Epic has a 'wide' appeal

THE accompanying hype has not done Mel Gibson's epic any harm. A self-financed venture filmed entirely in Latin and Aramaic, it has so far grossed an unprecedented $300 million at the US box office.

But what kind of impact would it make on this side of the Atlantic?

According to cinemagoers pouring out of its Blackburn showing, watching The Passion had been a difficult, but worthwhile experience.

"It was quite graphic and violent," said Martin Currie, 21, from Blackburn Road, Darwen. "But it was also very moving."

A member of staff at the Apollo cinema, Martin is used to violent, bloodthirsty pictures, but claimed watching The Passion - which ironically has a U rating - had stirred up different emotions.

"It's one of the best-made films I've seen," he said. "I've watched some of the goriest films going, but for some reason it was different watching this one because it was so realistic."

The film also affected Martin because, as he is a practising Catholic at Sacred Heart in Darwen, The Passion's subject matter lies at the centre of his beliefs.

"I think it will open a lot of people's eyes. It's certainly something I have told my friends to watch."

Shirley Rasheed, from Daisyfield, was similarly moved, but could understand why so many people had been offended. She dislikes violent films, declaring herself more of a "chick-flick" fan, but like Martin her Catholic faith induced her to see The Passion.

"I found some parts of this film difficult to sit through," she said. "But I think in this day and age, unfortunately, films require a little bit of blood and gore." To those who feel the film is anti-Semitic, Shirley points to sections that show Jewish characters protesting on Jesus' behalf. "There were people in the Jewish community who were against Jesus, but also Jewish people who supported him," she said. "I think the film balances it very well."

The barbaric cruelty depicted in the film and the ensuing debate about who was responsible for Jesus' death was, according to many cinemagoers, missing the point.

"To say it was the Jews who were to blame is silly," said Andrew Corness, curate at St Bartholomew's and Church of the Saviour in Blackburn. "Ultimately Jesus went on that cross to rescue all of us from our sin, so in that sense, we all put him there."

Andrew said he thought the film would appeal to people whether they were believers or not.

"It's not the sort of film you would go to see for entertainment," he said. "But it covers an important part of history. Even if you're not religious, you can recognise the impact Jesus had on history."

There are enough "inaccuracies" in the film, however, to make Andrew wish Mel Gibson had adopted the Peter Jackson approach. The Lord Of The Rings director was renowned for patrolling the film set with a copy of Tolkien's work in his strivings for accuracy.

"In the Bible it says Jesus' clothes were divided between the soldiers, but in the film they are ripped off him at the cross," said Andrew.

It's vital to portray things like that accurately because it shows how Old Testament scripture was fulfilled."

Oddly enough, it's the film's controversial trappings - the fact it's been so fully debated and has produced deeply-felt reactions on both sides - that earned almost unanimous support from cinemagoers we spoke to. Many felt people have perhaps become anaesthetised to the brutality of Jesus' death in an age when a familiar movie image of the cross is the all-singing, all-dancing climax of Monty Python's The Life Of Brian.

The Rev Kevin Logan, of Christ Church, Accrington, said: "The debate about the film is very good and it does bring home to people what Jesus went through.

Mr Logan has not yet seen Mel Gibson's film but, like many churches in the area, is helping to organise an outing to the cinema for members of his congregation.

"If we feel Mel Gibson has done a good job, we will recommend it. I'm not sure about the violence, but I shall reserve judgement and see what it's like," he said.