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some pointless cinematic flourishes….I saw no need for slow-mo, obvious CGI and other instances.
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Slow-mo. The Passion of the Christ is a war film. The battles are spiritual and ideological. The first battle is the battle of Gethsemane--a battle of betrayal and denial. Then the battle of pain, suffering, and humiliation. Then the final battle of forgiveness, resolution, and reconciliation. The use of slow motion is pure genius. If Gibson had played the battle of Gethsemane in real time it would have been a two-minute scene of violence. If Gibson had filmed it in a Hollywood type of way you would have said to yourself “how trivial and boring, way to go Gibson for giving us yet another clichéd knife fight!” I mean, would you have preferred that Peter drop his knife and the Centurion and Disciple roll around on the ground for ten minutes with the knife sliding between legs and being lost in the olive groves? As Gibson filmed it, you don’t recognize violence, (your not supposed to see violence) instead you are given time to ask yourself why this man is sought among all men, why, when he was previously troubled to the point of death, does he now calmly identify himself and go peacefully with the guards and command “those who live by the sword die by the sword.”
During the battle of the flesh, you don’t see violence, but hatred and sadism. You see men vainly trying to persuade the Son of Man from forgiving the world.
During the battle of reconciliation you see….well, you get the point.
Obvious CGI. THE TEAR DROP. Well, how would YOU have portrayed the Holy Spirit descending to earth and baptizing the whole fucking world and tearing the temple curtain from top to bottom? Again, pure genius on the part of Gibson. It is so simple, yet it is so true. A single tear to reconcile mankind with God.
Obvious CGI. THE DEMON CHILDREN Demons and spirits were rampant in the New Testament.
Obvious CGI. SATAN SCREAMING IN HELL
Well, sorry Satan was portrayed as the insignificant choir director he is. I mean, Satan, indeed, has *less* power and authority than Darth Maul. That Satan is all alone in hell without a single soul singing praise for him is ironic.