The Passion of the Christ

**The** **Passion** **of** **the** **Christ** is a 2004 theatrical released film, directed by Mel Gibson. Originally released to cinemas in the USA on February 25, 2004, it is in general considered an Easter film as it deals with the New Testament stories of Jesus being crucified and resurrected.

## Plot

In this version of Christ's crucifixion, based on the New Testament, Judas expedites the downfall of Jesus by handing him over to the Roman Empire's handpicked officials. To the horror of his mother, Mary, Magdalen, whom he saved from damnation, and his disciples, Jesus is condemned to death. He is tortured as he drags a crucifix to nearby Calvary, where he is nailed to the cross. He dies, but not before a last act of grace.

## Synopsis

In the late hours of the night at the forested garden of Gethsemane, Jesus, at the height of his cause, prays while his disciples Peter, James, and John sleep. While he prays in seclusion, Satan appears to Jesus in an androgynous form, and tempts him, stating that no one can bear the burden that God asks of him: to suffer and die for humanity's sins. Jesus' sweat turns into blood and drips to the ground while a serpent emerges from Satan's guise. Jesus hears his disciples call for him, and rebukes Satan by crushing the snake's head.

Judas Iscariot, another of Jesus' disciples, having received a bribe of 30 pieces of silver, leads a group of temple guards to the forest and betrays Jesus' identity. As the guards arrest Jesus, a fight erupts wherein Peter draws his dagger and slashes the ear of Malchus, one of the guards and a servant of the high priest Caiaphas. Jesus heals Malchus' injury while reprimanding Peter. As the disciples flee, the guards secure Jesus, and beat him during the journey to the Sanhedrin.

John informs Mary, mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene of the arrest, while Peter follows Jesus and his captors. Magdalene begs a passing Roman patrol to intervene, but a temple guard assures them that she is insane. Caiaphas holds trial over the objection of some of the other priests, who are expelled from the court. False accusations and witnesses are brought against him. When asked by Caiaphas whether he is the Son of God, Jesus replies, "I am". Caiaphas tears his robes in outrage and Jesus is condemned to death for blasphemy. Peter is confronted by the surrounding mob for being a follower of Jesus. After cursing at the mob during the third denial, Peter flees when he recalls Jesus's forewarning of his defense. A guilt-ridden Judas attempts to return the money he was paid in order to have Jesus freed, but is refused by the priests. Tormented by demons, he flees the city and hangs himself.

Caiaphas brings Jesus before Pontius Pilate to be condemned to death, but at the urging of Pilate's wife Claudia, who knows of Jesus' status as a man of God, and after questioning Jesus and finding no fault, Pilate transfers him to the court of Herod Antipas, as Jesus is from Antipas' ruling town of Nazareth. After Jesus is found not guilty and returned, Pilate offers the crowd the choice of chastising Jesus or releasing him. He attempts to have Jesus freed by the peoples' choice between Jesus and violent criminal Barabbas. The crowd demands Barabbas be freed and Jesus crucified. Attempting to appease the crowd, Pilate orders that Jesus be severely flogged. Jesus is then scourged, abused, and mocked by the Roman guards. They take him to a barn where they place a crown of thorns on his head and tease him saying “Hail, king of the Jews”. A bleeding Jesus is presented before Pilate, but Caiaphas, with the crowds' encouragement, continues demanding that Jesus be crucified. Pilate washes his hands of the affair, and orders Jesus' crucifixion. Satan observes Jesus' suffering with sadistic pleasure.

As Jesus carries a heavy wooden cross along the Via Dolorosa to Calvary, a woman avoids the escort of soldiers and requests that Jesus wipe his face with her cloth, to which he consents. She offers Jesus a pot of water to drink but the guard hurls it away and dispels her. During the journey to Golgotha, Jesus is beaten by the guards until the unwilling Simon of Cyrene is forced into carrying the cross with him. At the end of their journey, with his mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, and others witnessing, Jesus is crucified.

Hanging from the cross, Jesus prays to God asking forgiveness for the people who tormented him, and provides salvation to a penitent thief crucified beside him. Jesus surrenders his spirit to the Father and dies. A single droplet of rain falls from the sky to the ground, triggering an earthquake which destroys the temple and rips the veil covering the Holy of Holies in two. Satan screams in defeat from the depths of Hell. Jesus' body is taken down from the cross and entombed. Jesus rises from the dead and exits the tomb resurrected, with wound holes visible on his palms.

## Cast

* Jim Caviezel as Jesus Christ
* Maia Morgenstern as Mary, the mother of Jesus
* Christo Jivkov as John
* Francesco De Vito as Peter
* Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene
* Mattia Sbragia as Caiaphas
* Toni Bertorelli as Annas ben Seth
* Luca Lionello as Judas Iscariot
* Hristo Shopov as Pontius Pilate
* Rosalinda Celentano as Satan
* Claudia Gerini as Claudia Procles
* Fabio Sartor as Abenader
* Luca De Dominicis as Herod Ántipas
* Chokri Ben Zagden as James
* Jarreth Merz as Simon of Cyrene
* Sergio Rubini as Dismas
* Francesco Cabras as Gesmas
* Giovanni Capalbo as Cassius
* Roberto Bestazoni as Malchus
* Sabrina Impacciatore as Seraphia
* Pietro Sarubbi as Barabbas
* Matt Patresi as Janus
* Ted Rusoff as Chief Elder
* Giacinto Ferro as Joseph of Arimathea
* Aleksander Mincer as Nicodemus