Rating: 
Summary: The Ultimate Movie of Passion
Review: The Last Temptation is a personal, passionate film. Not only that it is a personal, passinate project for the filmmakers, but it can also be a passionate and personal experience for the viewers whose heart is ready. As the Christ himself said about heaven, this movie, too, is open to everybody; to question one's faith, and the way we live our lives. What does it mean to be, not just Christian, but somebody who tries to live one's life in the better way possible as human being.Unlike other Scorsese's recent film, this film does not feature masterful filmmaking skills filled with the state-of-the-art production techniques. Instead, the film is as raw and immediate as the director's early works like Mean Streets. This does not mean that the film is technically immature: quite the contrary. The low budget esthetics forced the director to go right down to the emtion of the story, and Michael Ballhaus's camera captures it so beautifully. With Peter Gabriel's score compiled from various ethnic music all over the world, Scorsese succeeded to capture the raw, primitive power that the teaching of absolute love once had when it was born two thousands years ago. The DVD edition is basically the same as the Laser Disc Criterion published in 98. But the same trasfer, surpervised by the director as well as the cinematographer Michael Ballhaus, looks even better on DVD. The audio commentary by Scorsese, the actor Willem Dafoe (who played Jesus) as well as the original adaptor Paul Schrader and re-write screenwriter Jay Cooks (who worked with Scorsese again on The Age of Innocence, and Gangs in New York which is currently in production) is as passionate as the movie itself, and also quite insightful. Especially Schrader's comments help a lot the understanding the film by explaning the religeous symbolism they used in the film, which are not always fammiliar to modren audience.
You can see the movie over and over again, with and without the commentary, and have a deeper understanding. This edition also features a video interviw with composer Peter Gabriel which is great and insightful, and a behind-the-scenes home video shot by Scorsese himself, which is a lot of fun, and reveals the good humour of the filmmakers in spite of the difficulties they had to face. One thing should be noted about this film, especially today: it was filmed in Morocco, with Muslim people working alongside with Americans of Chritians and Jewish backgrounds, and Scorses himself as well as many cast and crew members confirm that it was really like a prayer to make it. So you see, as different as it may seem, Muslims share the same humanity and spirituality with us. In fact, at the most emotional scene of the film, which is naturally the Passion of Jesus, the emotion and the spirituality is enhanced by a beautiful music sung by a Quali singer from Pakistan--hence a spritual song from Islamic culture--, Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn. The sipirituality that Scorsese has achieved through conversation and collaboration with many different cultural/religeous background seems to us more important than ever at the face of the psychological as well as physical crisis the world is experiencing now.
Rating: 
Summary: So, so film with good acting.
Review: I felt the film was good, but was rather predictable. The ending with Satan aiding Christ in his pursuit of a "normal" life was an easy pick. If Christ were to have died in the end as a "normal" man that would have left Satan as a powerful entity, with no Christ to save mankind. Another was the Apostles showing up at Jesus's death bed just in time to convince him to hold His end of the bargain and die on the cross rather than as a "normal" man. Willem Dafoe did a respectable job in the film and Harry Dean Stanton was good also. Harvey Keitel was a terrible choice as Judas. Many of the Apostles come off as airheads, especially Peter. My suggestion would be to read the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis. Even though the movie adhears to the book fairly well, the book is superior to the movie as is nearly always the case with Hollywood.
Rating:
Summary: Finally...
Review: This movie finally can be seen away from the contoversy that enblazened it during it's theatrical release. This important film finally gets the Special Edition treatment from Criterion. The commentary with the Director and Actors is top notch and worth listening to, the music features with Gabriel and the Directors home movies also are worth catching. Top notch video transfer and 5.1 dolby mix make this a DVD worth owning.
Rating:
Summary: great film
Review: I loved this movie when this movie came out all you heard was do not go see it i decided that i wanted to make up my own mind about the movie this is a must see movie when i left the movies i was so filled with the holy sprit PLEASE IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THIS MOVIE PLEASE BUY IT I WISH THAT EVERY ONE COULD WATCH I KNOW THAT EVERY CHANCE I GET I GET SOMEONE NEW TO WATCH SO FAR I AM BATTING 100%
Rating:
Summary: A film not to be missed
Review: Criterion has scored once again with their presentation of one of Martin Scorsese's many masterpieces, The Last Temptation of Christ. The features are bountiful and the menus are very classy. It is like having a really nice edition of The Bible, except a little more entertaining in my opinion. (I bet that comment will score big with the biblical fundamentalists who hate this film!). The commentary on the disc is very insightful, and sheds a lot of light on why the filmmakers felt this was a book that should be made into a movie. This presentation is the first time I have heard the movie mentioned without some one talking about the cotroversy surrounding it. This is a really good thing, because now it can be seen for what it truly is: an amazing, reverent and heartfelt film.
Rating:
Summary: Deeper thought to the humanity of Christ
Review: When the movie first came out in 1988, I, as a cradle Catholic and my family debated for quite a while about this movie - whether we should go or not. Finally, we asked our pastor - who said he would like to go with us. Imagine our surprise at that. We sort of slithered our way into the theater - thinking the whole time that we would be "seen" by someone and shamed by being in there. Well, all I can say is that this movie was so very powerful, forget the Brooklyn accents, the sometimes drawn out scenes, this movie really was astounding. I think about it a lot, even today, ten years after the initial "shock" of the movie. Yes, I would like to believe that my God, my Lord, is able to relate to the humaness of us all. I would like to believe that he loves us, in spite of our weaknesses and that he was totally aware of the sexual passions of man and the damage that this can create if it is not handled properly. This is truly one of my all time favorite movies. Realistic, fantasies to enjoy, but most of all, the hope that Jesus knows us because he has lived with and through us. Thank you Martin Scorsesse (Sic) for having the guts and the faith to make this movie.
Rating:
Summary: ARTISTIC MASTERPICE
Review: I don`t believe in God but I love the work of Martin Scosese, God of all directors. This film is a truly masterpiece, a brilliant music score by Peter Gabriel, great actors. Harvey Keitel plays Judah in a very professional and affectional way. Willem Dafoe deserved an Oscar for his interpretation, Barbara Hershey plays wonderful her part, very beautiful back. Harry Dean Stanton and David Bowie are also great in their roles. Martin Scorsese gave the film a very fashionable look, fast and modern, Peter Gabriel`s Passion taking the film over the controversial top.
Rating:
Summary: great movie
Review: This got across what it is about.The stuggle of jesus within himself as a mortal person and a divine figure.and how these things conflict within the charecter. I think this is one of martin s. best movies. I think all the people who didn't like it were stricted christians and couldn't see it for what it was,I guess it takes an open mind to really relate to this movie.
Rating:
Summary: I with you right up to the end . . .
Review: A contemplation of the humanity of Jesus is no doubt a worthy endeavor. In fact, such a presentation is all to often missing from contemporary reflection on the person of the Christ of the New Testament. This film travels this ground well, until it arrives at it obvious conclusion - the scene at Golgotha. At the crucifiction, Jesus is rescued by a little girl, his "Guardian Angel." (Figure out for yourself who this ends up really being.) He then comes down from the cross and LIVES (do not misunderstand as IMAGINES, as this is not what the movie depicts) his life in full from that point forward. He gives in to domestic temptation, and grows happy and old with wives (Mary Magdelene, Mary of Bethany, and her sister Martha) and an impressive amount of children. Harry Dean Stanton appears in a philosophically interesting role as Saul of Tarsus at this point, and reminds Jesus what he has given up. On his death bed at a ripe old age, Jesus is reflective. In what is an inappropriately amusing scene, the elderly apostles come in, and remind Jesus that since he is going to die shortly anyway, he should go back to the cross and make it mean something. How does this help us understand Jesus the man? He basically chose BOTH lives, only returing to "sacrifice" for mankind when his other life was spent. I was with this one right up to the end, then it betrayed its message with an untenable cop-out.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent, moving film
Review: Personally, I find the film full of humanity, something I consider beautiful and rare, rather than "gross". And all who actually have seen Last Temptation of Christ know that it is not based on the Bible but presents a "what-if" situation, completely in earnest. Scorsese is a Catholic himself, and the film is truly a heartfelt work.
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