movie strikes one successful attempts ever coming plausible answers nagging questions cropped recent scholarship concerning passion suffering death christ accounts new testament what motivated judas money issue could bring sanhedrin meet high holy day pilate waffle movie serious thinking christian fans the passion christ doubt disappointed lack gory spectacle arch characterization myself find portrait painted hereof willingness ordinary people blithely sacrifice common decency selfinterest stakefar realistic deeply unsettling the disinterested just job look face man drives first nail christs wrist chilling moment film film makes claim authenticity settings costuming invariably feel right many highly acclaimed efforts slow film but accept selfimposed limits it is all the deathnot lifeof christ ultimately rewarding one