Review of Silence (2016) by Thequietgamer — 24 Feb 2019

Much like the protagonist Sebastião Rodrigues, the events in this movie are going to be a test of faith for some of those watching it. Perhaps the film's greatest strength is in its ability to place you in the character's shoes as he finds himself in the unenviable position of having to choose between abandoning his beliefs or continuing to watch others suffer because of them.

It's certainly not an easy film by any means. Despite being gorgeous enough to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography, it's hard to not want to look away from time to time due to the horrific displays of persecution, execution, and torture that take place on both physical and psychological levels. That's because there's a bare naked reality to these scenes. You won't find any explicit blood or gore outside of a single beheading, and it's this kind of restraint and maturity that makes everything so much harder to witness. Especially with Andrew Garfield's gut-wrenching performance as the man being forced to bear the burden of it all really driving the conflict home.

What made the movie difficult for me personally though was the message. I can see the ending being very divisive among the religious. One of the questions it asks is whether or not one can publicly and repeatedly apostatize, yet still actually hold true to God in their hearts if it is done to protect others. As Liam Neeson's "Father Ferreira" puts it, "Only our Lord can judge your soul." And didn't Peter himself deny God three times? Is this in fact the greatest and most Christlike act of love a man can perform? It's all left open to interpretation, but due to its handling all I feel right now is conflicted.

A remarkable aspect of Silence is how it feels very personal. Like Martin Scorsese's way of addressing his own struggles with religion through the medium he knows so well. Those who have studied him and his work would be remiss to avoid this even if they don't find the subject matter appealing. Perhaps I myself will find a greater appreciation for the film upon further reflection and a rewatch somewhere later on down the line.