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Well...I say it succeeded in being, as one reviewer called it, "The Jesus Chainsaw Massacre." The most violent movie I've ever seen - and I'd say it was gratuitous in more than one area. Lots of Evil-Dead-2 special effects were just bizarrely out of place, and there was almost no character development except Pilate (who everyone says was portrayed exactly the opposite of how he was).
If they're trying to convert people, I think a lot of more moderate Christians and non-believers - and especially the ten-year-old kids the churches are dragging to see it - will be given a slight case of post-traumatic stress disorder. None of the reasoning for what has to be the most brutal, graphic, realistic, and personal violence I've ever seen on film is there. Just a guy who designed the dinette set.
The evil person in the black cape wandering around the movie is more like something out of LOTR. I couldn't believe Gibson was involved in this movie, it had such a real potential to do something very meaningful, and blew it.
That said, I am probably the least religious person you'll meet and I understood the plot lines only because I've found other attempts - more successful ones like Jesus Christ Superstar - to be much clearer and capable of delivering the "message." The people I was with were completely befuddled. There simply is not enough plot there to give people an understanding of what's happening, and why it's happening.
The best review I saw summed it up perfectly - the only way to promote a religion based on kindness and love these days is apparently to turn it into a slasher flick.
Most ironically, the starkest, and in fact only message to take away from it, just like you said, was that people are basically horrible creatures who will do anything to one another to get their goals. I don't disagree with that as a generalization, and of course there are exceptions, but as the protagonist of L'Etranger said after being convicted for not crying at his mother's wedding (a la Martha Stewart conviction): "I had but one wish, and that was for this crowd to great with cries of hatred at my execution." (something like that)
-doug
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