15 Highest-Grossing R-Rated Movies Ranked From Worst To Best
12. The Passion Of The Christ
The Passion of the Christ is still the highest grossing R-rated film ever in the US. It's an interesting one, since it's a two hour biblical film that focuses near exclusively on the torture and crucifixion of Jesus, is entirely in Aramaic, Hebrew and Latin and is directed by, of all people, Mel Gibson.
An intensely controversial and polarizing depiction of the death of Jesus, when all's said and done TPOTC is really nothing more than OK.
It was a very odd narrative choice to focus the entire movie of Jesus' death instead of his life and achievements; as a result, the film does feel like torture-porn at times. It's undeniably a powerful experience, but then again, a film where a guy gets tortured for two hours was never not going to be disturbing.
Then again, despite how it lacks on a narrative level, it's well-crafted, strongly performed and cements Mel Gibson as one of the most interesting actor-turned-directors out there.
It's a bold, artistically accomplished and overall resonant piece that's worth a look, but it's too narrow in its focus to join the upper ranks of the great religious movies.