Review of Silence (2016) by Lovro H — 28 Jan 2017

Silence is the latest film by Martin Scorsese and one of the best movies of last year. The movie follows two priests, Francisco (played by Adam Driver) and Rodriguez (played by Andrew Garfield), who are on a mission in Japan to find their mentor who has, reportedly, apostetized and is now an official citizen of Japan.

Upon hearing these news, the two priests can't believe what they're hearing and want to go to Japan themselves to find Father Ferreira (played by Liam Neeson) and find out what happened. The movie is set in the 17th century when, in Japan, it wasn't wise to be a Christian.

Christianity is a religion that the Japanese would not allow and they had inquisitions. If the authorities found anyone who believed in a god that was not Buddha, they made that person stomp on the picture of Jesus and denounce God, and if they wouldn't do that, they tortured and killed them.

So, from the point where the two priests come to Japan, it gets very intense and gripping! I would hate to spoil anything that happens from that point on, but I will have to mention certain plot points, so consider this a spoiler warning.

The story is undeniably gruesome. There's almost nothing hopeful in this movie. Everything has to come to an end, violently or peacefully. The Christians who the priests encounter in Japan are very poor and live their lives in hiding because of what will happen if the authorities find them.

The joy those people experience when it's time for mass or prayer is genuine. There are a few heartwarming moments that happen early on, but that's it. From the point where the two priests separate, there's no happy moments, none whatsoever.

It's one of the most psychologicaly/emotionally brutal movies I've seen. The acting is fantastic! Andrew Garfield gives yet another Oscar-worthy performance of 2016 and Adam Driver is equally great, though there's not much of him in the movie.

Liam Neeson is great, as well, but he's barely in the movie. He's at the beginning and at the end, but his character is of vital importance and the dialogue between him and Rodriguez at the end is profoundly clever and gut-wrenching.

Martin Scorsese directed this movie gorgeously! The cinematography is beyond beautiful. Every shot of the movie was amazing to look at and everything felt real. Every torture scene, every emotion from the characters, everything felt genuine.

There isn't much music in this movie, it's mostly just ambient sounds, which adds to the realism of what the movie is portraying. If you thought maybe the movie would at least end on a happy note, you're wrong.

The ending is depressing and hopeless. All in all, this is a brilliant movie with gorgeous cinematography, fantastic acting and a very profound story. I'd highly recommend checking this movie out, it's one of the best to come out last year and even with its 160 minute runtime, it never gets boring or too long.