Review of Last Days in the Desert (2016) by Mark M — 03 Aug 2016

.That plot synopsis - lifted directly from the start of the film - should paint the perfect picture of Last Days in the Desert, a film starring the dashing Ewan McGregor, in a tale where a man wanders the desert as he speaks to the sky, has a disturbing encounter, meets a family, and begins to see a malicious doppleganger as he finds his faith challenged. In case it still isn't clear, the holy man is Jesus Christ, and writer-director Rodrigo Garcia's film chronicles a particular encounter the character has in the desert on his journey to Jerusalem.

The high point of Last Days in the Desert is its ambiguity (and McGregor). 'The Holy Man' is never directly called by his name - other than the Hebrew name Yeshua -, the family - played by Ciaran Hinds, Ayelet Zurer, and Tye Sheridan - he meets are never named either, there isn't a proper back-and-forth conversation as 'Yeshua' speaks with the sky, and the conversations with his doppleganger - presumably Satan - could easily be chalked to the delusions of a madman suffering from heatstroke.

By removing a proper narrative, with named characters, and a blunt connection to Jesus Christ (for a good portion of the film), Garcia allows Last Days in the Desert to explore the central character's religious, spiritual and personal conflict as an existential meditative piece, and how it ties into the relationship of the 'Father', 'Mother', and 'Son, with direct parallels being drawn between 'The Holy Man' and the 'Son', with both seeking a purpose in the lives, and the influence of their fathers. But that is all there is to Last Days in the Desert. A beautifully shot film by Emmanuel Lubezki that moves at a snail's pace can't sustain itself purely on symbolism, metaphors, and Ewan McGregor playing dual roles, with nothing truly sticking or standing out.