- The Big Question (2004) movie review summary: Francesco Cabras and Alberto Molinari’s modest documentary features Mel Gibson and other The Passion of the Christ talent discussing – whether thoughtfully or obtusely – the concept of God and the meaning of human existence.
The Big Question (2004) movie review: Mel Gibson, Jim Caviezel, and other The Passion of the Christ talent discuss God
As it happens, The Big Question, a documentary centered on humankind’s weighty philosophical and theosophical questions (plural), was made before the December 2004 tsunami that killed more than 200,000 people around the Indian Ocean.
Else, filmmakers Francesco Cabras and Alberto Molinari could have come up with one more question for their many interviewees of different religions, nationalities, and social backgrounds while on the set of Mel Gibson’s sleeper blockbuster The Passion of the Christ:
If there is a (kind, compassionate) God (or Goddess, or gods, or goddesses), how could such a horrific, unimaginably destructive tragedy have taken place?
Answers would surely have been as thoughtful, stupid, funny, weird, mean-spirited, and/or illuminating as those provided by the film’s talking heads while responding to questions such as “Who is God for you?” and “How would you describe who God is to your child?”
The Passion of the Christ as setting, not subject
Cabras (the bad thief Gesmas in The Passion of the Christ) and Molinari had previously worked together on the documentary Spaghetti Requiem / Italian Soldiers, shot during the making of the Nicolas Cage-Penélope Cruz drama Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, in which Cabras had a bit part.
But whereas Spaghetti Requiem was a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a Hollywood movie on location (Greece, with numerous Italian extras), The Big Question has nothing to do with the making of The Passion of the Christ in the outskirts of southern Italy’s ancient town of Matera – except in that it uses the film’s cast, crew members, and set visitors as a microcosm of the human race.
In fact, according to the filmmakers the framework for The Big Question was inspired by a movie made four decades before Gibson’s Jesus biopic: Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1964 documentary Love Meetings / Comizi d’amore, in which the Mamma Roma and The Gospel According to St. Matthew director asks his subjects about their views on sex.
‘Prone to be insane’ Mel Gibson
In The Big Question, we never get to see Cabras and Molinari in the role of interviewers. Instead, we are treated to a variety of heads of different sizes, shapes, colors, and age groups espousing their beliefs and viewpoints directly to the camera.
Although a mostly static camera focused on nonstop talking heads may sound tedious, the directors’ approach actually works. When the interviewees start talking, it’s as if they are having an intimate conversation with the viewer.
Case in point: While explaining how he felt the urge to look for divine guidance after finding himself lost in the nothingness of wealth and fame, a wide-eyed, wildly gesticulating Mel Gibson confides that he’s “prone to be insane.” And it’s easy to believe him.
But more importantly, The Big Question – with the assistance of editors Molinari and Francesco Struffi – indicates that the diverse concepts of divinity presented to us are at their core intellectual decisions based on one’s cultural background, level of intelligence, and personal experiences and prejudices.
Downside to ‘democratic approach’
Credit must also be given to the filmmakers for not having The Big Question revolve around Gibson, Jim Caviezel, and Monica Bellucci. In all, The Passion of the Christ’s big names get about as much screen time as extras, crew members, and visitors.
One critical qualm about this democratic approach, however, is that the directors refrain from telling us who their subjects are. Clearly, they want us to see everyone as equal “theosophical experts,” so we will not regard one opinion as worthier than another because it comes from the mouth of an authority figure or an international celebrity.
A well-intentioned approach, no doubt, but also a self-defeating one. For starters, those watching The Big Question will easily be able to identify members of the clergy by their clothes; many will also be aware of Mel Gibson’s traditionalist Catholic views and know something or other about Bellucci’s and Caviezel’s lives. On the other hand, audiences will likely have no idea of the identity, or the social and cultural background of most of the other interviewees.
Also, if we learned more about the respondents’ histories, their opinions and religious views might then seem less personal and more cultural – or vice versa – thus adding a new dimension to the replies.
Searching wolfdog
On a more cinematic level, interspersed with the interviews are several impressively shot sequences of a lone dog roaming through ancient ruins, overcoming obstacles, and staring inquiringly at the sky above.
Although these scenes are an obvious analogy to the human experience on this plane, they are effective.
After all, Greg, the half-dog half-wolf truth seeker, has a far more expressive face than most two-legged actors. As a plus, his metaphysical search is made more moving by Alessandro Molinari’s evocative score.
Puzzling mysteries
As to be expected, no definitive answers to The Big Questions in Life are provided before the documentary’s final fade-out. Instead, The Big Question should leave viewers asking their own questions.
Potential queries include:
- How does our social and cultural background influence – or downright determine – what we believe in? For instance, had a fundamentalist Christian from Tennessee, U.S.A., been born and raised in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, would he or she have grown to become a fundamentalist Muslim? Or vice versa?
- What are the differences between religion and spirituality?
- Is religion a worthy spiritual path or is religious dogma an obstacle to spiritual enlightenment?
What if there is no God?
And what if there is no God?
As seen in The Big Question, for Mel Gibson – and others like him – the absence of a divine power would mean total chaos from which one could escape only through artificial means.
There is, however, a radically different way of reacting to that possibility. As another interviewee points out, if there’s no God then our responsibility for doing good becomes all the greater.
Could that be true?
In its simple, unpretentious manner The Big Question suggests that we stop and ponder.
The Big Question (2004) cast & crew
Directors: Francesco Cabras & Alberto Molinari
Screenplay: Francesco Cabras
Cast:
Greg the Wolfdog … SelfInterviewees (partial list):
Mel Gibson
Monica Bellucci
Jim Caviezel
Rosalinda Celentano
Maia Morgenstern
Christo JivkovCinematography: Francesco Cabras & Alberto Molinari
Film Editing: Alberto Molinari & Francesco Struffi
Music: Alessandro Molinari
Running Time: 76m
Country: Italy
“The Big Question (2004) Movie Review: Mel Gibson” notes
The Big Question reviewed at the 2004 AFI FEST (website).
The Big Question (2004) movie credits via Francesco Cabras’ database and other sources.
Jim Caviezel The Passion of the Christ image: Newmarket Films.
Francesco Cabras, Alberto Molinari, and Greg the Wolfdog The Big Question image: Simone Spinazzè and Nando Irene | Ganga | ThinkFilm.
“The Big Question (2004) Movie Review: Mel Gibson” last modified in June 2026.