Released: January 2017
Rated R
Run Time: 160 Minutes
Director: Martin Scorsese
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Historical Drama
Cast:
Andrew Garfield: Rodrigues
Adam Driver: Garrupe
Liam Neeson: Ferreira
Ciaran Hinds: Father Valignano
Tadanobu Asano: Interpreter
Movies are an absolutely wonderful way of telling stories. Whether it’s an action film or a comedy, seeing stuff happen on the screen is something that many people tend to take for granted. Most people go see movies to be entertained. However, there have been movies over the decades that are truly great movies, but they’re not necessarily entertaining. A movie does not have to entertain to be compelling. Take war movies like Saving Private Ryan, for example. That’s a movie that starts out with one of the most disturbing war sequences ever put to film. It’s not entertaining to watch something that is historically accurate like that. It’s compelling because it doesn’t shy away from the horror of the situation. You’ve also got dramas like Abduction of Eden, which deal with the very real problem of human trafficking, and it’s represented in a way that’s horrifying. We, as a species, are compelled to seek out stories that have meaning. Be it books, video games, or movies, story-telling is extremely important, and it’s also important to understand that some stories aren’t all sunshine and rainbows. Legendary film-maker Martin Scorsese comes at us with a movie called Silence.
Silence begins as we witness several Catholic priests being strung up to wooden posts and having boiling water poured over them. Father Ferreira is forced to watch as his colleagues are tortured by the Japanese. Later, two young Jesuit priests, Garrupe and Rodrigues, are read a letter from Ferreira saying that he had denounced the Church and its teachings. Refusing to believe that Ferreira abandoned his faith, the two priests head to Japan to discover the truth. The story that I have described is set in 17th century Japan during the Shimabara Rebellion. Christianity at that point was completely outlawed in Japan, and Christians were severely persecuted for their beliefs until the mid-19th century. The story takes a look at a couple of Jesuit priests and how they try to maintain their faith in the face of tremendous adversity. It’s a surprisingly complex story that examines faith, belief and the time and places of such things. It’s never a simple thing when you’re dealing the subject of faith and belief. It’s an extraordinarily compelling story that kind of rips your guts out at times.
Martin Scorsese is truly a master of his craft, and Silence is one of his most impressive movies to date. It runs at a little over two and a half hours long, but it doesn’t feel like it. You can thank the actors and the crew of the film for that. The acting in this film is astounding on every level. Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver throw themselves into their respective roles and just hammer it home. We see Garfield’s character start out as this kind of naive priest thinking that he can spread the word of God, while trying to find Ferreira. Adam Driver’s character starts out the same way, but he begins to doubt things the longer he’s in Japan. We see Rodrigues go from an optimistic priest to someone who is broken spiritually. It’s incredibly amazing to see that transformation happen throughout the film. Liam Neeson turns in probably the strongest performance he’s had in years as Ferreira, despite the fact that he’s not in the film for very long. You can see the suffering in his eyes when the film opens. It’s tragic and absolutely phenomenal. The Japanese cast does a great job as well. At first, some of the Japanese come across as villains, but over the course of the film, you begin to understand where the Japanese are coming from. In the 17th century, they viewed Christianity as a threat to their way of life, and considering the stuff that Church has done over the years, you know that the Japanese weren’t wrong, even though their methods were brutal.
Despite the fact that the film was shot on small sets, Silence is one of the most visually striking movies that I’ve seen in years. We do get some really great shots of the environment, but a lot of it is close-quarters. The editing is as perfect as you can get. The sound design is extraordinary. The music is surprisingly minimalistic with no overbearing orchestra in the background. I really like that, because it allows you to hear the conversations and everything else in between. It is an incredibly well-made film that really draws you in with visuals and sound. Considering the subject matter involved here, there are some scenes that many would consider to be disturbing, even though they are not overly graphic. There’s this one character who was forced to denounce Christianity, but while he did, his family did not, and they were burned alive. It’s not really a pleasant movie to sit through.
I would argue that Silence isn’t necessarily an indictment of faith or religion, but rather the arrogance of thinking everybody is simply going to accept the word of God. It clearly wasn’t the case in 17th century Japan, and it definitely isn’t the case now. But if you take Silence simply as a drama, there’s a lot to love about this movie. The performances are more than Oscar-worthy. Andrew Garfield has proven yet again, that he can be one of the greatest actors of his generation and it’s the same thing with Adam Driver. Liam Neeson is…well…Liam Neeson. He’s one of my favorite actors of all time, and he’s proven it yet again in Silence. Overall, This is a film that everyone should see. Anyone who is a fan of Martin Scorsese has already seen this film and already owns it on DVD/Blu-Ray. Silence is easily one of the most compelling experiences of the year.
Final Recommendation: 10/10.