Sometimes one has to step back and see a film for what it is. Mel Gibson's vision. His whole career and success in life is based on violence in the cinema, from Mad Max to Braveheart, so it's not surprising that when searching for another film to direct he chose a most violent thing; a crucifixion. But shockingly, this is violence that strikes at the heart of a faith.Violence is not the faith. The faith is about a celebration of life; in the teachings of a living prophet (or living God, as the Christians called him) who gave us intelligent words of wisdom, peace, hope for all and self worth as living, spiritual beings.For me, The Passion of Christ misses the point of spirituality. I simply fell into the emotion of feeling sorry for this good man being beaten to a pulp and humiliated before us. As this film is from Jesus' point-of-view, there could have been some truly intimate scenes between him and his God, which would have completed the experience and made this a better film. What Mr. Gibson has made here is an audience attracting, sensationalist film. A spectacle of blood filled with gore and gratuitous violence. What it lacks is sensitivity and nuance. In film nothing is real, it is all made up with 110 page scripts, actors in make-up, cameras, backdrops with painted studio floors and fake blood. It is totally the subjective opinion of the filmmaker no matter how artificial or real it seems, and the audience is entirely at the whim of that filmmaker. I was left with the feeling of being manipulated by a disturbed filmmaker.This is an exploitation film shamelessly praying on the hearts and minds of the followers of a faith, with a distorted touch of scary film shock to sell tickets and reap the currency of the faithful, the curious and the perverse who enjoy violence. This is like turning the sanctity of the faithful into a World Wrestling Federation Circus. To me, Mr. Gibson hasn't yet risen to the challenge of being a storyteller. But unfortunately, he garners the attendance at this movie because it is masquerading as a biblical epic made by a matinee idol.Great photography of Filmmaker/Cinematographer Caleb Deschanel. Wonderful emotional music of John Debney. Fine editing of John Wright and production design of Francesco Frigeri. Great acting of Jim Caviezel. All together a great cast and crew members who made this film for Mr. Gibson.One thing this film did for me was to make me think, think about all the atrocities that man has done to fellow man throughout the ages in the name of Jesus Christ by the very people who preach his words. Fortunately for us, the good message seeps through and survives. Jesus' life was neither about death, torture nor tyranny, but about the simple celebration of spiritual love, growth, life and how to get along with our fellow human beings. Something this film tragically lacks.