The Last Temptation of Christ

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James B. @JamesBass Jan 25 I won’t belabor this with a review — Kazantzakis and Scorsese are a winning combination. See more Michael C @Michael71 Dec 15 Now being able to see the movie well removed from the controversy it stirred up in its initial release, "The Last Temptation of Christ" is an outstanding movie. One of the best of Academy Award winning director Martin Scorsese's enduring career. With a well written and thought-provoking storyline, the movie works on multiple levels. Willem Dafoe is terrific in his performance as Jesus Christ. Seeing him go through life and questioning his responsibilities as the Son of God is never boring or contrived. The only criticisms I have of the movie are instances of dialogue by the supporting characters that could have been better. The late David Bowie's cameo as Pontius Pilate is the best example of this. His dialogue was a little odd and even a little on the cornball side. Some of Harvey Keitel's dialogue could have been better as well. Despite these minor flaws, I believe "The Last Temptation of Christ" has stood the test of time and is worth seeing. See more Armin R @RT45554200 Aug 30 Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ is not just a film—it’s an experience. The acting is powerful and deeply human, grounding every moment in raw emotion. The dialogue is profound, carrying weight that lingers long after the credits roll. Its plot is layered, thoughtful, and unafraid to wrestle with the deepest spiritual questions. The music elevates the narrative beautifully, adding both tension and transcendence. This is, without a doubt, the most profound Jesus movie ever made. It challenges, inspires, and moves in ways few films dare. See more Luke P @RT14733470 Aug 25 Disgusting film. Should never have been made. See more Kevin P @RT55971421 Apr 21 A unique and humanistic portrayal of the inner psyche of Jesus that subverts the traditional narrative to challenge him and the audience's confidence in avoiding temptations of human desire. To walk the earth as both man and holy vessel. It's off-putting at first to see Jesus bearing the cross for his carpentry work for Romans in the beginning. Or to see Judas so determined and convicted. But over time it wins you over with Willem DaFoe's amazing performance as he conveys Christ's genuine emotional struggle with being omnipotent from God's will, yet still feeling sinful and humanistic desires despite his vessel of God's will and trying to purse love instead of wrath. The classic tales of Jesus's miracle work and spiritual journey are very well directed and emotionally powerful, including the defense of Mary Magdalane with "He who is without sin cast the first stone", the baptism with John the Baptist baptism and subsequent debate on the means to fight tyranny, wandering the desert for 40 days and 40 nights, healing the lepers, throwing out the merchants from "my father's house", proclaiming "Heaven is like a wedding and everyone is wedding", turning water to wine, resurrecting Lazarus, a great speech about how God belongs to everyone, not just the religious leaders and the merchants or the homeland, Palm Sunday, and the Last Supper. There's a nice acknowledgment that the women in Jesus's life stuck by his side through thick and thin while his male apostles fled during his crucifixion. The climax is infamously divisive, where Jesus is saved from his crucifixion and gets to live a normal human life until old age and raising a family with a great twist that his guardian angel was Satan, only to reveal it was the titular last temptation of Christ before he finally committed to his martyr sacrifice to save humanity. It's a challenging watch, but ultimately leads to a solid conclusion that pays off if you have the patience to stick around and find out where it all leads to. It's an interesting concept to see Jesus be tempted with a normal life and the potential consequences, but the conclusive twist wraps it up in a satisfying bow that ultimately still feels reverent in the overcoming of the final test. See more Alec B @Alec97 Apr 18 Despite the small budget and some seemingly weird casting choices, Scorsese managed to capture the heart of Kazantzakis' novel. Like the book, I desperately wish people could get over their initial anger and see it for the beautiful and serious examination of faith that it is. Also Peter Gabriel's score should be considered among the very best in film history. See more Read all reviews

The Last Temptation of Christ

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