Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

Steineded How sad is this?

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

tomsview After all the fuss that was made at the time of the release of this movie I expected it to be more shocking than it is.Scorsese's movie gives us a troubled Jesus played by Daniel Defoe. He does not embrace the role of saviour of mankind easily. He is tempted by Satan often, and at the end we are given his alternative life if he had succumbed to those temptations, especially that of the flesh in the form of Barbara Hershey as Mary Magdalene. It's this aspect of the film that got the placards waving and the picket lines outside the theatres in 1988.I have some sympathy for people who were offended (not for the violence though). Maybe the fullest interpretation of the meaning of blasphemy is not just insulting the name of God, but insulting anyone's deeply held beliefs. However, all things considered, I don't think this film does that. "Last Temptation" is actually a thoughtful exploration of Jesus coming to terms with his relationship with God, reinforcing much that is in the Gospels - I was surprised so many miracles were included. An element that does have shock value (although drawn from Kazantzakis' novel) is Jesus producing custom crosses for the Romans. And what were all those naked women doing hanging out with John the Baptist? It seemed inspired more by Woodstock than events at the River Jordan.With that said, I have always been fascinated by films that approach the life of Jesus obliquely or interpret it in a new way such as "Risen", "The Body", "The Word", and 1961's "Barabbas". A book that also did this in a compelling way was Robin Maugham's "The Sign" about a life paralleling that of Jesus. "Last Temptation" is not unlike "Jesus Christ Superstar". It is a stylised reinterpretation through a modern lens. Topping off the similarities, Peter Gabriel's score is a blend of Middle Eastern music and new age electronics with the most triumphant track playing over the credits following the crucifixion.This film doesn't deny the existence of Christ nor does it refute his otherworldliness. But this path to the cross is not the one trodden by Jeffery Hunter in "King of Kings" or Max von Sydow in "The Greatest Story Ever Told". If anything, this one goes more via the psychiatrist's couch.

tangreat-bk There is a lot to like in The Last Temptation of Christ directed by Martin Scorsese. It is one of his most ambitious films. I'm huge fan of his work. This movie is in line with his other religious epic 'Silence (2016)'.I appreciated what the movie was doing. I loved the way Jesus was portrayed ,struggling like everyone of us. We feel his dilemma , his uncertainty , his self doubt. Willem Dafoe gives one his best performances in this movie.But as Jesus was struggling with his temptations of lust, doubt and fear, I was myself struggling with my own temptation to turn this movie off. It does get pretty boring in the middle and my interest was waning.Still I stuck with it till the end and I'm glad I did. It was one of the most rewarding experience. Well worth sitting through 164 mins for. I knew Scorsese wouldn't let me down.

Emmanuel Isaiah Smith In the ending of this movie, Jesus descends from the cross, and follows a beautiful young angel to Jerusalem, where Christ proceeds to live a normal life. The highlight of this part of the film, is when Jesus realizes that his redemption from the cross was actually the work of Satan, who did not want Jesus to redeem mankind with his blood. The ending shows that the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was a part of his earthly ministry, and that any deviation from this fate would have spelled doom for mankind.

hannes-black98 The Last Temptation of Christ is one of Scorsese's defining masterpieces, sitting in the ranks alongside Raging Bull, Goodfellas and Taxi Driver; it is an epic, highly evocative, narrative of the controversial and, at times, incredible life of Jesus Christ: his rise and fall. If looking at Scorsese's career in retrospective, it is unlikely that the film would be considered one of Scorsese's most enduring and recognizable features. However, whether through absolute innovation or audacious originality, it is an unrivaled spectacle.William Dafoe plays the title figure of Jesus, a troubled man lost in his inner conflicts, who is torn between his desire and the knowledge than God has a plan for him. As the film progresses Jesus leaves his life of labor, moving from place to place, preaching and gathering a group of followers- his original disciples. He performs miracles: healing a blind man, converting water to wine and raising Lazarus from the dead. I found Dafoe's portrayal of the son of God extraordinary. His speeches are riveting and incredibly moving; it is a performance full of tenderness, rage and love.There is a point, perhaps a third of the way through, when Jesus walks into the desert- out into the vast bareness- in the hope of speaking to God. He draws a circle around himself, in the dirt and sand, and sits there waiting. There is nothing: for a long, long time he just sits there waiting. At this point, the film subverts itself into a surreal nightmare. Jesus is visited by: a talking snake (with the voice of a woman), a lion, a fire- that seems to burn from an invisible source, and an apple tree. It is a metaphor for the Devil, what he represents, and is unlike anything I have ever seen before. We are watching the turmoil of Jesus's mind projected out around him, like some bizarre circus parade. It is only through experiencing 'evil' that we can truly understand and appreciate what the concept of 'good' means, a concept that Jesus comes to understand and evolve.The film's ending is an extraordinary rendering of pain and the inevitable descent of man. Jesus wades through the streets of Jerusalem, amongst jeering crowds, bearing a crown of thorns, a cross over his back. The camera glides through the action, enhanced by Scorsese's quintessential use of slow motion and music. It is horrific to watch yet utterly compelling. Nothing is hidden away, or censored, as we watch his hands nailed into the cross and the blood trailing down his forehead. The portrait of suffering and injustice is complete.The Last Temptation of Christ is an incredible film. The tragic story of Christ's life and his transformation of faith are beautifully visualized. The temptation in the title is of a normal life: where he can live, love and become a father. Yet he can never achieve that ideal- he is the Son of God. As Victor Hugo once said: 'Our lives dream the Utopia. Our deaths achieve the ideal.' Only through death can Jesus rise and become the testament to his own religion.Scorsese's picture is a masterpiece and a powerful odyssey into existence.