“In dramatizing the torment of Jesus’ last 12 hours, he has made a serious, handsome, excruciating film that radiates total commitment. Few mainstream directors have poured so much of themselves into so uncompromising a production. Whatever the ultimate verdict on Gibson’s Passion, it’s hard not to admire Gibson’s passion,” says Richard Corliss, from Time magazine.

Receiving monumentous controversy over the film, including criticism for its gory content and alleged anti-Semitic views, The Passion has received a lot of praise for being historical. Well-known actor and director Mel Gibson, however, still went through with his project. “For a year, it’s been nothing but nasty editorials and name-calling,” he said in an interview with Jay Leno. How did Gibson combat with the controversy? With all the hype and hysteria, why would he decide to see this to the end, especially as some reports are saying this could be detrimental to his career?

Ringing in $23.6 million on opening day, The Passion of the Christ, is a film devoted to the last 12 hours of Jesus Christ’s life, starting when he is in the Garden of Gethsemane praying before his arrest by the Romans, and follows his pain and strength at his crucifixion before he breathes his last. And while it does not end there, that is the basic plot. Of course there are other characters in the film, including Jesus’ mother, Mary, and some of Jesus’ friends, Mary Magdalene, and John, all of whom the audience gets to know along the way, in flashbacks during the movie. Overall, it is readily understood, and more easily so, if the audience knows the Scriptures.

The graphic scenes in this film had one reviewer from Time saying that it was suited for “true believers with cast-iron stomachs.” Gibson counteracted these responses by saying, “it was R-rated for a reason.” The graphic scenes are sometimes difficult to watch, including Jesus’ flogging, and final crucifixion, but must be credited for trying to portray a non-sugarcoated version of the story. While the gore factor must be taken into consideration for what the viewer can handle, people are still flocking to see it for it’s accuracy, and claim that it will “put you in the story” so that you feel you are there.

The accusations that Gibson’s film was anti-Semitic were based off of the fact that the film showed the Jewish leaders of the day shouting for his crucifixion. These scenes were reason enough for some critics to say that people might start pointing fingers at the Jews of today.

The truth behind this story is that the movie is based off the Gospels, “written by Jews about a Jewish Messiah and His Jewish disciples,” comments James Dobson from Focus on the Family, a Christian organization.

Others that have seen the film have given me a universal response in it being accurately historical, and in accordance to the Scriptures, thus giving the movie much credit. According to James Dobson, it is “faithful to the essentials of the biblical account” and “is easily the most heart-wrenching, powerful portrayal of Christ’s suffering that (he has) ever seen.” However, as Roger Ebert explains, “I imagine each person’s reaction …will differ.”

Throughout the trials in making this film, however, Gibson has remained committed. “If an age produces the renditions of classic stories that reflect those times, then ‘The Passion of the Christ,’ which is violent, contentious, emotional, extreme and highly proficient, must be the Jesus movie for this era. It is also gravely intense and the work of a man as deeply committed to his subject as one could hope for or, for that matter, want,” states, Todd McCarthy of Variety magazine.

So what exactly was Mel Gibson’s passion for making this film? In a couple interviews, he comments, “I’m not a preacher, and I’m not a pastor. But I really feel my career was leading me to make this [movie]. The Holy Ghost was working through me on this film, and I was just directing traffic.” Mel was not trying to preach through this film; in making it, he only wanted people to be touched.

“To the best of my ability, I just tried to tell the story and to have some deeper meaning in it that would affect people and cause them to be introspective and to seek further. And if that happens, that's a great thing, and that they can come to some truth.”

In summary, whether the surrounding controversy over The Passion makes you excited to see the film, or shuns you away from wanting to watch, one fact is for sure: Mel Gibson’s passion for the movie has proved to be contagious in making people curious--his very intent.