Review of Agora (2009) by Chapal M — 08 Dec 2013

This film was well worth watching, even with it's shortcomings for the scenery and setting alone. I wish I could see more films set in this time period showing the conflicts that this one does. It seems like stories about the rise of Christianity to power in the world would be filled with either a polemic of anger and resentment, or a glossing over abuses that is very close to blatant plagiarism. It's a polarizing bit of history that certainly isn't easy or without warranted levels of controversy. It's a subject not for the faint of heart if any attempt is going to be made to handle the conflicting viewpoints fairly. This film, while not without shortcomings, tries very hard to handle sides fairly. I felt the story was told honestly and that it didn't both to try and involve itself in making political/religious statements outside of what the characters express about the decisions they wrestle with. The "pagans," the Jews, and the Christians are all treated fairly, and I would hope anyone who watches this film will be inspired to try and discover more about the history that has shaped our world.

I actually want to watch the film again on BluRay just to take in the beauty of some of the shots. It's a lovely little epic that was unfairly panned by nearly everyone.