The Passion of the Christ (2004)

Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ generated $612 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing R-rated film until 2024, but sparked accusations of antisemitism. The ADL labeled it "the most antisemitic film since Nazi productions." Unlike #5 Cannibal Holocaust, which was banned for animal cruelty, this film was banned in some Middle Eastern countries and protested globally. Gibson's 2006 antisemitic arrest deepened the controversy. A 2004 poll indicated 62% of critics viewed it as historically inaccurate, yet it remains a landmark for religious cinema and graphic depiction of torture.