Review of The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) by Kyle S — 25 Feb 2015

Films about religion, and namely the most prolific and influential person to ever walk this earth, always seem to generate controversy. If you follow the scriptures to closely, you are labeled a zealot. To liberally and you are labeled a heretic. Martin Scorsese's 1988 film based on the controversial novel by Nikos Kazantzakis is no exception. Upon release it was chastised and attacked by fundamentalist Christian groups, and a theatre in Paris was even burned down in protest. Hopefully after 27 years, time has allowed this film to be viewed and analyzed for what it is; a daring exercise in tackling one of history's greatest individuals.

The film takes it's time in telling the story of Jesus of Nazareth, at times crawling through each of his miracles and events such as the resurrection of Lazarus and his final entrance into Jerusalem. It begins in his adult years, showing him meeting Judas whom would later betray him, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene. Where the film has attracted controversy and accusations is in how it presents Jesus. In the film, he is a man plagued with doubt, temptation, anger. Doubt in the form of questioning why he has to be the sacrifice for humanity. Temptation from Satin and the life he could have had if he had not died on the cross (the final 20 minutes of the film address this in a eerie hallucination that is very powerful film making) and finally anger at the moneychangers who have gone against the word of God.

Willam Defoe does a tremendous job in a very difficult role to play. He captures so much with just looks and expressions. The other performance that stands out is Harvey Keitel as Judas. The cinematography was breathtaking, and the score by Peter Gabriel was haunting and comforting at the same time.

This is one of the greatest interpretations of Jesus put to film, and you can tell that this was a passion project for Scorsese. He makes Jesus very relate able, showing the struggles that we all go through every day. Jesus was both man and god, physical and divine, and this balance is something the film excellently portrays. This is a film that dares us to reconcile our spiritual and physical selves, and in turn watch Jesus reconcile the two.