10. The disciple Peter is played by Danny Glover

9. Donkey cart chase scene on the way to Bethany

8. Before Christ called Peter, James, and John to be his disciples, they were smuggling illegal Chinese immigrants in their fishing boats.

7. Tax collector Matthew is just six months from retirement when called to partner with Jesus.

6. As Jesus invites Peter to walk out on the waves with him, he calls out,

"On 3, what do ya say?"
"Okay."
"1 . . . 2 . . . "
"Wait, wait, wait!"
"What?"
"Do we do it on 3? Or 1, 2, 3 then do it?"

4. Judas betrays Jesus for one million stolen South African Krugerrands

3. The Roman procurator Pilate keeps muttering, "I'm too old for this dung!"

2. Donkey cart chase through the streets of Jerusalem

1. After bloody murder Jesus rises from the dead.

Okay, just kidding, about 10-2!

Mel Gibson, who is best known as psychotic cop Martin Riggs in the bloody "Lethal Weapon" films, has turned his directing skills to producing what many are calling the most accurate (and no question bloodiest) retelling of Christ's death and resurrection.

Gibson explained the change in an interview with Zenit.org: "I started to investigate the roots of my faith [shortly after the first 'Lethal Weapon' opened]. I had always believed in God, that he existed, and I was brought up to believe in a certain way."

"But in my middle years, I kind of drifted, and other things took center stage. At that point, I realized I needed something more if I was going to survive. A closer investigation of the Gospels, of the story, of the whole piece, was demanded of me."

While Gibson, now a conservative Catholic, may have changed since "Lethal Weapon," his passion for powerful film-making has not. "I'm doing what I've always done: telling stories I think are important in the language I speak best: film. I think most great stories are hero stories. People want to reach out and grab at something higher, and vicariously live through heroism, and lift their spirit that way.

"There is no greater hero story than this one—about the greatest love one can have, which is to lay down one's life for someone. The Passion is the biggest adventure story of all time. I think it's the biggest love-story of all time; God becoming man and men killing God—if that's not action, nothing is."

The movies may have somewhat similar themes (action, adventure, love, betrayal, plot twists and surprise endings), but Martin Riggs and Mel Gibson are two very different men.

In "Lethal Weapon," Riggs tells his partner, "Do you wanna hear that sometimes I think about eatin' a bullet?! Huh? Well, I do!"

Gibson, on the other hand, reports a new love for life. "I got on my knees. I realized that His wounds could heal my wounds."

Fortunately, the director's passion for dramatic films has not changed—even if there's no donkey cart chase scene in his latest.

(c) 2004 James N. Watkins

Comments

Great piece, Jim! The donkey cart chases made me laugh out loud. Every time. (I'm such a sucker.) The whole thing was a riot--destined to be a classic. This is the kind of thing people forward to everyone on their email lists until people are forwarding it back to you with someone else's name in the author spot. Very timely, too. The movie is all the rage. RhondaRhea.net (February 2004)

you know, im not much on a lot of religion, but i was surfing the net to find some pics on the movie the passion (featuring christ) and i came along your web site and you said to send e-mail stating what i thought of that sight, and i got to honestly say that your an arrogant moron, how can you sit there and crack jokes about the top ten signs that he made this movie, (mel gibson). first you mock God, (a racing donkey cart come on, and everything else you said there) but to take the only really meaningful movie made about christ in hope's that it will lead others to christ, for salvation, and make fun of it, thats just really wrong, im' like i said not big of christ and all that, but even i know it's wrong,and you should hold your head in shame for coming up with this on your website. craziegolf@yahoo.com (February 2004)

I laughed out loud at the Top Ten. This film, from all the reports is extremely emotional. One of my favorite movies of all is Mel Gibson's Braveheart. I think he's going to do this well. The fact that you show his past and his now is good. He could be the Paul of our time--would Paul have been a filmmaker? Everyone's asking those questions. CrystalMiller.com (February 2004)

I do think that God has a sense of humor but to me this is not in good taste of a film that I pray will help Christians as well as non-Christians to realize what Christ really went through for us. Your brother in Christ, Sonny Wade (February 2004)

I hear you, Sonny. This was obviously a risky column, but I wanted to reach non-Christians who would not read a "serious" piece on "The Passion of the Christ" and let them know that

a) this film has every bit as good of production value as any of Mel Gibson's films,

b) that Gibson was changed as a result of Jesus Christ, and

c) that they need to see this film.

I do appreciate you writing. May we both pray that "The Passion of the Christ" changes the lives of both Christians and non-Christians.

Related sites
• Review: the polarizing passion of the Christ
• The passion—and the controversy—of the Christ
• Original script: film based on these Gospel passages
• What's your 'passion' concerning Mel Gibson's film on Christ?
• How you can personally know Christ's passion
• Catholic.net, Gospelcom.net, Hollywood Jesus, and Youth Specialties all have excellent coverage of the controversial film

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