Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
Jesus, a humble Judean carpenter beginning to see that he is the son of God, is drawn into revolutionary action against the Roman occupiers by Judas -- despite his protestations that love, not violence, is the path to salvation. The burden of being the savior of mankind torments Jesus throughout his life, leading him to doubt.
Scorsese's adaptation of Kazantzakis's controversial novel is a genuinely singular work — a deeply humanized Christ wrestling with doubt, desire, and divine purpose in ways mainstream religious cinema never dares. Willem Dafoe delivers a raw, interior performance of unusual psychological complexity, and Harvey Keitel's Judas reframes a biblical archetype compellingly. The plot's theological audacity — climaxing in the extended dream-sequence temptation on the cross — earns it high marks for novelty and ending alike. The ending is thematically powerful and emotionally devastating, with Jesus ultimately choosing crucifixion over the comfort of ordinary life. Cinematography by Michael Ballhaus is competent and evocative of arid landscapes but stops short of visually transcendent — it serves rather than elevates. The film's central conceit of a suffering, uncertain messiah was radical for mainstream cinema and remains distinctive decades later.