“The Passion of the Christ‎” Review: A Large-Scale Religious Film, Is Satan’s Appearance Beautiful or Temptation

Mel Gibson can definitely be regarded as an excellent filmmaker with “excellent acting skills as a director”.

His directorial works are not many, but he often attracts attention with his alternative style and bloody temperament. He is always able to breed the beauty of phenomena in brutal realism. It seems to be an exaggeration to say that he is a director with a stubborn sword.

History, religion, savagery, and blood are always the themes of his films. Presumably, all friends should have experienced Mel Gibson’s realistic shooting method of crazy blood-spraying from films such as “Apocalypto‎” and “Hacksaw Ridge‎”.

Released in 2004, “The Passion of the Christ‎” was directly taken from the well-known “Scripture” story. Hollywood has always sneered at movies about religion, and the new market film company that could take over this hot potato really took the risk. took a risk.

It is still a trivial matter to overturn the box office of religious-themed films. If you are not careful, you will be like Martin Scorsese who made “The Last Temptation of Christ”, and the box office revenue is only $8.4 million. The entire crew was implicated.

While the director himself received assassination threats, he was almost banned by the entire religious community.

Mel Gibson once said that he was eager to tell the story of this biographical religion in film form, which he has always believed in.

Unable to find investment, Mel Gibson had to rely on his own connections to raise less than $30 million to make this “I want” movie.

He spared no effort to create a heavy sense of history in “The Passion of the Christ”. The characters in the film speak Latin and Aramaic languages ​​that modern people cannot understand, and the linen robes look so thick and bleak.

Every frame of the film is carefully composed, and the tones are as rich as oil paintings.

The actors have a dignified sense of traditional drama in the shaping of their characters, and the extensive use of slow motion and close-ups, etc., all add a lot to the historical atmosphere.

“The Passion of the Christ‎” grossed $610 million worldwide. This box office revenue was the result of the hard work of all the crew members, and it was also a perfect answer.

From the Last Supper to the torture of Jesus to the crucifixion of Jesus, people who haven’t read “Scripture” can get a rough idea of ​​this story, even if it’s not a Christian.

During the 12 hours described in the film, there are many characters.

Whether it was Jesus who was recognized by most of the audience, or Mary Magdalene who accompanied Jesus, whether it was Peter who denied Jesus three times, or Judas, the Iscariot who betrayed Jesus, the executioner who lashed Jesus, and Rome who escorted Jesus The characters of the soldiers, the criminals who were executed with Jesus, and the Jewish civilians who were onlookers chased and insulted Jesus were also just right.

Among these many characters, there is a very stunning character, who is dressed in black robes, pale, and flashes from time to time like a ghost, both beautiful and evil.

This beauty used to be a seraph in front of the throne of God, specializing in placing temptations in the world.

Later the rebel Yahweh degenerates into the dark force opposite the light force, and is seen as the evil, dark source opposite the light force.

It’s the Fallen Angels, and of course, it’s better known by its other name, Satan.

Satan makes six appearances in “The Passion of the Christ‎”, each of which is accompanied by evil and temptation.

Rosalinda celentano, an Italian actress who plays Satan, does not have many film and television works, and the information that can be found is also pitiful.

The first time: Cosemania Garden (Olive Garden)

Jesus had a premonition that because of Judas’ betrayal and the impending danger, he was in a state of constant inner conflict.

Moving on will be horribly painful, and Jesus agonizedly begged God to help guide him.

Satan never wastes time, and before Jesus’ prayer is over, it appears silently in the dark blue night.

It was only in this one appearance that Satan made his voice, telling Jesus in that seductive voice: “Do you really believe he can bear the burden of all sin? No one can bear this burden, I tell you, it’s too heavy It’s too high a price to save the souls of all people, no one can do it, no, absolutely impossible.”

Jesus’ fear of the future shook his inner world. Satan lost no time to release the snake symbolizing temptation. Jesus stepped on the snake and was no longer vulnerable and helpless.

The image of Satan in this episode is full of charm and confidence.

His voice was like a whisper, as if he would not suffer as long as he listened to its temptation and put down the burden of saving the souls of the world. The sunshine, flowers, food, and wine would be there waiting for Jesus to enjoy.

This time, Satan came close to succeeding.

After Jesus strengthened his faith, Satan disappeared. This disappearance does not represent the failure of the Dark Lord. It will come back again.

Second time: Judas remorseful for betrayal

He threw the reward for selling Jesus (30 silver coins) in front of the priest and fled, but the big mistake has been made, and no one will forgive a shameful traitor.

In the eyes of a guilty sinner, ignorant children can also become demons, and these terrible visions are the reflection of the dark side of Judas’ psyche.

Satan, who flashed among the children who were chasing Judas, had long since put away that somewhat ethereal appearance of charm, baring his fangs greedily waiting to devour a filthy soul.

In Christian teachings, those who commit suicide cannot go to heaven, and Satan has prepared a shortcut to hell for the betrayer—a twine as filthy as Judas’ soul.

Third time: Satan appears among the onlookers when Jesus is whipped in the square.

The priests stood sanctimoniously, and Satan’s eyes were softer than their icy eyes, and his expressionless face was a reflection of the cold hearts and dark souls of the onlookers.

At this time, Satan left the audience with the impression of a thinker, thinking about what to do next? In what way should Jesus be dealt a fatal blow?

Fourth time: The punishment for Jesus is getting heavier, the leather whip with the iron hook tore his skin piece by piece.

As the blood increased, the crowd began to riot, and the emotions of the executioners gradually reached the climax of sin. The weak Jesus opened his eyes weakly, and Satan appeared again between the chief inquisitor and the soldiers.

This time it has a different face. Satan walked slowly with a baby in her arms like a mother, with a loving, tender look on her face.

It stopped, slowly revealing the baby’s long black hairy back, wrinkled like a terrifying dying old baby, turned his head and grinned at Jesus, who was dying.

Throughout the film, Satan’s facial expression is very loose in this appearance, and the action of holding the baby in his arms makes his image very close to a mother, but the baby is so terrible.

Satan’s expression is clearly telling Jesus: “No matter how ugly my child is, I still hold the child in my arms and caress. What about your heavenly father? He could bear to see his christos being insulted and tortured like this. Can’t it?”

Satan is using his actions to challenge the majesty of God, and it is tempting Jesus, who has been tortured by the flesh, to doubt the love of God.

Fifth time: Satan walks slowly amid the angry crowd as Jesus lifts the cross and heads towards Golgotha.

Wearing a crown of thorns, Jesus, who was already covered in bruises and bruises, flashed in his mind the scene where he rode a donkey into Jerusalem and people lined up to welcome him with palm leaves.

At that time, the happy and enthusiastic crowd was now throwing stones and spitting at the former prophet. Faced with such a scene, they endured physical pain, and even the most determined people’s hearts would be shaken.

Satan’s eyes did not fall on Jesus, he was looking at the Virgin Mary with provocative eyes across the crowd and the soldiers.

It was smiling, contemplating if it would celebrate the pleasure of taking the Son of God from the heartbroken Virgin.

Sixth time: Satan roars angrily in a distorted mirror image as Jesus dies with unwavering faith in God.

From the terrain where Satan is located, this should be the image of the top of Golgotha ​​seen by the devil’s eye.

It took too many sinful souls from this terrible place, which was supposed to be the holy city of the devil, but its careful plan failed.

Satan has been able to maintain the shape of an angel the previous time, but this time it still maintains a human shape, but the image is completely distorted.

Six appearances, six completely different faces.

Completely different from the hideous Satan in other film and television works, the image of Satan in “The Passion of the Christ‎” was amazing when he appeared on the stage. The good-looking image with the charm of yin and yang is very in line with his identity as Fallen Angels.

As the king of the dark world, Satan combines charm, lust, temptation, jealousy, ruthlessness, treacherous, cunning, cruelty, greed, rage and all the manifestations of human evil and sin in one.

No need for more words, he just needs to hide in the crowd and observe quietly to discover the fragility of human beings, and then approach little by little until human beings completely collapse.

In this way he can take an evil spirit before God and take them to hell to be tormented, tormented, and abandoned as he pleases.

Before the prophecy of the end times for mankind in “Book of Revelations” has not been fulfilled, Satan cannot be imprisoned in hell, and it will continue to tempt those arrogant, jealous, violent, lazy, greedy, gluttonous, The fragile soul of lust falls into the endless dark abyss.

Maybe Satan is wandering around us.

Can you feel that cold gaze from hell?