Whoa - down, boys. Let's not get too nationalistic or anything here. We were talking about Mel Gibson's film. 
I would tend to agree with Chisum as to what this film is all about. But I have to bear in mind that Chisum and I seem to have a certain set of beliefs that not everyone has. And that means that not everyone is going to react the same way.
I haven't seen it yet myself. I don't know if I ever will - not sure that I can handle it, quite frankly. I have heard that it is almost unilaterally the most violent and graphic film anyone has ever seen. Well, that's what crucifixion was all about; it was ugly and horrific and unspeakably brutal. Gibson was just trying to give us some idea of the magnitude of what Jesus Christ went through for all of us. I realize that not everyone believes this but for those who do it's very real.
I do however get the impression that in failing to show more of Christ's ministry that Gibson missed a very big and precious opportunity to reach more people in a real way. In other words, from what I've heard, if you go into this film as a "non-believer," you are probably going to go out of it feeling much the same way, only a lot more exhausted and emotionally drained. It's too bad because this is the first time a first-class filmmaker with a huge budget has attempted to accurately and realistically portray the gospel message.
I read the Christopher Hitchens piece from Vanity Fair and I have to say that he is certainly not a believer and as such he simply doesn't understand the motivation behind the film. I'm not trying to sit in judgment on him (Lord knows I'm unfit for casting stones!), but just to relate a fact that cannot help but play a role in the way he views this film. The film is meant to be nasty and unrelenting. I just wish it had shown a bit more in the way of redemption so that those who don't already know Christ would be more drawn to Him.
