The trailer for Mel Gibson's new movie about the last hours of Christ's life is up and it is a downer - very bloody and spooky. James Caviezel, who is a notably vocal Catholic (he didn't want to do a nude scene with Jennifer Lopez in Angel Eyes), stars as Christ and the entire movie is in Aramaic. Aramaic!
There's been fuss over this movie since Mel Gibson decided this should be his directorial followup to Braveheart, first being that he was going to (1) shoot a film about the last days of Christ and (2) in Aramaic. Then U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops complained and then apologized for blasting the film, based only on unauthorized copies of the script they had read. The Anti-Defamation League also critized the film, both groups basing their thoughts about the film on the stir Mel Gibson's father caused. Hutton Gibson, or as Gothamist likes to call him, "Crazy Old Man Gibson Who Doesn't Believe that Osama Bin Laden Was Behind the WTC Destruction or That the Holocaust Happened," was profiled in the Times a few months ago and questions about a possible connection between father's and son's beliefs emerged. Mel Gibson has stated: "'The Passion' is a movie meant to inspire not offend. My intention in bringing it to the screen is to create a lasting work of art and engender serious thought among audiences of diverse faith backgrounds (or none) who have varying familiarity with this story."
Gothamist likes The Last Temptation of Christ as its "the last days of Christ" movie.
