I promised myself: No more Mel Gibson blog pieces. But I can’t resist sharing this thought, one insightful point in a long article full of insightful points, by Entertainment Weekly’s Owen Gleiberman:

WAS IT MEL’S RAGE, OR HIS BETTER ANGELS, THAT DROVE HIM TO MAKE THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST? Both, and that’s why it’s a true Passion play. The simple explanation for why Gibson crafted his version of the Gospels is that he’s a self-confessed sinner, and therefore an ideal candidate to tell the primal story of Christian redemption. I believe that, yet what makes Gibson a singular poster child for the temptations (and ravages) of sin is that when you consider what a widely worshipped Hollywood star he is, a man who can do pretty much anything he wants, he is by now so obviously ruled by his addictions that it’s no great leap to say that they’re filling a hole in his spirit.

Gleiberman also says that despite Mel’s faults and bigotry, he’s eager to see “Apocalypto” anyway. I couldn’t agree more. Read the whole article here.

More from Beliefnet and our partners
Close Ad