20 Most Controversial Movies Of All Time
1. The Passion Of The Christ
While it didn't play with scripture in the same way that The Last Temptation of Christ did, Mel Gibson's personal passion project earned much more controversy, if only due to its larger distribution and the off screen antics of its creator.
First, there was the violence. While many argued it was a necessity in telling the story of Jesus' ultimate sacrifice for mankind, others thought the unrelenting brutality - Slate reviewer David Edelstein said it felt like a two hour and six minute snuff movie - obscured any real message of mercy or sacrifice, especially without the larger context of Jesus' overall story and mission.
Those complaints, however, seemed much smaller than the numerous charges of antisemitism that were leveled against the film. Even before the film was released, early screenings and advanced copies of the script stirred debate that the film was essentially blaming the Jewish community for Jesus' death. When The Passion was released, many felt that Jewish characters were depicted as little more than a blood thirsty mob, many of whom had stereotypical and almost cartoonish features about them. This controversy only increased when Mel Gibson himself spat out an antisemitic tirade after a drunk driving arrest in 2006 (which he later apologized for).
It's difficult to say exactly whether The Passion of the Christ or The Last Temptation of Christ is the more controversial picture. That much could be said for many of the films on this list. In the end, a lot of what makes a given film more controversial or inflammatory than other comes down to personal beliefs and different backgrounds and upbringings.