Jesus (Jim Caviezel) in a scene from The Passion of The Christ, a film by Mel Gibson. Photo: Philippe Antonello
'Later gospels include details clearly intended to let Romans off the hook and blame unbelieving fellow Jews for Jesus' death (such as Pilate washing his hands).'

Mel Gibson has reminded us that we still care about Jesus, even though it was a bloody reminder, says Steve Tomkins

Jesus surprises us all again. Who could have predicted that the most talked about film of 2004 would be a pious retelling of the crucifixion story? Or that it would be the most relentlessly violent movie that most of us have ever seen?

When Gibson announced that he was ploughing $25 million of his own money into a movie about the death of Christ, entirely in the original languages (and without subtitles, it was said) the verdict was confident: Mel has flipped.

But where he sowed bucks he has reaped megabucks - $84 million stateside in the first weekend. In Hollywood, where everything is measured in zeros, it all added up to a great triumph.

So is it another death-defying feat for the passion story, or an anti-Semitic betrayal? Anti-Semitic is not the right word, because it is not a malicious film. But, however unintentionally, it does reinforce traditional Christian prejudice against Jews. Read my account of the development of Christian anti-Semitism, if you can bear it.

For a start, where the first gospel, Mark, tells a pretty plain story, later gospels include details clearly intended to let Romans off the hook and blame unbelieving fellow Jews for Jesus' death (such as Pilate washing his hands).

Disputes

In the context of the religious disputes of the time, this is thoroughly understandable, but when this stuff has been used for centuries to persecute and kill Jews as Christ-killers, it is wrong simply to take it at face value and perpetuate accusations that have become vicious slander. There should at least be some reinterpretation.

What's more, there is absolutely nothing in the film to explain the huge political reasons for the Jewish priests' opposition to Jesus. Their main motivation is that they are 'baddies' and Jesus is a 'goodie', therefore they want him dead. And that Satan walks among them, driving them on to evil.

Their only other motivation is that they say Jesus threatened to destroy the temple - the heart of Jewish religion. So the film sees the priests as standing for Judaism (the wrong faith) against Christianity - despite the fact that Jesus was a practising Jew. Then when Jesus dies, Gibson goes beyond all gospels in having the temple destroyed in the earthquake. So Christianity has triumphed over Judaism.

This is just one example where Gibson goes beyond the gospels in setting "The Jews" against Jesus. While Jesus carries his cross, where Luke has the crowds "beating their breasts and wailing for him", Mel has them throwing stones.

Linen

Conversely, Gibson imagines Pilate's wife finding Mary and giving her a pile of exquisite Roman linen to mop up his sacred blood - as if to say "We Romans want nothing to do with this Jewish plot".

And then there's the unremitting gore. The 30-minute scourging scene, I found utterly compelling. This is what Roman justice was like, and the fun the Roman soldiers had was utterly realistic and a powerful contrast to the trauma of those who cared for Jesus, and it shared the blame out too.

But then as Jesus carries his cross he falls - in fetishistic slow-motion - again and again and again, cross landing him one, blood glooping pout of his mouth. It enacts, of course, the traditional 14 Stations of the Cross, but there comes a point where you simply have enough, and want to cry out, "Yes, crucifixion was gruesome. Haven't you got anything more to say?"

And yet there are some lovely touches in the film, such as when the two Mary's recite the Jewish Passover liturgy to each other: "Why is tonight different from any other night?" "Because we were slaves and are slaves no longer." And I loved hearing Jesus talk in Aramaic - though the idea that he talked with Pilate in medieval church Latin is completely crazy. There is even one very bad joke.

I had a rather nice Japanese meal afterwards with a bunch of other people who saw it, and for an hour we couldn't talk, argue, joke or debate about anything else. By reminding our society once again that however post-Christian we may be, we can't stop caring about Jesus, Gibson has done us all a favour - even if it leaves a less pleasant taste in the mouth than sushi.

The Passion of the Christ (18), directed by Mel Gibson, starring Jim Caviezel, on UK general release from March 26.

• Read Catherine von Ruhland's review of the film

• Read Steve's account of the development of Christian anti-Semitism

• Join in with the discussion about the film