Graham plans to recommend the film to his congregation — a “rare exception” for him. “Watching this film is like being at the foot of the cross,” he says.

Ancient Language

Adding to the visual realism is the linguistic authenticity as the reverberation of ancient Aramaic and Latin transports audiences into first-century Judea.

“There is something kind of startling about watching it in the original languages,” says Gibson. He initially conceived the film with no subtitles but eventually gave in to numerous requests for them. “The reality comes out and hits you. It’s full contact.”

The unknown tongue affords audiences who have read the scriptures throughout their lives the opportunity to hear the familiar words as they were originally spoken. “That’s the first time in my life that I actually got to taste what it would’ve sounded like. It was beautiful,” says Stan Kellner, director of church relations for the International Bible Society and a Jewish believer.

Biblical Accuracy

Based on the four Gospels, “The Passion of the Christ” retells the story of Jesus’ life and death, yet adds some dramatic nuances reinforcing aspects of the biblical account. The ominous figure taunting Christ in the garden of Gethsemane shows up throughout the movie, personifying Satan and portraying the spiritual battle being waged, culminating in Christ’s last hours.

Poignant flashback scenes from Christ’s life illustrate the dichotomy of compassion and brutality, as well as Mary’s love and anguish for her son.

The film is “substantially accurate,” says Darrell Bock, professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary who saw the film last June. “I’d say that of the two hours I saw, there might be four to five minutes where it’s not accurate,” he says, adding that he always asks the question: Is the general thrust of what’s happening here accurate?

“I don’t see the general thrust being out of line here,” Bock says. “There were several times that I found myself saying things like, ‘I’m in Mark 23’ based on the dialog. Like any movie based on a book, there’s a lot of filling-in of moments, but they’re logical here. When Mary thinks back to Jesus as a child, it’s a reflection of what a parent might feel.”

Unlike other movies about Jesus, which end with the crucifixion, Gibson’s rendering finishes with a risen Christ in the tomb — a scene he deemed important. “Without the resurrection, our faith is dead,” he says. “The story’s not complete without it.”