Silence

I admire Martin Scorsese for reaching for matters of the heart without hesitation, even after audience-pleasing films like The Wolf of Wall Street or Shutter Island, knowing that it may not be successful commercially. And as is customary with matters of the heart, one reluctantly leaves out, limits, or shortens one's expectations. The fight for truth, against suffering, and with one's own ego, is portrayed in a way that is a destructive spectacle, thanks in large part to a phenomenal performance from Andrew Garfield. It raises a hundred and one questions, but mostly focuses on the same topic, which inevitably becomes tiresome even for the most accommodating viewer given the copious running time. Through Rodrigo Prieto's captivating camera work, Silence is visually stunning, but due to the sluggish screenplay, it is a bit challenging to engage in conversation about it. (02/24/2017)

After releasing masterfully crafted genre movies that won the favor of mass audiences, Martin Scorsese tried his hand at a more demanding project. And just like in The Last Temptation of Christ and Kundun, he turned his attention to religion. Built on dialogue, atmospheric shots of the given locations and subtle use of sounds, Silence is a slow film almost without any music. The structure is reminiscent of Coppola’s Apocalypse Now. Even as an atheist, I was surprised to enjoy the psychological analyses of the characters and the philosophical musings about the importance and consequences of faith, as well as the responsibility of its promulgators. Andrew Garfield is really, REALLY good. (01/16/2017)

It’s clear already from the name of the director of this movie that this won’t be just an ordinary movie. Martin Scorsese has the gift to make revolutionary movies and this one will be no exception. The only problem is that he’s not offering a simple, meaningful and logical plot. You see the Japanese are anything but easy to understand for us and you need a lot of time to study them. And that may be why this film is so interesting and that may have been the reason why Martin Scorsese decided to make a movie like this. And I totally understand the silent camera which has the image of what’s going on in the scene speak for it. You see, this film is so interesting that it’s actually incredibly hard to understand. You be the judge of that. The movie takes 161 minutes. For most of the movie, what you get is silence, destruction and two priests who are evidently somewhere where they shouldn’t be at all. The viewer can’t even by surprised by what they see. What I was surprised by, however, was Andrew Garfield’s acting performance, who is no longer the underage Spiderman who I took him to be. He finally got a chance to show himself. And along with the absolutely amazing cinematography, these are two reasons why this movie is worth watching. I was ecstatic. Silence may not be an easy film, but it’s full of incredible moments. And those sure are worth experiencing! (02/26/2017)

This film project, which director Martin Scorsese worked on for a considerable number of years, had long eluded me. I was somewhat deterred by its length and religious theme. But now I can say that avoiding the film was a mistake. Sure, this movie set in the attractive backdrop of Japan might not appeal to a broad audience, which I completely understand, but from a craftsmanship perspective, it’s flawless. The acting is absolutely transcendent; Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver both clearly demonstrate their professional preparation for their roles as Christian missionaries sent to the "Land of the Rising Sun." Their dramatic weight loss alone deserves a thumbs up from every viewer. The film doesn’t use any sets or substitutes for exteriors; you get to fully enjoy the beautiful and varied landscape of this exotic country. Besides the polished dialogues, the film gives a glimpse into how the Japanese dealt harshly with missionaries in the 17th century (there are some intense scenes of torture that take your breath away). The ending is excellent. I was just a fraction short of giving it five stars. Scorsese excelled (as expected! :D). For me, it’s 8.5/10. (12/18/2021)

Martin Scorsese belongs to the directors whom I adore, and it's evident that at his age, he already knows how to make a film, how to make it captivating and beautiful, and how to convey some thoughts that you can ponder. This was done in the film Silence. Great performances, but above all stunning cinematography and direction. (04/21/2017)