure out … |
| Dan |
What? |
| Margaret |
I'm not sure. Go on to somebody else. |
| Robert |
Well, it was a good movie, but for me it is just a movie. I guess I'm a little put off by the hype, and I take seriously the anti-Jewish stuff, and I just felt manipulated. For me, it was all a little over the top. Are we supposed to believe that people are naturally that cruel, that brutal? |
| Dan |
What concerns do you have about the film? |
| Carla |
I grew up in the Baptist church and went to Sunday school all the time. I would say I know this story pretty good, but I have to admit that I don't know what parts of the movie were accurate and what parts were made up. It bugs me that I can't tell the difference. |
| Tomer |
Yeah, that's what bugs me, too. People will see this and think — "It happened just this way," and they may never go to the Bible to see what it really says. Like I said before, Gibson took some huge liberties with the story to make it more "Hollywood." |
| Robert |
I guess that's part of what bothers me, too. Do we really need "the gospel according to Mel?" My mom is Catholic and her mom is very Catholic. I know my gramma is a wonderful person, and I also know that she is very comfortable telling people that the Jews killed Jesus — I've heard her talk that way. I kind of think that a film like this is irresponsible if it lets a message like that go unchallenged. It makes it look like everyone delighted in torturing Jesus. I'm not sure that helps. |
| Tomer |
But the Bible, the way it's written, does have passages that are very anti-Semitic and anti-Roman. In the story, they are the bad guys. I think this film just shows images that illustrate what the Bible says. |
| Robert |
That doesn't mean we uncritically accept them. The Bible says slavery and the oppression of women is okay. I would have trouble with a Bible movie that perpetuated either of those myths. |
| Tomer |
Okay. |
| Margaret |
I really don't see anything wrong with the movie. It is just another version of the Gospels. I think it is very reverent and well done. People will need to apply good common sense to realize that the message isn't about brutality and cruelty. It is about what Jesus suffered for us. |
| Dan |
Two more questions — one, is this a good movie for the whole family — kids included? |
| Carla |
No way, at least not little kids. I don't think teenagers should see this without being told very clearly what they will see. Some of this is just awful. |
| Robert |
No, this is way too graphic. We want to teach kids the story not scare the #@!& out of them. |
| Tomer |
I don't know. Too often we make the story too clean. This shows how horrible it really is. I think for, like, 12 and up it is a good film. |
| Margaret |
I agree, I think most kids have seen things like this — or worse — by middle school. Most children wouldn't fully understand what they're seeing, but twelve, thirteen year olds should be good with it. |
| Dan |
And last, is this a good tool for evangelism — for introducing people to the gospel story? |
| Tomer |
I don't know. It's powerful, but I wouldn't want it to be the whole story. There are just way too many inaccuracies. |
| Margaret |
I would want every person I know to see this movie, but I would also like the chance to talk to them about what they see and to find out what they think. The movie is as much myth as it is gospel. That's important to tell people. |
| Carla |
Yeah, I mean, I know the story and I have more questions now than I did before I saw the movie. I want to reread the stories in the Bible. I want to talk to somebody who studies this stuff and make sure I know what's what. |
| Robert |
I would hate to have a person form all their conclusions about Jesus based on this movie. I think I would want to unpack it with whoever saw it. Also, if I'm not clear on what I believe and why, I'm not sure I want to try to answer other people's questions. |
| Margaret |
I'm not sure we give people enough credit for being intelligent enough to work things out. |
| Robert |
In my experience, I think we give people too much credit. |
| Tomer |
Is it a good idea to expect a movie to do what individuals are supposed to do? I mean, using this movie as an evangelism tool let's us off the hook. I think a person's understanding of Jesus Christ is too important to trust to a movie. |
| Carla |
But it's better than nothing. People may hear this message by watching this movie who might not hear it any other way. That's a good thing, right? |
| Robert |
As long as they have someone to talk to about — someone to support them and help them understand. I'm not sure I liked this movie. I still don't know why cruelty and gore are so necessary to tell the story. Should I be a Christian because I feel bad that Jesus was brutalized? I think there's a lot more to it than that. |
| Dan |
Thanks for talking to me, for being so open and candid. You have helped me gain a deeper perspective on the film. |