The film opens in the Garden of Olives where Jesus prays and awaits arrest after the Last Supper. What follows is a look at how much Christ suffered for man in this agonizing 12 hours leading up to his crucifixion and death on the cross. Jim Caviezel does an outstanding job in his portrayal of Jesus. He is very religious and jumped at the chance to play the part. Maia Morgenstern plays his mother who shared in his agony during this painful time. Monica Bellucci is stunning as Mary Magdalen. Francesco De Vito is Peter. Pontius Pilate (Hristo Naumov Shopov) was portrayed as an understanding Roman leader who wanted to free Jesus but gave in to the pressure of the crowd. Roman soldiers are brutal and there is a lot of violence, maybe a little too much in some scenes.

Mel Gibson felt it necessary to show the graphic violence to show to what extent Jesus was willing to suffer to redeem mankind . I agree with most who urge parents to see the film first and judge for themselves if their children should attend. Satan (Rosalinda Celentano) is used effectively and exudes a clever creepiness. The cinematography is outstanding with many night scenes lit with torches light making eerie sound. All in all The Passion of The Christ is a great movie every adult should see.