A longtime passion project for Martin Scorsese, the director’s adaptation of the 1953 novel by Nikos Kazantzakis was bound to face controversy for depicting Jesus as a man with human -- even carnal -- desires. Even before it was released, religious groups protested and organized pickets; some theater chains refused to show it, and it was banned in several countries. Extremist groups made violent attacks against theaters and filmgoers in several locations. Later, some video rental stores refused to carry the movie.