Reviews

Lets get the critical verdict over and done with nice and early. This and Jean de Florette are both emotionally touching movies, well acted, well scripted, well filmed. But the real beauty of this film is Emmanuelle Beart. The section where she is shown washing herself in the spring on the hillside is an image that will go with me to my grave. Possibly the most arousing piece of naked femininity this side of Jenny Agutter in "Walkabout".

Okay, so maybe not quite, but this is still an excellent film, by far the best depiction of the last days of Jesus's life. By taking the view that Jesus was a revolutionary rather than emphasising the religious aspects the film succeeds in presenting a unique view of the life, and death, of Jesus and the reactions of his followers. There are no mystical halos descending from heaven, no "angelic music" and none of the other cliches that Hollywood's attempts at presenting the story usually contain. Instead the humanity of those who lived the story comes through, and by doing this the film takes on emotional, even religious intensity totally lacking in other, larger budget depictions of Christ. Possibly the most moving part of all is the moment Peter realises he has disowned Jesus three times. This isn't portrayed as some great epic biblical act, the denial of the Messiah, but rather as the actions of a man, scared for himself, who, when he realises that he has betrayed his friend runs away in shame sobbing uncontrollably. the scene is given even more dramatic impact through the music, taken from Bach's St Matthews Passion, which perfectly fits the mood of the moment. Overall this is a brilliant film and anyone remotely interested in either good film making, the relationships between human beings under pressure, or the final days of Christ should see it.