The Gospel According to Matthew

I had no idea what to expect from Pasolini adapting the story of Jesus, especially since Salo was the only other film I'd seen of him. With that in mind, The Gospel According to Matthew is a pretty basic, even somewhat boring adaptation of a story that's been told countless times before.

The plot sticks closely to what you can read in the bible, at least what I remember of it. Though I've been raised a Catholic, the details are kind of foggy. There's no time for details here though, since Pasolini has to cover the entire story in a mere 140 minutes, which makes this a kind of "best of Jesus' life".

Pasolini's audiovisual signature stands out here, with stark close-ups and a more naturalistic vibe, but it wasn't enough to keep me entertained for more than 2 hours. The film is a succession of simplistic and moralistic lessons, delivered by a rather angry and self-assured man. Too religious for my liking.