User reviews

I liked this more than a lot of critics and friends, finding a gentle poetic power in some of the sequences, and appreciating the humanness of this simple telling as the end of Jesus' 40 days in the desert before he returned to civilization to face challenges and death.

Devoid of demands the audience believe in a literal way, I could be more open the exploration of complexities of faith and spiritual ethics that challenge everyone, even the son of god. I particularly liked the scenes where Ewen McGregor plays both Jesus and Satan, debating – among other things - the nature of God, and whether He is essentially good, or an over-controlling ego-maniac. McGregor does a lovely job separating the two characters with subtle touches like vocal rhythms and a different glint in the eye (there's no attempt to make the look different, signifying perhaps that the Devil is indeed an inevitable part of all humans, including this holy one).

On the other hand, the main story line created for the film – Jesus getting caught up in the domestic troubles of a dysfunctional desert family – is more uneven. There are indeed touching scenes, and it was refreshing to see a biblical story where Jesus can't simply bring happiness to this angry father, dying mother and alienated son with a wise word or a wave of his hand. On the other hand, at times it feels simply too prosaic, too small scale and too familiar. I think that's part of the point. Basic human struggle has changed very little in 2,000 years. But it also led to the occasional cringe-worthy moment, as when Jesus councils the father about the wayward son; 'talk to him about something he's interested in', sounding more like a friendly neighbor or basketball coach than the son of God. More important it wasn't clear (at least to me) how Jesus' encounter with this family effects his thinking or perceptions about his own difficult relationship with his own Father or terrifying fate going forward. What does he know or understand now that he didn't before?

Last, the film steals a key last minute twist from another cinematic version of the Christ tale, and I was distracted by the imitation.

In the end this was sort of a split decision. My mind found many faults with the film, some serious, but my heart was touched and involved.

Despite its very slow pacing, I found this film to be an absorbing tale, with a concise and sharp screenplay from Colombian filmmaker Rodrigo Garcia, who also directed the movie.

Ewan McGregor does well in his portrayal of Yeshua (Jesus). who has entered the desert alone for prayer and reflection, trying to get in touch with his inner self and to also connect spiritually with his Father. McGregor has a dual role here, as he also plays The Demon (Satan), who taunts and tempts Yeshua along the way.

Yeshua, on his way to Jerusalem, encounters a family living in the desert, and the strong acting of each family member from Ciaran Hinds, Tye Sheridan, and Ayelet Zurer adds well to the mix, as well as the movie being enhanced by its spectacular cinematography.

Overall, if one doesn't mind the low-key and very deliberate pacing, there's an engrossing tale to be told here, buoyed by a fine cast and the no-frills writing of Garcia.

This is one film that I have been waiting to see since January 2015. After it premiered at the Sundance film fest and received solid praise out of the gate, I was looking forward to it. But was it picked up for a wide release? No it was not. So, nearly a year and a half later it has finally hit shelves. Recently the box office has had an abnormally high amount of pandering faith driven religious films. Which isn't really a bad thing. They certainly know their audience, and they have cornered the market for their films. That being said, this isn't one of those films. Seeing a movie that is largely religion based you normally see the typical one sided, you're wrong and we are right thing.

I am happy to say that this doesn't do that. This adaptation is about Jesus, playing out in an imagined portion of his forty days of fasting in the desert. As he is trekking through the desert on his way home, he encounters a small family. He quickly realizes that they are in turmoil of emotional proportions.

He decides that their needs out way his own and attempts to aid them. The story mainly takes place during this period of time. Now this movie could have been so incredibly dull. The main story is fairly thin and it doesn't exactly move around that much. But writer/director Rodrigo García has infused this film with palpable emotion. The more we learn about this small family the more we realize that they are pretty dysfunctional.

The father and son don't see eye to eye on anything and the mother is laying on her death bed for the entirety of the films run time. For me the scenes between the son and father really struck true. I often have experienced the same communication issues with various people that these two do. Where you want to say something but don't know how and before you know it, the moment to express that feeling has pasted.

As these issues become more prevalent the more you just want them to work it out. This creates some real drama with in these scenes. But the shining moments of the film come in the short encounters between Ewan McGregor and Ewan McGregor. Who plays both Jesus and the devil. The conversations that they have point out both sides of the religion spectrum.

It presents interesting arguments for both parties. Which honestly helps you feel what Jesus is feeling. The whole point of Jesus's desert journey was to be put on trial to see if he could over come any adversity that the devil could come up with. So when the film puts him through these temptations and presents interesting arguments for either side, it helps you get into the characters shoes.

That being said this film still has a story that is thin as paper. So when you get outside the family drama it can be rather dull. The beautiful cinematography by Lubezski can carry one through a few scenes but not too many. There are some scenes where we watch McGregor just pace around the rocky terrain for long periods of time. And it left me longing for something, anything to happen.

This movie may not be the religious experience some people are looking for but it's really a breath of fresh air in a genre that had little going for it. It seems to have a keen grasp on the story it's adapting and does so with no shortage of grace. It offers excellent performances, beautiful visuals, an insightful story, and characters that you can actually get invested in. If it weren't for the thin plotting and some dull sequences this would truly be an excellent film. But considering all it does right it's definitely worth a watch.

A slow burning affair that will have many reaching for the off button or catching a quick nap during proceedings, Rodrigo Garcia visually striking and occasionally touching interpretation of Jesus's time of 40 days and 40 nights of fasting isn't a film for everyone but considering the other faith based films that have come our way over recent times, The Last Days in the Desert is a cut above other similar fair.

Joining Jesus's last portion of his experience as he travels back towards Jerusalem through the solemn desert, tempted as he goes, only for him to find a place of resting and meaning with Ciaran Hind's poor farming family consisting of a sick wife and depressed son, whose played rather disappointingly by Tye Sheridan.

With this, Garcia is less concerned with focusing on Jesus's more solitary trip, rather the "what if" scenario of his dealings with such a family and the moral choices he makes within his time with them, as he too continues to ponder his important future that lay at the end of his trip.

Played surprisingly by Ewan McGregor, who makes little to no effort at hiding his far from suitable linage in concerns to playing the Middle Eastern messiah but makes it work by the films later stages, we do get a great sense of feeling at the enormity of Jesus's path that he must follow and even though we get no glimpses of miracles or out of the ordinary occurrences, the story humanises Jesus's to the point that he feels like an ordinary man, set forth on an extraordinary journey and it's a nice point of difference from other such films that would prefer to focus on the miraculous, over the everyday.

It would've been an easy sell or a more obvious choice for Garcia to go all out and let his imagination run wild but the most out-there we get is McGregor playing off against McGregor as the prince of this world assumes the form of Jesus as he tries to cloud his judgement of what is to come.

The other detail working in Garcia's film favour is the stunning work of Terrence Malick's DOP Emmanuel Lubezki who captures the unforgiving lands of the Middle East with stunning authority.

Anyone familiar with Malick's more recent works will be able to instantly pinpoint the skills of the world class cinematographer as his camera glides over the dusty landscape and follows the cast on their various strolls and combined with Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans classy score, Last Days feels like a polished and assured production, even if its fanfare free release suggests it wasn't going to be the case.

Final Say –

At times to slow and ponderous to ever threaten to become a must-see with slightly too much focus on Hind's and his family, Garcia who has shown a wise hand with fine dramas like Mother and Child and Nine Lives delivers an above average interpretation of a well-known Bible story and The Last Days in the Desert ends up becoming a quietly moving portrait of a human being unlike any other that was set on upon a path of greatness.

3 big bed bugs out of 5

To all its credit, "Albert Nobbs" director Rodrigo Garcia makes a marvelous transition of the story of the temptation of Jesus to the art-house scene, cementing this "not intended for the Christian audiences". Though the art-house Biblical story is nothing unusual, "Last Days in the Desert" makes a unique turn of focusing it as a father-son story. That is where the flaws turn out. Driving the focus away from Jesus makes the story unjustifiable to explore and insincere to depict. However, the grandiose coming from Ewan McGregor's presence and the sense of struggle makes the journey satisfying. There could have been more depth to explore from a simple scripture about Jesus' 40 days in the desert, rather than adding a father-son subplot. But from what was offered, Garcia makes an interesting piece to talk about.

I have the feeling, those who did not read The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis or saw the film adaptation directed by Martin Scorsese, could find Last Days in the Desert original, provocative or globally creative.

Otherwise, I think this one is revisiting in a soft and a somehow minimalist style, Kazantzakis great literature and Scorsese's long and "explicit" adaptation.

The script / dialogues / and overall well crafted minimalist structure makes the Last Days in the Desert a very good candidate for a stage play.

Oh, and the cinematography is lovely...

Now, the film does not claim to be historically accurate, not at all...

However, I must admit that I keep experiencing this somehow funny feeling, when I watch "Hollywood" actors playing the role of the biblical or gospel characters on the big or TV screen... There is this perpetual awkward and off vibe floating in the air (of the film)... In the way they look, they move, they talk, they smile, they eat, they gaze (with their attractive blue or green eyes), they get angry, joyful, sad or... when it's time to pray...

A huge part of the whole spiritual and human factors and experiences in the biblical and gospel stories, with or without religion or faith, is deeply rooted in the ancient primitive societies of what we call now the Middle East... Unfortunately not a single "Hollywood" film or actor could render this properly...

Back to reality: This Arthouse (and one more) film about Jesus is fairly good for what it is...

And speaking of Arthouse films about Jesus , Pasolini's work remains, to me, the winner in this category.

it seems strange. far by the classic story of Jesus in Carantania desert. without the well known temptations and without the expected answers of Son of God. Rodrigo Garcia gives only the portrait of a strange meet of Jesus with a family. few riddles and dialogues and slow action and enigmatic facts. each- far by a religious film. or a coherent story. a riddle. like the riddles of the boy. in fact, only a challenge. puzzle of discreet cultural references from the roof of the Temple to Abraham and Last Temptation, from Pasolini to Paradjanov. a film of gestures and looks. maybe, a poem. ignoring Resurrection. because the Resurrection is the duty of the viewer. perfect subject of debates and controversies, it propose a new, interesting and far to be uninspired portrait of the Savior. Ewan McGregor gives a not comfortable Jesus but one who impress for the honest manner to remind old truths who are , in too many occasions, insignificant. a poem about the small things who defines the life. and nothing more.

-mild spoilers ahead- Last Days In The Desert is a stark, desolate looking film. It has a quiet and beautifully shot atmosphere that I really liked.

In the story, Jesus goes into the desert for self-reflection, to come across a family living there in the middle of nowhere. He's tempted to stick around rather than continue with his seemingly hopeless, one-way conversation with God. All the while, being harassed by Satan, in the form of Jesus himself.

Here is my biggest gripe with the film, and many other movies related to Christians. The writers stack the deck completely against any pious protagonist, Jesus being the case here. Satan constantly lectures Jesus, sowing seeds of doubt, always coming out ahead in their rhetorical matches of one-upmanship. Jesus barely replies to anything, and when he does, it's just to eek out some passive comment. There is essentially nothing written for him. Despite being a self-admitted liar, Satan's stories are given quite a bit of credence by the length of screen time they get and the tepid response from the Son of God. I've seen this in many Hollywood, Christian films, and it seems to be the go-to method of backhanding the religion. I do understand this is (fictionally) supposed to show a green Jesus trying to figure out God's purpose and how to convey His message, but fer cryin' out loud, he can barely hold a conversation. Just lost in thought.

There is an interesting parallel going of between the dysfunctional father-son relationship of the desert family and Jesus' own relationship with his Father. That's fine. I just wish they gave Jesus a voice in his own movie.

As a stand-alone slice-of-life movie, this might be marginally interesting. If you're looking for insight into Jesus' experience in the wilderness look elsewhere; you'll find none of it here. There is nothing of biblical or historical accuracy in this re-created account of Jesus' experience in the desert, nor in his dealings with Satan. This imaginary tale might be about a lone holy man who comes upon a family while traveling in the desert-- and little more. The scenery isn't majestic enough to be inspiring, the script not filled out enough to be meaningful.

The saving grace in this film (as would be expected) is the main actor, but it is not a role that is demanding or that couldn't have been filled by any actor of decent ability. The destinies of the characters make no point, nor does the plot. In the end I found myself neither fulfilled nor disappointed-- just unimpressed. This was not a tale of Jesus, nor a tale of morality, ethics, joy or pain. It is a trip to the grocery market, filling the car with gasoline, doing the laundry. The main characters have no more impact upon anything than that. The events which transpire have nothing to do with anything and don't really seem to effect even the characters involved.

Ewan playing the dual role of Satan is neither surprising nor notable. The "points" made are absurdist, without basis, and thus have little or no emotional impact on the viewer. We find here neither points to ponder nor heresy-- but rather simple blather that has no more impact than the rest of the events in the film.

We have seen far worse films and far better films. This left me with no more emotional response than a sigh and a wish the writer and director had given us a bit more mental fodder to chew on. As it stands I don't expect to give it a second thought over the next few days. The events have no impact upon the viewer, and as such leave as much mark as a passing shadow on a stone.

Last Days In The Desert is another film starring Ewan McGregor that no one talks about. I thought this was a very good movie with a great performance by him with both of his characters of Jesus and The Devil. I like movies about characters stuck in one location and I just found this movie relaxing to me even though it would suck to be stuck alone in the desert. My only issue is that it should've just been McGregor as the only cast member for this movie because it would be more intriguing but I still really enjoyed this movie and I highly recommend you guys check this one out!

What I mean by the title is that people with absolutely no belief or knowledge about Jesus might actually like this simple little film. Devout Christians will be horrified by it.

The idea of making a film about the devil tempting Christ in desert is actually an intriguing one. In the scriptures, the devil tempts Jesus three ways: (1) with food after his 40 days of fasting (2) to leap off the temple of Jerusalem and use his powers to survive, and (3) granting of lordship over all the kingdoms in the world in exchange for worship of Satan. If that sounds mildly interesting, know that NONE of that is in the film. Instead the devil is some kind of smart-ass that follows Jesus around and makes rude comments.

And Jesus himself is just... off. McGregor plays Jesus much like he played a Jedi Knight in Star Wars. Cool, but a Jedi is not the same thing as Jesus. Even then, that might have worked, if the film had stuck to just Jesus in the desert, and all the interesting landscapes (the cinematography of these landscapes being the absolute highlight of the film), but they had to insert a random family into the mix, and have a melodrama play out in a transparent effort to 'create a plot.' In these pedantic interactions with the family, one loses even the faint thread of belief in McGregor's performance.

Maybe someday we will see a proper film on this story, the real biblical one, as it could be interesting, particularly if done with the style and cinematography that were on display here.

This film tells the imagined story of Jesus, and his 40 days of travels in the desert, fasting and praying before his sacrifice for humankind. He meets a family with troubles, and tries to offer a helping hand.

To be honest, I would not have watched "Last Days in the Desert" if it wasn't for Ewan McGregor in the film. After just five minutes, I was thoroughly bored and wished I hadn't started watching it. It shows Ewan McGregor walking around in the desert, in a dull and monotonous environment. There is hardly any dialog until he meets the family. Even then, there is still hardly anything happening. There are very long waits between dialogues, and basically very long waits before anything happens. I sat through the film and was bored by the dullness of the film. The only scene that had a little resonance with me was the scene where the father asked the son a riddle. Otherwise, the rest of the entire film just did not connect or resonate with me at all.

According my knowledge of the new testament this period in the desert was the start the mission of Jesus after your thirty years, in fact few things had allowed to us over this holy man before this isolation, there he was tempted by the devil and have a little time together with a family who living in this dry land, the father , the son and a dying mother, Jesus faces their demons who is acctually something alike him, l didn't remembered properly the gospels if this picture is accurated or not but in main lines it is right, a bit slow down for me, but as study works, meanwhile it is sound very weird that so powerful mind as supposed to be Jesus was so normal in that days, hidden your spirtual state as son of God!!!

Resume:

First watch: 2018 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7

Cute, slow, I liked the Jesus version "little devil" and "little angel" talking in your ears, "The lie hurts for those who tell them", full of teachings, cute, that story of how it must have been if it happened...

A total waste, if you want a good if not at least romanticized, heavily biased interesting movie on Jesus with some close to factual depiction of a segment of his human life.

Also a waste of good acting talent with a script and plot that is evidently poorly done, even as one attempt to introduce some interesting twist.

Quite frankly, the story line is totally lacking any artistry, even baseless, unfounded of any biblical or historical fact about Jesus' 40 days trials and temptations in the desert.

Nut shell, other than the misused biblical character of Jesus, this is a movie with a poorly plotted, poorly directed bland, desperately boring fictional story.

Jesus spent 40 days in the desert with the devil. After watching this film, I have an inkling of what that must have been like, not only in the way this story was presented, but also in it's long, languid, slowness. A completely fictional story about Jesus (Ewan McGregor) interacting with a family that lives there anchors the travails Jesus is going through, knowing who He is and what will happen, and the devil, also played by McGregor, taunting him the whole time. Definitely art house here, not my thing. Great acting by Ewan, some great cinematography as well, but I would have preferred something more biblically accurate and lively. This thing is as dry as the desert they live in. I think that's the point, but if so, I'll just say, "Thanks for sharing" and move on.

There is an exchange of dialog in this film where Ewan McGregor's character asks another character in the story, "Why do you live in the desert?" and the answer comes back "Because the desert is ruthless ... it strips away all pretense ... it makes you see yourself for who you are."

Now, going into this film I was a little concerned that it was part of the New Wave of faith-based films. Don't get me wrong. I have reviewed several of those, and some are very well done. But what each faith-based film has in common is that it seems at first like a regular film ... and then gets a little odd. Not saying that is a bad thing. But it is odd.

This film starts with a certain tone and stays true to that tone for the entire run time. It never gets odd. For this reason I do not consider it a faith-based film but a true creative work that is is both brilliant and powerful.

The premise is simple -- can you focus on just a few days of one of the most inspirational figures in modern religion (fictionally)and, by the microcosm of those few days, achieve the flavor and the raw emotion of the entire life of that same character?

It is a daunting goal but I think McGregor and Garcia pull it off. To appreciate this film you need to start with no expectations and then get drawn into the film much the same way the central character allows himself to get drawn into the desert. Almost like a meditation, if you like.

In the right mindset this film is like the desert in the quote above. For a brief moment it allows you to see yourself for who you are.

Recommended.

I have a fairly calm enough demeanor to sit down and enjoy a movie such as this particularly if I enjoy the subject matter. The first half of the movie was interesting watching McGregor develop the character but if you are watching a movie about Jesus, the savior of the world you expect a little more than an ineffective, indecisive individual in a quandary over typical human problems. Hello! Jesus was supposed to be one of the wisest men that ever lived, oh yea, even more than a man as you have heard and I don't think He just got wise between the desert and walking out. Family counseling should have been a breeze. And so you are telling me that he does not have more direction for this family than an occasional minor tid-bit of timid advice.

Once that character realization sets in and the downbeat, even depresso soundtrack establishes itself the movie for me is setting on thin ice. I love to give movies a chance because i have seen many pull themselves out of some real nosedives but not here. The ending just drags the movie down into the ditch of what ever it was supposed to mean.

So Jesus, the Son of God cannot pull a man up and save him from a fatal fall and then leaves a woman abandoned in the desert not long after her son abandons her meaning Jesus fully abandoned her when he walked away. Did He leave her for dead or did he heal her and then leave her abandoned and alone in the desert? As Jesus leaves the tent the devil blurts out "who do you think you are?", so apparently Jesus did heal her but still left her. Not the Jesus most of us know.

For the Christian this movie would have zero inspiration and for anyone else there is little reason to even investigate this man from Galilee. If someone is wanting to bum others out on Jesus then this would be an effective movie and is the one effective thing about it.

As for the ending it reflects the typical "realist" skeptic view that Jesus was only a man. A crucifixion, a burial and then apparently Mary and her entourage waiting outside the tomb and then no resurrection or anything even symbolizing it. A hummingbird floats just in front of Jesus's face as he dies on the cross. Nice touch but.... If the director wants to show tourists at the same location on the cliff where the father died and i take it that is what is intended then fine but is this story of Jesus just a story out of history where tourists come to take pictures or is there more?

Not in this movie.

The film is fiction. I don't think Jesus was written with a supernatural significance. Jesus Christ is the son of God. In this story, Christ was written as a holy man and never really identified as the son of God. I did like the humanity of the acting and the writing revealed humane qualities. The film needed the resurrection. It didn't have a faith based message without the resurrection. Christ lived a man's life and he died on the cross for our sins and was resurrected. The resurrection was left out, which gave it a stale ending. The resurrection is just as important as the crucifixion. I didn't like the fact that Jesus did not revive the old man (father). Jesus never let anything die around him. He walked in life and all death was resurrected around him. He was a man to bring death back to life. This was missing. I did not like that the director left that out. I don't consider it a Christian film, although it was interesting. Needs resurrecting.

I'm so grateful that I didn't watch this movie in a theater. On DVD you can skip and fast forward some of the boring scenes. The music is good, the movie does contain a twist about the main character, but that's all that keeps me from giving it an extremely low mark. The plot is horrible, boring, and the supporting actors don't make do. I would strongly advise anyone not to watch this.