The Last Temptation of Christ: Scorsese's Controversial Masterpiece

Note: This is a rewrite of a review I originally posted way back on November 13, 2000. I decided to rewrite it because the original was pretty horrible and because the release of The Passion of the Christ made me remember the controversy this film caused upon its release. So here is my new and hopefully improved review of The Last Temptation of Christ.


Director Martin Scorsese's film The Last Temptation of Christ was considered very controversial when it came out in 1988 and still angers many people today. I just came across an article that mentioned that no broadcast network has ever shown this film in America, and when it did air in Britain, angry calls flooded the station. Of course, when I heard about all the controversy surrounding the film and after my mother made it clear that I was not to see this movie, I became very interested in seeing it even though I am not religious.

The film tells the story of Jesus (played by Willem Dafoe) facing temptation. The movie dared to focus more on the human side of Jesus, and a lot of people (most of whom never saw the movie) were angered by this. As I said earlier, I am not very religious, but I did like Last Temptation. I found the film helped me to understand the trials Christ went through in his brief time on earth. I also realized all of the things Jesus gave up in order to save his people.

The film is about Jesus' life and his relationships with Mary Magdalene (Barbara Hershey), the apostle Judas (Harvey Keitel), and with his father, God. He hears voices and is unsure whether they're from God or Satan. Jesus as seen in this movie is angry, fearful, and tormented, more human than in any other religious film I have seen. One of the things that upset some people was the fact that we see Jesus, who was a carpenter, making crosses for the Romans, and we know that he will eventually die on a cross. I don’t think there is any mention of this in the Bible, but Scorsese did not rely on the Gospels for his information. Instead, his film, scripted by Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver), is based on the book of the same name by Nikos Kazantzakis, a copy of which was given to him by Hershey on the set of an earlier film, Boxcar Bertha. I’ve heard that this book (I haven’t read it yet) portrays Jesus as more human than divine, referring to him not as the “son of God,” but as the “son of Mary” and showing his internal conflict about whether he should die a violent death for his people or live his life as a free man.

The Last Temptation of Christ was extremely controversial from the time Scorsese and Schrader first got together to work on it. Although they planned their movie around 1983 and '84, no major studio would have any part in it. Of course, they were concerned about the subject matter, but they would also be taking a chance in having Scorsese direct such a film. Previously, almost every movie he had directed was about gangsters and/or starred Robert DeNiro (who, interestingly enough, was considered for the role of Jesus). Finally, Universal agreed to pick it up if Scorsese would do a commercial film for them (which turned out to be 1991’s Cape Fear). The filmmakers had a measly budget of around $7 million, and you can tell because this film’s not as sweeping and majestic as other Jesus films. Everything about the film works, though, and special mention must be given to the cinematography and Peter Gabriel’s score. I really wish I could find words to describe the music, but I can’t, so I’ll just say it’s excellent and fits the film perfectly. One of the things I always remember about this movie is its music. Another thing I remember is the final shot where the filmmakers ran out of film, and we see jarring colors, then a fade to white. The cinematography by Michael Balhaus is amazing, and we really feel like we’re back in the first century. Scorsese’s direction is masterful as always, and Schrader’s script is very well-written and thought-provoking.

I did enjoy all of the performances in this film, particularly Dafoe’s. His portrayal of Jesus is definitely one of the most memorable, and I think Dafoe is an underrated actor. His Jesus is fearful and wants God, his Father, to hate him. “God loves me, and I can’t stand the pain,” he says. Dafoe is a very convincing Jesus, changing from a tormented man to the son of God and Savior of his people. Hershey makes a fine Mary Magdalene, and although much has been made of her part in the final “temptation” segment, she does some great work early in the film. Keitel is magnificent as Judas, who is not portrayed as evilly as he usually is, and is actually asked by Jesus to betray him.

If you have not seen the movie, don’t read the next paragraph.

After seeing the movie, I did understand Christians’ reactions to it. Seeing their Savior as a mere mortal was probably difficult to see, but this film is definitely not blasphemous. The “last temptation” of the title is depicted as never really happening; it’s just a vision Satan offers to tempt Jesus into not following through with his mission. The part that angered most people is towards the end of the movie when Jesus is shown how his life could be if he lives like a man. During perhaps the film’s most controversial scene, we see Jesus and Mary Magdalene very briefly having sex. This scene, though far from the pornography most people who haven’t seen it believe it to be, is sure to infuriate many who see it as an insult to Jesus’ divinity. I saw it as a way of showing that Jesus had many of the same feelings that all humans have, and I believe the film is an excellent piece of work. I’ll never be able to forget Jesus’ overcoming his temptation and his simple, triumphant dying words, “It is accomplished.”

Dafoe said that he was heartbroken by the negative response to the movie and thinks that it's too bad that a lot of people aren't going to see the masterpiece that Scorsese created. I really agree with this statement and think that everyone should at least try to watch Last Temptation. Scorsese’s film will make you think, and I am sure he didn’t intend for it to be so ill-received as he is a devout Catholic. The Last Temptation of Christ is an excellent film and shows a view of Christ that we have never seen before. I found it to be a richly rewarding viewing experience, and I'm sure many others will, too.

© LH 2004