Silence

2016 • 161 minutes

About this movie

Legendary director Martin Scorsese’s Silence tells the story of two Christian missionaries (Adam Driver and Oscar® nominee Andrew Garfield) who travel to Japan in search of their missing mentor (Academy Award® nominee Liam Neeson) at a time when Christianity was outlawed. When they are captured and imprisoned, both men are plunged into an odyssey that will test their faith, challenge their sanity and, perhaps, risk their very lives.

Ratings and reviews

From an atheistic standpoint, this is an amazing film. This isn't some 300 type of film, this film is historically accurate and revolves around real events, and it manages to be a great story at the same time. It takes place during the beginning of Japan's Isolationist Period, so all foreigners and foriegn influence is being expelled, including Christianity. In the 100 years before this movie took place, the Spanish and Portuguese Jesuits had converted several hundred thousand Japanese peasants to Christianity. Many of these people underwent extreme persecution under isolationist Japan. They often were publicly executed and tortured brutally. The Japanese elite did not want the peasants to be of the Christian faith, fearing a rebellion (one had already happened due to the Christian peasants), and the Tokugawa Shogunate was trying to keep peace in Japan. The film shows the brutal persecution of the Christian faith and lack of humanity existing within the Japanese elite. They did not care for the Christian peasants and saw them as merely replaceable farmers. The peasants had to publicly denounce their faith or be tortured and put to death. It's so heartbreaking to see how faithful they are, only for them to be executed in their grand amount of faith and lack of willingness to give it up. This film will tear you apart sentimentally as you see the faith being ripped away from Andrew Garfield. This movie puts on full display willpower, courage, tests of faith and selflessness, brutality, lack of humanity, and history. I would recommend that all see this film, religious or not.

Saw this this passed weekend. Incredibly deep, but for simplicity sake this is a What Would Jesus Do type of film. The movie is almost 3 hours long; great visuals and acting; dialogue. I left the theatre wondering what i would have done if i was in the position of either the Jesuits or the People - i would say i would never apostasise or tell others to do so, but when you're in that position and it's your loved ones - that's tough. great Film; Thank you Scorsese.

The cinematography is gorgeous. I was immediately brought into this world, or in particular this time period. The performances were wonderful although at sometimes were kind off. It's a powerful look at faith and how it effects us as humans. My only complaint is it could've been cut down. While it didn't feel drawn out to the point where I was looking at the clock, there definitely could've been small scenes and shots that if cut, had no effect on the film. Overall it was an enjoyable experience. 7/10