on "the passion of the christ"

I go to see the Passion of the Christ Saturday, and I am PUMPED. Absorbing everything I can about it from the newspaper, TV, people who have seen it. My church has rented three theaters, I believe, to show the film, and lots of people have invited friends. I am not one of those who did, and for a very important reason (in my mind). As a friend stated on his own blog, the movie is a piece of art detailing Jesus' last days. I have to say, though, that I don't think this movie will be a very good witnessing tool to those who are searching for the truth, for God. For one, as an unbelieving friend of mine said, who would want to join a religion where the main guy was beaten and murdered? Two, the movie doesn't really pack a lot of the Message into it (this is all from reading and hearing the words of those who have seen it; I have not). And three, just because many of the unbelievers at my school who saw it thought it was a really sad story, but were turned off by it; after all, what kind of man goes through stuff like that and rises from the dead? The connection just--in their opinions--isn't there. And the last thing I want to do is hinder a friend from accepting Jesus. However, once I see the movie, maybe my views will change, and I'll take a friend to see it. As I said, I haven't seen the movie; if you have, please drop a line and tell me if you agree, disagree, whether or not you liked the movie, I'm fascinated!