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'Passion' film earns plaudits

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

Bp. David Zubik gave a "must-see" recommendation to Mel Gibson's movie on the last 12 hours of Jesus' life after a sneak preview Feb. 23 in Appleton.

The movie also received mainly positive comments from viewers The Compass interviewed.

	Related articles ... • Bp. Zubik: 'Passion' shows God's love • Catholic film office reviews 'The Passion'

Relevant Radio (WJOK, Green Bay) and WORQ (Q-90, a Christian radio station) sponsored the preview of The Passion of the Christ at Regal Cinemas College Avenue 16. Approximately 350 invited guests attended.

The film graphically depicts the violent treatment Jesus received, particularly from the Romans, leading up to his death on the cross.

Some were bothered more than others by the violence, which earned the film an R (restricted) rating from the motion picture industry.

All who were asked cautioned against taking young children to the movie because of the violence.

But the violence also served to deliver the message of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins.

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"It hit me how much he had suffered for us all, especially seeing the brutality he was undergoing both physically and through the words and the emotional abuse the Romans were giving him. It was horrid," said Kim Wackwitz, a physical therapist with Prevea Health Care in Green Bay.

"The part that really hit me was in the middle of all that when Mary came to him and you could see the distinction between the humiliation, the brutality and her love for him and that she was suffering along with him," Wackwitz said. "It struck me that if he suffered that much for us what should we do to suffer for him or to work for him? Our suffering is very small in light of his."

Mimi Ariens of Brillion said the first word that came to her was "brutal."

"I went in knowing that I perceived Jesus as my shepherd and I came out knowing that he was my savior. It's not that I didn't always know that before, but the impact made that nuance for me," Ariens said.

Fr. Tom Pomeroy, pastor of Holy Angels Parish, Darboy, said, "I thought it was very good and moving. The way I saw it was a video icon. It even used a number of symbols from iconography."

These included, he said, Jesus on the cross holding two fingers in and three out - a sign of priestly blessing. The three fingers show the Trinity and the two fingers are for the two natures of Christ.

Fr. Pomeroy said he would encourage people to discuss the movie with others after viewing it. A group from Holy Angels will see the movie together Sunday, Feb. 29, and meet afterwards at the parish hall for a 90-minute discussion.

Renae Bauer, public relations specialist with the Green Bay Diocese, said, "I thought the movie was extremely well done. It beautifully captured the suffering of Christ who did so completely out of love for God and for us. Since the screening, I have thought over and over about how each of us causes suffering and, equally important, how deeply God longs for us to believe in him and to love one another."

Josh Diedrich, marketing specialist for the Green Bay Diocese, said, "I thought it was good. I appreciated the reflection flashback pieces."

Bob Johnson, executive director of American Foundation of Counseling Services in Green Bay, called it "a killer movie, a real powerful movie."

"I couldn't watch part of it," Johnson said. "But the other part of it, was: Would Jesus want us to remember the violence or the outcome? The movie is so much focused on the violence. It's hard to tell if you should feel totally grateful or if you were manipulated by the movie. Would I show it to my kids and say 'This is what your faith is all about'? I don't know."

Paul Jadin, former mayor of Green Bay and now with the Chamber of Commerce, said "it was a remarkable representation of the Gospel. I can't understand what all the controversy was about because that's what it was, a re-enactment of the Gospel in a very powerful way that Hollywood hasn't done heretofore.

"That's the only thing that separates this and makes it a lot tougher for some people to accept," Jadin continued. "We tend to take for granted that Christ died for us and we forget about the suffering. This was a very brutal reminder."

Jane Jadin of Green Bay said she found some parts very difficult to watch, "even though I knew what was going to happen next. It looked very accurate to me. It looked like there weren't any surprises in what I knew was going to happen next. It was uncomfortable to watch, to even lift my eyes to see some of the things."

Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt said, "We all know the story of Christ, but to witness it like we did tonight is very powerful and a lot of emotion goes through your mind in watching that. We know the story, but the love of a mother for her son is very strong in the movie. It's definitely worth seeing and something to prepare for and reflect on. It was very good. I'm glad I went."

Because of the violence, Schmitt said he hasn't decided if he'll take his 13-year-old daughter to it, but he would talk to her about the possibility of going.

Most viewers said - even insisted - that the movie was not anti-Semitic, but Joe Felion of De Pere found it extremely anti-Semitic. There were, he noted, no background reasons given - such as driving the moneychangers from the Temple - for why some of the Jewish leaders wanted Jesus killed.

Ariens also noted the absence of anything before the Agony in the Garden and said that if viewers are not familiar with the Scripture they may get the feeling that the Jews were more to blame.

Felion also said that Caiphas and other members of the Sanhedrin looked Jewish, while Jesus and his disciples did not.

Concerning the Sanhedrin, Fr. Pomeroy said the movie showed that some members of the Sanhedrin protested how Jesus was being treated because they believed the charges were ridiculous and that he was innocent. And it was obvious, he said, that the crowd demanding Jesus' crucifixion were paid by Caiphas and others to do so.

Should people see the movie. The overwhelming answer was yes.

As Fr. Doug LeCaptain, diocesan vocations director and acting rector at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Green Bay, "It's a pretty intense movie and I would highly recommend it for Good Friday. Ash Wednesday is good, but I highly recommend it as a Good Friday meditation for adults."