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. As he is put to death on the cross, Jesus is tempted by visions of an ordinary life married to Mary Magdalene.

Directed by Martin Scorsese and adapted by legendary screenwriter Paul Schrader (TAXI DRIVER, RAGING BULL) from Nikos Kazantzakis’ 1955 novel of the same name, the film features a hauntingly memorable score by Peter Gabriel and memorable performance from Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Barbara Hershey, Harry Dean Stanton, Verna Bloom, David Bowie and more.

“Martin Scorsese and [screenwriter] Paul Schrader have made a courageous film that people of all religions or no religion should be able to watch with identical fascination.” (Globe & Mail)

“…shockingly potent, leaving me in tears…” (Chicago Reader)

“Few tasks could be more delicate or demanding than to reconceive the story of Jesus Christ… The sheer audacity of taking on this project in 1988 makes The Last Temptation of Christ exemplary.” (L.A. Weekly)

“It’s a challenging film in the best sense, a gritty, deeply felt effort to renew the significance of Christ in terms of contemporary experience, and one that reminds us of how radical Christ was.” (Boston Globe)

“All of the uninformed protest will only serve to fuel attendance for what turns out to be a very fine, thoughtful and beautifully performed rumination on Jesus and the difficulty of living according to His principles.” (Gene Siskel)

Friday, April 7
Doors 7:30 pm | Movie 8:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Advance tickets HERE

Why not make it a double bill with Monty Python’s LIFE OF BRIAN? HERE

THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST (Martin Scorsese, 1988 / 164 mins / 14A) The life of Jesus Christ, his journey through life as he faces the struggles all humans do, and his final temptation on the cross.

*Minors permitted. Must be 19+ w/ID for bar service.
*Rio Theatre Groupons and Rio Theatre passes are OK for any single film screening only. Please redeem at the box office.
*Online sales end an hour before showtime; unless otherwise noted, tickets are always available for purchase at the box office prior to showtime. All Rio Theatre tickets are final sale. Our box office is typically open 30 minutes before showtime. All seating is General Admission; please arrive 20-30 minutes prior to showtime to ensure great seats and time for treats.
*If you are looking to redeem either a Rio Theatre gift certificate or Groupon to any regular Rio Theatre screening: You can either email us in advance <[email protected]> and give us a “heads up,” or do it at the box office prior to showtime. (We seat 400+ people and our regular screenings are very rarely at capacity – you should not have issues being admitted.)