The Last Temptation of Christ

Jesus Christ is quite a common theme in many films, and I personally think that filmmakers will be drawing from it for a long time to come, because the life of this biblical figure still has much to offer. Martin Scorsese retells the life of Jesus in his own way, and even though the masses of believers rebelled against such a controversial interpretation, as a religiously neutral person, I was comfortable with this portrayal. Actually, in retrospect, I don't see anything that outrageous about it. There is a certain departure from the Bible that is quite clear, but it all dissipates like steam over a pot at the end. Making a parallel life of Jesus was a challenge, and Scorsese managed to handle such a thorny subject to perfection and still apply his directorial skills. Also worth mentioning is the performance of Willem Dafoe, whose unmistakable and in a way charming facial expressions added to the overall impression. The well-placed cinematography and the fitting music are just more icing on the cake. In short, a film that may not appeal to everyone, but managed to thrill me with its unusual execution. (21/04/2011)

Admiration and disinterest, but that’s already characteristic of my approach towards the films of Martin Scorsese. Objectively, I acknowledge that they are perfectly executed, but I’m simply unable to fully enjoy them. I’m giving The Last Temptation of Christ a fairly high rating mainly because of the surprise at the end – a very smart script – but I’m not likely to watch it again. (14/07/2011)

The Last Temptation of Christ is Scorsese’s best non-Mafia picture. Need I say more? Need I emphasize Dafoe and Keitel’s performances of their lives? Or the atmospheric soundtrack? Do I really have to mention the theological level of this picture and its philosophical aspects that will remain troubling you long after? Describe the wave of outrage of the general public (I recommend the book Banned Films)? No, I think that there isn’t much point and it would be like taking coals to Newcastle... And anyway, this is one of those rare examples where the movie adaptation is better than the (already excellent) book it’s based on. (09/08/2007)

A purely personal affair that could not catch me in any way. Also, comparing it to Mel Gibson's torture-porn is definitely not appropriate. Intellectually and aesthetically, this is a completely different film that attempts to say something different in a distinct form. (15/05/2005)

A brilliant reflection on the nature not only of Christianity, but of faith in general. A film with a thought-provoking screenplay that shatters the conventional views of dogmatic individuals who may not like Scorsese's thoughtful, different view of the figure of Jesus Christ. It’s also brilliant visually. The crucifixion scene is compositionally stunning, and note also that in the Stations of the Cross to Golgotha Scorsese was inspired by the paintings of the old Dutch masters, I mean the posture of the people, their gestures and expressions. I consider the burning down of cinemas by radical Christian groups at the premiere of the film to be the result of a profound misunderstanding of Scorsese's seminal work. PS: Gabriel's unconventional soundtrack is equally brilliant. (02/06/2002)