Christ beats zombies

Mel Gibson's controversial blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ" has debuted at the top of the UK film charts.

16:36 30 March 2004

Mel Gibson's controversial blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ" has debuted at the top of the UK film charts.

Its total box office haul of over 2 million also made it the highest opening weekend for a subtitled film in the UK, dislodging incumbent "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon".

Zombie remake "Dawn of the Dead" - the film that knocked "The Passion" from the top of the US charts - also went on general release this week. It was edged into second place taking 1.9 million.

The success of "The Passion" - which depicts the final 12 hours in the life of Jesus - in the UK, echoes its remarkable run in the US. On the other side of the Atlantic it topped the box office for three weeks and has become one of the top 20 highest grossing films of all time with $315 million in takings.

Meanwhile in France, where the film is set to premiere this week, a bid by three Jewish brothers to have it banned as anti-Semitic failed yesterday when a Paris court found there was no reason to keep it out of cinemas.

Patrick, Jean-Marc and Gerard Benlolo had not proven the film would incite anti-Semitism, the court found. The brothers had argued there was a risk to race relations in France which has been struggling against a resurgence of violence against Jews for the past three years.

Critics argue the film's focus on the Jews as the principal agents of Christ's death is both racist and historically inaccurate.