Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Written by: Martin Scorsese, Jay Cocks, based upon the book by Shusaku Endo
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson
IMDb Link
I've seen every single Best Picture Nominee for last year now, but I was anticipating none of those films as much as Silence.
Christianity has always been an important part of my life, even more so than film because it has had such a hand in the formation of my worldview. Film is my favourite thing that humanity has ever created, a way in which we can express that which is fundamental to human nature: storytelling. These two factors inherently affect my perspective on films of a Christian nature, and it is a shame that so often Christian films fail to offer anything of value to neither film nor Christianity. Thankfully this is not the case with Silence, which moved me and angered me and challenged some of the ways I think about my faith.
*Warning: Spoilers Ahead*
The film is set in Japan during the 1600s. Two Jesuit priests from Portugal (Garfield and Driver) go to Japan to find their mentor (Neeson) after hearing that he renounced his faith. Once in Japan, the two priests begin to experience life in a land where Christianity is outlawed, and day after day suffer and see others suffer for their faith.
What makes this work most effectively is that Scorsese does little to manipulate emotions here; no soft musical cues or touching platitudes to make the plight of these people seem any more terrible than it is, instead Scorsese tries to present things and let us as the audience draw meaning from what we see, sometimes removing sound altogether (yes, a movies called Silence is often silent) and simply letting an image hold our focus. This is important because the film asks hard questions about morality, and there's evidently discussion to be had about these questions and whether or not they have a true answer.
In the second half of the film, after being exposed to how Christians suffer for their faith in Japan, Rodrigues is captured by Japanese authorities and imprisoned so that he can witness still more people being tortured or murdered for their beliefs. This seems monstrous, but at the same time the film doesn't treat the Japanese government as savage, just brutally pragmatic. They see Christianity as a cancer within the country that offers nothing to their culture and only corrupts their belief in the Buddha. It's distinctly tribal and seems an appropriate view to present even in today's culture considering the way people can still treat others for having a differing religion. That said, even with the understanding of their perspective it's impossible to forget all of the horrible things that they do in the name of politics and religion. People should probably take note.
Outside of the violence inflicted upon the people, there's a sickening moral dilemma that is forced upon Rodrigues in order to attempt to get him to renounce; he never yields when they bring pain down upon him, so they abuse his compassion for others and attempt to tear people down, both figuratively and literally, with the intent to stop if Rodrigues relents in his faith. It's a crisis of faith and choice that boils the blood and chills the soul, one that is far more complicated than the simple question of "Would you die for your beliefs?", and Scorsese handles it very carefully, with a few heart-wrenching final moments that'll have any devout Christian saying a prayer or two. I'm still reeling from what I've witnessed, a presentation of cruelty, strength, compassion, compromise, and so much more, all presented in a way that's surprisingly broad in its perspective given Scorsese's Catholic background, and one that doesn't judge people for moments of weakness in their faith.
On the more technical side, the film looks absolutely gorgeous. This film has been nominated for Best Cinematography, and boy does it deserve the recognition, with incredibly beautiful locations filled with green that suggest a serenity despite the intensity of the situation, and Scorsese's usual focus on character and emotion with a slightly detached air, creating an odd feeling of knowing someone closely but being unable to truly connect with them. Just look at the trailer.
The Verdict: Silence puts you through hell (I know that this was too easy given the context, but it's true). The extreme suffering of Christians in Feudal Japan is reverently expressed, never holding back the insanity of what happens and never judging those that give in to it. While I recommend this film to anyone who admires Scorsese's work and can stand some moments of slow pacing and a little repetition, I especially recommend this film to Christians and to people who have an interest in it. This film is a powerful examination of how faith was challenged in a time and place where it was unacceptable to be Christian, a discussion of what faith means and what tests it, and I cannot recommend it enough to those who care about these things.
Rating: 9/10
Published February 16th, 2017
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