MovieChat Forums > Last Days in the Desert (2016) Discussion > This film lost me with...

This film lost me with...

posted 8 years ago by LenaAFoster
8 replies | jump to latest

This film lost me with...Jesus as his own demonic tormenter....but this DOES explain why there IS a fresh rating and 89% on the rotten tomatoes board. One reviewer said something like it stripped the New Testament down to its bones and gave a "fresh" story to it...blah blah blah...typical atheist film critic responses...(New agers, Hollywood hip buddists, Kabbalist cult members, etc)...they love those films which sock it to the Bible and rewrite it eh?

Christian films....ones that HONOR God, Jesus, the Holy Bible, and which try to stay true to scripture routinely receive 15% to 25% rotten tomato scores by these succubus reviewers. It's disgusting how blood thirsty they are for stories which blaspheme God and Jesus.

And YES...I don't believe Jesus was both God aaaaaand a demon....He is simply put God in the flesh and part of the Holy Trinity. NOR do I ever believe he was eeeeeeeeverrrrrr tormented by HIMSELF as a demon. This movie sounds utterly satanic in mission and message to me. That is, it appears to be suggesting that God is both good and evil (not true...He is ONLY good...his ways are higher than our ways...) And, it appears to be pushing the idea that just like all of us sinful humans, Jesus was JUST an ordinary man in desperate need of tons of therapy. Not true.

Jesus was wise beyond human comprehension and anyone who has bothered to study his words in the New Testament will see easily that the Pharisees could NEVER trick him...ever...and even in Mel Gibson's Passion he was tormented by an OUTSIDE demon which he CRUSHED. He did NOT have DUALITY as this disgusting movie is seeming to suggest either overtly or subtlely by making McGregor play Jesus and a demon. The WHOLE point of the Bible, New Testament, etc is that Jesus was perfect, "without sin" and incorruptible. He was justice and love. Not a DUAL role of God and demon...

Without even seeing this, I can see this is the message this movie is trying to push....clearly this movie misrepresents Jesus battle with demons. Demons are spiritual forces on Earth clearly referenced in scripture to exist which Jesus battled and defeated. They were not WITHIN him. NOR were they another DUAL side to him.

Duality is a satanic theme. This movie sounds satanic to me. Not even Job in the Bible had to fight HIMSELF. The devil was distinct from him. Job is the Bible story which drives home the idea that Satan is NOT WITHIN us, but is separate from us, but is intent on taking everything from us, and if we trust God and have faith even when it gets unbearable, we will be saved. In sum... This film sounds like garbage. I'll definitely pass...

Galena

*Free speech opinion w/ pseudonym internet moniker w/o malice for debate and discussion🌈

[–] Writer01603 8 years ago

I've gone to see God's Not Dead, God's Not Dead 2, War Room , Miracles are Real, Risen (which was actually okay), Machine Gun Preacher (which was awesome), but, honestly, if you're going to say these Christian movies are actually decent cinematic efforts that don't let their message and their desire to deliver their message function over delivering their story, using characters as microphones.

First off Jesus was not tempted by a Demon in the desert, he's tempted by the Devil. Using duality to have the devil take Jesus's form, allows us to visualize the greater battle that exist. The devil speaks to our pride, to our arrogance, and to our vanity. He doesn't deny God, he doesn't say he doesn't exist. He says that we don't need God. What better way to deliver this message, than in the very same form, to face yourself.

This duality does not speak to the sanity of Jesus, nor that he's just a man... Jesus was God incarnate.

Duality is not an evil thing, it is the most human of things. If you do not have moments in your life where your faced with doubt, worry, or guilt, then I'm not quite certain how you've lived in this world so long and lived as a Christian.

Satan won't come as a seductive woman, he'll come as that little voice in your mind, that sounds so much like you, that says that you and you alone can accomplish whatever you want to accomplish, and that God isn't necessary. His whispers will become your thoughts, his ideas your fantasies if you let them. These conflicts for which we face as Christians, anxieties, worries, and challenges that make even the strongest Christian's question God's plan, do not come from below us, but from within us.

I don't know if this movie is a good Christian movie, or a heretical one, interesting definitely, and if it's getting good reviews, maybe worth the watch.

The world isn't against Christian movies, it's a against poorly made movies. And sadly, Christians don't know how to currently use story to deliver their message in a gradual and subtle way, over beating you in the head with a hammer.

[–] greg-goremykin 8 years ago

I just had to reply. This is easily the wisest thing I've ever read on IMDb, and probably further than that some of the wisest words I've ever read in my life. I won't intrude by asking what particular denomination you are from (if any), but I sure am curious because of the truth in your words.

[–] darkavenger77 8 years ago

Without even seeing this...

You're doing the exact same thing those that trash certain genres of films do.

I'll note the other member replying here commented they have seen several related films.

I'd suggest viewing the film in order to offer the best criticism of it.

Ignoring politics doesn't mean politics will ignore you.
-Pericles paraphrased in <100 characters

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Wu_Tang_Clam 8 years ago

"I don't believe Jesus was both God aaaaaand a demon"

Perhaps Jesus was a schizophrenic or had a delusional disorder, that would explain everything. Or maybe bipolar, as in the Original Testament he was a vengeful God who should be feared. In the New Testament he's an all loving and forgiving God.

[–] cdleorivera 8 years ago

There are plenty of examples of good movies that pay respect to the Bible. Ben-Hur, King of Kings, etc, etc, etc. Just not the ones that get low RT scores because they actually do kinda suck.

[–] ToL22 8 years ago

From a purely religious standpoint it made perfect sense. The devil spoke to Jesus and tempted him as he speaks to everyone. (Jesus himself was not a demon) I love the dialogue between them. Jesus was not speaking in some preachy religious fashion and the devil was not some poor caricature embodying sin. He was the cynical side of Jesus and the Jesus's triumph was not falling to this extreme form of cynicism.

If you study the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke you will see Jesus was actually tempted by Satan in the desert.

I am not sure why this film has such a poor rating. It might have been too simple of a story for people to immerse themselves into. I personally found the film to be an excellent philosophical view of Jesus and his trials in the desert and I am not religious at all.

I love the last scene of the film when Jesus demands to see the boy's future and forgives the mother despite the fact she was supposed to go to hell (by prophecy) but he sent her to heaven.

My favorite line in the film was when the boy asks Jesus why he will not lie and claim to be his father since the lie does not hurt anyone and Jesus's response was "It hurts the person telling it"

[–] sly_3 8 years ago

"Jesus as his own demonic tormenter."
lucifer was appearing as a doppelganger to mess with yeswah's head (as had been done throughout the journey in the desert). they are clearly not the same character.
you are free to choose which entertainment you consume (or if you can create it better, by all means), no one is forcing you to read any reviews about it, and it's best to spend your time doing something else if it really bothers you.

donkeywranglertothestars.com
@sly_3