RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / The Passion of the Christ
The Passion of the Christ

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

The Passion of the Christ (2004)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
50 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:259

Fresh:129

Rotten:130

Average Rating:5.9/10

Consensus: The graphic details of Jesus' torture make the movie tough to sit through and obscure whatever message it is trying to convey.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for sequences of graphic violence

Runtime: 2 hrs 22 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Feb 25, 2004 Wide

Box Office: $370,203,632

Synopsis: The Passion of The Christ is a film about the last twelve hours of Jesus of Nazareth's life. The film opens in the Garden of Olives (Gethsemane) where Jesus has gone to pray after the Last Supper.... The Passion of The Christ is a film about the last twelve hours of Jesus of Nazareth's life. The film opens in the Garden of Olives (Gethsemane) where Jesus has gone to pray after the Last Supper. Jesus resists Satan's temptations. Betrayed by Judas Iscariot, Jesus is arrested and taken back to within the city walls of Jerusalem where the leaders of the Pharisees confront him with accusations of blasphemy and his results in a condemnations of death. Jesus is brought before Pilate, the Roman Governor of Palestine, who listens to the accusations leveled at him by the Pharisees. Realizing he is confronting a political conflict, Pilate defers to King Herod in the matter. Herod returns Jesus to Pilate who gives the crowd a choice between Jesus and the criminal Barabbas. The crowd chooses to have Barabbas set free and to condemn Jesus. Jesus is handed over to the Roman soldiers and flagellated. Unrecognizable now, he is brought back before Pilate, who presents him to the crowd as if to say "is this not enough?" It is not. Pilate washes his hands of the entire dilemma, ordering his men to do as the crowd wishes. Jesus is presented with the cross and is ordered to carry it through the streets of Jerusalem all the way up to Golgotha. On Golgotha, Jesus is nailed to the cross and undergoes his last temptation -- the fear that he has been abandoned by his Father. He overcomes his fear, looks at Mary, his Holy Mother, and makes the pronouncement which only she can fully understand, "it is accomplished." He then dies: "into Thy hands I commend my Spirit." At the moment of his death, nature itself overturns. -- © Newmarket Films [More]

Starring: James Caviezel, Maia Morgenstern, Monica Bellucci, Mattia Sbragia

Starring: James Caviezel, Maia Morgenstern, Monica Bellucci, Mattia Sbragia, Claudia Gerini, Luca Lionello, Hristo Shopov

Director: Mel Gibson

Director: Mel Gibson
Screenwriter: Mel Gibson, Benedict Fitzgerald
Producer: Bruce Davey, Stephen McEveety
Composer: John Debney
Studio: Newmarket Films

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • The Passion of the Christ Trailer
    >
1 of 1

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Feb 17, 2009

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • The Passion of the Christ focuses on the last twelve hours of Jesus of Nazareth's life. The film begins in the Garden of Olives where Jesus has gone to pray after the Last Supper. Jesus must resist the temptations of Satan. Betrayed by Judas Iscariot, Jesus is then arrested and taken within the city walls of Jerusalem where leaders of the Pharisees confront him with accusations of blasphemy and his trial results in a condemnation to death.
  • Source: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
  •  
     
     
     

    Reviews for The Passion of the Christ

    • T-Meter Critics
    • Top Critics
    • RT Community
    • My Critics
    • My Friends
    • DVD
     
     
    1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z)
    Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 >> >|
    Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
     
     

    A triumphant masterpiece. Is Gibson this millennium’s Saint Paul?

    Full Review Source: FilmsInReview.com | comment Comment
    02/26/04
    Victoria Alexander
    Victoria Alexander
    FilmsInReview.com

    To put so much time, effort and money into something that's ultimately so lifeless seems like a waste to me.

    Full Review Source: NYC Film Critic | comment Comment
    03/05/05
    Ethan Alter
    Ethan Alter
    NYC Film Critic

    I found the film more numbing than moving, as if the transformation it charted was not from human to divine, but from man to carcass.

    Full Review Source: eye WEEKLY | comment 1 Comment
    04/09/04
    Jason Anderson
    Jason Anderson
    eye WEEKLY

    Instead of being moved by Christ's suffering, or awed by his sacrifice, I felt abused by a filmmaker intent on punishing an audience, for who knows what sins.

    Full Review Source: Newsweek | comment Comment
    02/23/04
    David Ansen
    David Ansen
    Newsweek
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Gibson's passion is all over this film...but his resorting to mawkish, superficial tactics blows the tone off-course from time to time

    Full Review Source: Perihelion Journal | comment Comment
    09/11/06
    Jay Antani
    Jay Antani
    Perihelion Journal

    an inspiring film, no matter what your faith.

    Full Review Source: Hollywood Report Card | comment Comment
    02/27/04
    Ross Anthony
    Ross Anthony
    Hollywood Report Card

    Might be mistaken for an instructional video on meat-tenderizing techniques for cannibal chefs. Mel's a muscular Christian without a philosophical bone in his head.

    Full Review Source: Seattle Weekly | comment 1 Comment
    03/09/05
    Tim Appelo
    Tim Appelo
    Seattle Weekly

    Strangely remote and uninvolving on both emotional and spiritual levels.

    Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
    02/24/04
    William Arnold
    William Arnold
    Seattle Post-Intelligencer

    Saturated with vengeance, betrayal, and melodrama, Mel Gibson's sadistic take on Jesus’ final twelve hours screams bloody murder.

    Full Review Source: Aufmuth.com | comment Comment
    02/24/04
    Jeanne Aufmuth
    Jeanne Aufmuth
    Aufmuth.com

    'Bien filmada, mejor actuada y sólidamente dirigida. Vale la pena todos y cada uno de los centavos de su producción y del costo del boleto de entrada.'

    Full Review Source: Moviola | comment Comment
    07/20/04
    Jorge Avila Andrade
    Jorge Avila Andrade
    Moviola

    Emotional, violent, extreme and very gory, Mel Gibson's controversial The Passion of the Christ is a difficult and grotesque experience for most viewers.

    Full Review Source: Sympatico.ca | comment Comment
    02/26/04
    Angela Baldassarre
    Angela Baldassarre
    Sympatico.ca

    Working with premier cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, Gibson effectively hurls us into Christ's living nightmare, creating a mesmerizing twilight zone that is creepy and utterly unforgettable.

    Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | comment Comment
    02/25/04
    Joe Baltake
    Joe Baltake
    Sacramento Bee

    Overall, it's just another movie, and it can be dismissed with the same short critique we so often apply to other movies: The book was better.

    Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment 1 Comment
    02/25/04
    John Beifuss
    John Beifuss
    Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

    As a religious experience, The Passion of the Christ makes a damn fine movie.

    Full Review Source: Las Vegas Weekly | comment Comment
    02/26/04
    Josh Bell
    Josh Bell
    Las Vegas Weekly

    No other film in history has even attempted such a concentrated interpretation of these unimaginable events let alone do so with what I call such reverential explicitness.

    Full Review Source: Spectrum (St. George, Utah) | comment Comment
    02/27/04
    Bruce Bennett
    Bruce Bennett
    Spectrum (St. George, Utah)

    A gripping, powerful motion picture -- arguably the most forceful depiction of Jesus' death ever to be committed to film.

    Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
    02/24/04
    James Berardinelli
    James Berardinelli
    ReelViews
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    The movie is a compendium of tortures that would horrify the regulars at an S&M club.

    Full Review Source: New York Daily News | comment Comment
    02/24/04
    Jami Bernard
    Jami Bernard
    New York Daily News
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Beautiful, violent -- and also funny for all the wrong reasons, and boring.

    Full Review Source: Movie Gazette | comment Comment
    03/26/04
    Anton Bitel
    Anton Bitel
    Movie Gazette

    Serves as a powerful condemnation of any organized religion that aspires to governance or allow clerics to preach contempt and whip sheepish followers into a frenzy.

    Full Review Source: SPLICEDWire | comment Comment
    02/23/04
    Rob Blackwelder
    Rob Blackwelder
    SPLICEDWire

    As a film it is nothing but a long third act with no story and, most importantly, NO character development for anyone other than Pilate.

    Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
    03/02/04
    Jay Bliznick
    Jay Bliznick
    Film Threat
     
     
    1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z)
    Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 >> >|
    all

    Latest News for The Passion of the Christ

    October 03, 2008: Further Reading: Marion Cotillard and Forest Whittaker in Abel Ferrara's Mary
    As the NFT in London prepares a Juliette Binoche season, Kim looks at Abel Ferrara's Mary which also stars Marion Cotillard and Forest Whittaker. More...

    May 16, 2008: Hollywood's Prayers for Spiritual Revenue Go Unanswered Opens in new window
    As The Passion of the Christ proved, there's a lot of money in so-called "faith-based" film marketing -- but it's proving disappointingly elusive for the major studios. More...

    February 27, 2007: James Cameron's "Jesus" Doco Causes Controversy
    The James Cameron-produced documentary called "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" is causing a whole lot of stir among the religious community for trying to assert that, after... More...

    February 05, 2007: Box Office Guru Wrapup: "Messengers" Scores Slim Win Over Super Bowl Weekend
    With the Super Bowl taking males out of the picture, mothers and daughters squared off at the North American box office this weekend with the younger set earning a slim victory.... More...

    See All

    More DVDs

    Close
    Top Rentals
    Tomatometer Percentage Movie
    44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
    32% 32% Terminator Salvation
    36% 36% Angels & Demons
    95% 95% Star Trek
    25% 25% Four Christmases

    More Rentals…

    New On DVD This Week
    Tomatometer Percentage Movie
    83% 83% Harry Potter and the H…
    67% 67% Public Enemies
    75% 75% Julie & Julia
    95% 95% The Cove
    85% 85% World's Greatest Dad

    More New Releases…

    See All

    RT On Current TV

    The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

    DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

    Learn how you can be part of the show

    More...

    What’s Hot On RT

    Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood

    Take a trip through Clint Eastwood's career!

    Disney Countdown

    Disney Countdown

    RT looks at Disney's best animated movies!

    Total Recall

    Total Recall

    A look back at Keith David's best movies!

    Five Favorites

    Five Favorites

    Sam Worthington shares his favorite films!

    Other News

    Close
    • Top Stories
    • Popular
    • Interviews
     
     

    Comments

     
     
    Top Stories
    Headlines Comments
      
    • David Lynch Says He Turned Down Return of the Jedi Source: CinemaBlend.com
    16
    • Thomas Dolby Starts a Star Wars Rumor Source: Ain't It Cool News
    15
    • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
    24
    • The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Headed for IMAX Source: Collider.com
    46
    • James Cameron Developing Sci-Fi Film for Fox Source: ComingSoon.net
    8
    • Peter Jackson Reveals Which LotR Characters Will Return for The Hobbit Source: MTV
    21
    • Josh Brolin Rumored for Men in Black 3 Source: Los Angeles Times
    26
    • Malkovich and Hathaway Rumored for Spider-Man 4 Source: Movieline
    88
    • Avatar Picks Up Golden Globes Buzz Source: HitFix
    66
    • Disney's Upcoming Hand-Drawn Movies Revealed Source: Slashfilm
    21
    Popular
    Headlines Comments
      
    • Total Recall: Keith David's Best Movies
    60
    • Five Favorite Films with Jason Reitman
    57
    • Critics Consensus: Everybody's Fine Is Just OK
    50
    • Five Favorite Films With Avatar's Sam Worthington
    46
    • Sundance 2010: RT's 10 Most Anticipated Movies
    41
    • Weekly Ketchup: Tron Team to Remake The Black Hole
    37
    • Box Office Guru Wrapup: The Blind Side Takes the Lead
    29
    • Awards Tour: National Board of Review Winners List!
    28
    • The Gimmicks That Changed Cinema: Part 1
    28
    • Friday Harvest: Iron Man 2, Harry Potter, and more!
    24
    Interviews
    Headlines Comments
      
    • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
    8
    • Five Favorite Films With Avatar's Sam Worthington
    46
    • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
    2
    • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
    17
    • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
    12
    • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
    23
    • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
    8
    • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
    15
    • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
    23
    • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
    9
     
     

    Sponsored Links

    Around The Network

    • The Passion of the Christ at Rotten Tomatoes
    • The Passion of the Christ at IGN
    • The Passion of the Christ at AskMen

    Fresh Links

    Featured
    Best Sci-Fi This Decade
    Best Sci-Fi This Decade External Link

    Techland lists the best Sci-Fi films of this decade.

    40 Worst Films of the 2000s
    40 Worst Films of the 2000s External Link

    Moviefone takes a look back at the biggest stinkers of the past 10 years.

    10 Questions For Zac Efron
    10 Questions For Zac Efron External Link

    The Me and Orson Welles star answers reader questions on TIME.com.

    Best Decade Ever!
    Best Decade Ever! External Link

    Hollywood.com's C. Robert Cargill offers his thoughts on what the best decade for film was.

    Pee-Wee's Big Adventure
    Pee-Wee's Big Adventure External Link

    In the AV Club's "Scenic Routes," Mike D'Angelo reminisces about the Tim Burton film.

    Promos
    Follow RT on Twitter
    Follow RT on Twitter External Link

    Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

     
     
    About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
    IGN Logo

    IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
    TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
    AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


    By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
    Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
    IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
    Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.