The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

Best movie ever!

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

*Classic lookback* THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRISTWe usually associate Martin Scorsese with his movies on organized crime. It's hard not to do that when he has made Goodfellas & Casino. But before that, in the late 80s, he was probably at his creative peak. In the decade which saw him making Raging Bull( Arguably his best movie), King of Comedy & After hours, the 1988 movie, The Last Temptation of Christ is my personal favorite of his entire filmography. It is Scorsese at his creative best and his boldest. Based on the very controversial novel of Nikos Kazantzakis of the same name which was itself banned in many countries, This movie was destined to be controversial. Which of course, it was. It frequently finds it's place in several 'most controversial films of all time' lists. The film was termed as blasphemous upon it's release and banned in many countries too. But if you care to watch it with an open mind, this movie is quite an enriching experience. It's not an easy movie for a devout Christian believer. The movie's basic underlying theme is the conflict between Christ's worldly temptations as a mortal, and his divine duty of sacrificing himself for the sins of mankind. The movie doesn't follow the Bible. It humanizes Christ ( Played quite brilliantly by Willem Dafoe) he gets angry, he gets frightened, he asks his 'father' why is he the chosen one. As the movie progresses, Christ gradually starts to find answers to these questions. This process of self discovery of his purposes, not only seems very relatable but also helps us sympathize with the character. The Son of God, till that point of time had always been represented with an otherworldly aura. This was the first attempt to make him vulnerable and thus, more human....and quite naturally, it didn't go down well with all. Coming to the most controversial portions, the last one hour of the movie is it's most controversial portion and the take it or leave it point of the movie. As a open minded viewer, no doubt it was something very unique to witness. It's almost as if it takes us by the collar and coerces us with a very different point of view. Controversy apart, it is a really well made movie. The cinematography, moody, dark, surreal at times works wonders. Peter Gabriel's musical score is one of the main highlights of the movie. And oh of course, i forgot to mention the representation of Satan! Very subtle yet chilling. Despite saying so many points about the movie being controversial, i would never call it blasphemous. The movie ultimately never makes one question about one's faith in Christianity. It arrives at the same destination all other Christ movies have, but to reach that destination it takes an unexpectedly risky path. A very underrated film, in my opinion, The Last Temptation of Christ surely deserves a higher place in Scorsese's much coveted filmography. If possible, do watch this with an open mind. You'll never forget it in your lifetime.

In the ending of this movie, Jesus descends from the cross, and follows a beautiful young angel to Jerusalem, where Christ proceeds to live a normal life. The highlight of this part of the film, is when Jesus realizes that his redemption from the cross was actually the work of Satan, who did not want Jesus to redeem mankind with his blood. The ending shows that the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was a part of his earthly ministry, and that any deviation from this fate would have spelled doom for mankind.

A few years ago I saw this film from the crucifixion scene until the end and thought it was very thought-provoking. I recorded it and watched the first half a few nights ago. I thought I ought to watch all of it before making a judgement but Willem Dafoe's portrayal of Jesus made me want to throw something at the television. It wasn't his fault, though; the material was appalling. For one thing, there is nothing in the Gospels to suggest that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. At least two unnamed women have been assumed to be Magdalene throughout the centuries but this is pure supposition. I thought it was an interesting departure from the Gospel accounts to have Jesus know both Judas and Mary before His ministry began but the depiction of Mary having sex while other men watched was completely gratuitous. To show Jesus the carpenter making crossbars on which the Romans would crucify other Jews is ludicrous. No-one would have followed him or listened to anything he said if he had done this. The naked women shaking their hair around in the Jordan while John baptised also doesn't ring true. The scene in the Temple where Jesus overturns the tables of the moneychangers was one of many wasted opportunities and shows that the author of the novel and screenplay didn't know what to do with what was a good idea. I did love the scene where Jesus was tempted in the desert but it's insulting the intelligence of the audience to suggest that the 30-year-old man doesn't know who he is or what he is meant to be doing when the Gospel says that he already knew his purpose when he was 12. I turned off halfway through as it was such a disappointment.

It's been well over two and a half decades since this classic film directed by Martin Scorsese came out and what a following it had and not always for the better I might add. Not that I had anything negative to say about it, but it did cause an uproarious impact to over zealous religious fanatics who thought this film was blasphemous and an insult to the Bible let alone God's beloved son Jesus Christ. And even after so many years one has to wonder why? What was the reason for any kind of outrage? The reason "The Last Temptation of Christ" angered the religious community was how Jesus Christ was portrayed. He was depicted not as a patron saint, but as a normal man who conveyed emotions, concerns, fears, doubt and acceptance for who he was. This story is about as real to the person as any other film that portrayed him and refrained from making Christ look like a storybook character, but a real human being with exceptional talents with believable emotions. And it never once goes against any message that Christ has preached about through the years. The opening scene in which Jesus Christ (Willem Dafoe) laying on the ground looks just like a picture page taken from the Bible. When he awakens we observe the man is in excruciating pain. During the course of time he is seen travel around from town to town, looking for knowledge as he remains both enthusiastic and fearful over what God has planned for him. One nailed to the cross The Devil persuades him to live a normal life as regular everyday person, married, with kids and an occupation which he gladly takes in. He eventually lives a fulfilling life as a mortal getting old and happy. While counting his last breaths as Jerusalem is in an inferno, he learns what he did wrong and pleads to his father for his wrong-doing and and to return to the cross and to die for everyone's sins. The humanistic plot point is that we get a better understanding of Jesus and why he sacrificed himself for the sake of our humanity. Whether he was a deity or a human is unimportant, the bottom line was that he was a great service to himself and to all of God's creatures big or small. The primary idiosyncrasy that makes this film more passionate than a certain anti-Semitic Mel Gibson interpretation was that director Martin Scorsese and scriptwriter Pal Schrader took the adaptation by Nikos Kanzantakis by detail and refrained from making it big-budgeted or grandeur. Though inspired by his predecessors from the 1950's he took his low-key interpretation and successfully kind spoke to the viewers instead of just making feel preachy and self-righteous. One of the primary things that turned people off about this movie was the usage of modernized dialect and the obvious New York accent by Harvey Keitel (Judas). My guess is that Scorsese just wanted to attract the moviegoers and to give them a indicator of what's happening in the scenes. If you wanted realism, the film should have been done in Hebrew with subtitles. If there was something that "The Last Temptation of Christ" ticked me off was the overabundance of major Hollywood stars. Sure they put in remarkable performances, but if they're just there to stuff money in their wallets than that is just unexceptional. Dafoe was an excellent choice in the role of Christ, but when regular Scorsese alums like Keitel, Harry Dean Stanton, Barbara Hershey no disrespect for David Bowie (RIP) playing supporting characters can be quite jarring at times. At least Scorsese corrected his mistake when he directed his next religious based film "Kundun" which was a career best for him.For me "The Last Temptation of Christ" is truly right up there with other Scorsese greats like "Taxi Driver", "Mean Streets", and "Raging Bull". The conflicts depicted here are equally poignant in terms of being both spiritual as it was physical. It was still not close to "Kundun" where the spiritual revelation is in full effect. But "The Last Temptation of Christ" has enough charm and enlightenment to lure anyone for a chance to see a film about Jesus Christ in more humane form rather than as a caricature.