It's too bad we don't live a little closer we could see it together. I'm going to end up seeing it alone. My wife doesn't like violence in films and I expect this one would cause her to go screaming from the theatre.

 I really don't think Mel Gibson was out to point the finger at Jews, although I can understand the worry about the film re-kindling antisemitic feeling (well, there is plenty of that around anyways, and I don't think this film will plant seeds of antisemitism in folks who don't have already have that thought process).

I don't think Mel was trying to stir up hatred either. It seems obvious reading the reviews that the way some people are portrayed is clearly weighted though so that you don't miss that they are the bad guys. I think that's really more a flaw in Gibson as a filmmaker. He's sort of pandering to the audience to paint a simple picture for them...at least it seems so to me...really I haven't seen the film...but I expect in a Gibson film the music will swell when he wants you to feel the drama of the moment...it'll get somber when he's trying to get something else across...in other words...it'll be pretty black and white and simplistic in it's design. So the bad guys will be made obvious and the good guys the same. I think most people that go to see the movie will know the story so why try to dress it up that way? It's just the kind of filmmaker Gibson is...I think...and I seriously doubt he'll ever take subtlety if there's an option for bombast.

I don't know if you are old enough to recall a similar stir that was created when the Exorcist was first released. People were passing out in theatres, crying etc..and it was a film laden with heavy religious overtones. 

Yeah, actually I do remember the stir but I was too young to see the film. I think the Exorcist was pure shock cinema designed to cause that sort of reaction. I mean for it's time it was overwhelming for a lot of people I'd guess because they hadn't seen something like that. Now they've made so many knockoffs no one cares.

Well..religion SELLS, and if nothing else, this thing is going to be an absolute Blockbuster, Gibson is probably revelling in all the hype, good and bad. 

I agree it sells but I don't know if this is going to be a blockbuster. I don't think "Last Temptation Of Christ" was a blockbuster and I'm just going to guess that was a better film than this one. Sure, I bet Gibson will hold that any hype is good hype.

 I hope, as he maintains, the impetus for the film's creation was his deep religious conviction, and not the desire to fatten his already laden wallet.

I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt on that because they say he dumped almost 30 million of his own into this project. I know you think this film will be big but I think if it's true he can kiss that money goodbye and I hope he just feels satisfied with what he created. I don't think a film that is in Latin and Aramaic and is subtitled will have legs. I know too many people that don't like foreign films because they don't want to "read a movie"...so we'll see I guess.

                                                     Reg