Review of The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) by Chris B — 26 Mar 2012

This is a film that is filled with stunning performances, especially WIllem Dafoe as Jesus, and is beautifully captured by Scorsese and lovingly brought to the screen in what is my favorite Christ inspired story. This is cinema at it's finest!

Before I get into what I know will be quite the lengthy interpretation and defense of artistic works that deal with such delicate topics involving one's religion and beliefs, let me say that "The Last Temptation of Christ" is a masterpiece of cinema. I think that the controversy that once surrounded and in many cases unfortunately, still does, is uncalled for and close-minded. I literally have heard people go on about how Jesus was portrayed as homosexual because men kiss on the mouths out of love not of a sexual kind but of an outwardly sign of embrace and even that Jesus has sex with his own mother. Let me address the latter and say that the actually controversy here is the fact that he has sex with the prostitute Mary Magdalene (listen carefully) IN HIS MIND! Thus his "last temptation" for which the novel and film's title is derived is Satan's final temptation for Jesus is that while on the cross he is freed by his guardian angel and told God is happy and he doesn't have to die, that he's done enough already. He then goes off and marries Mary Magdalene and has children with her and grows old. ALL OF THIS IS THE DEVIL'S TRAP FOR JESUS, none of this actually happens but is rather a temptation for Jesus to be a normal man and not the Son of God. The film shows all his major miracles and good doings throughout the film but this final temptation, that Scorsese also takes the time to say in the beginning that is purely fictional and in no way according to scripture, shows the desire of a man which Jesus was. Mind you, he was God in a man's body but he had to suffer like a person and feel pain, loss, despair, sadness and ultimately endure death for our sins. To show him having the desire to be just a normal person, at least in my humble opinion, adds to his sacrifice. It shows Jesus as paying a price that actually has weight and depth to it as it really happened in scripture. If Jesus was just a perfect being, I know he was sinless but he was still in a man's body, and had no human emotions or desires then his sacrifice wouldn't have meant as much. He had to endure Satan's many temptations and while the scriptures list many instances of this, this is a fictional and very realistic take on the final temptation, in which being a normal man would allow Satan to win. We know this doesn't happen in scripture and in the film too, Jesus awakes from his subconscious to find himself still on the cross and is ultimately overcome with joy knowing he has done the right thing and not let Satan win. He breathes his last breath and as he fades away the screen goes white and distorts before the ending credits finally roll. Of note, this was supposedly not intentional and a defect in the camera that actually worked perfectly in ending the film on Jesus' last breath. I loved this film and to all who say it's an evil film or one that is only to shock or upset Christians, I have to ask if you have actually sat and watched the film. Have you actually gone into it with an open mind and viewed it, thought about it, interpreted it? If you have and you are still upset, probably due to Jesus still being portrayed having sex with a woman (Even though it's purely Satan's images put into Jesus' head to tempt him with a normal man's life) then you are entitled to your opinion as I am to mine. I would strongly recommend this film to anyone with an open mind or anyone rather that can actually give time and thought to a film and understand it for the love letter to Jesus that it actually is.