Review of Silence (2017) by Marcel A — 17 Jan 2017

Religious faith is a subject rarely explored in film with any great depth. Especially today, most religious-themed movies preach to the choir, so to speak; they cater directly to a specific audience, lacking anything remotely approaching nuance or complexity. The few filmmakers bold enough to tackle religion in earnest are usually rewarded with public disinterest at best, nationwide boycotts at worst. Martin Scorsese knows a thing or two about the latter: 1988's 'The Last Temptation of Christ' sparked global outrage amongst many Christians upon release and remains one of the most controversial films ever made. Nearly three decades later, the iconic director revisits the subject in the form of SILENCE, his spellbinding adaptation of Shusaku Endo's novel about Christian persecution in 17th-century Japan. It's heartening to watch this 74-year-old legend continue to create such provocative pieces of work, daring to ask 'big questions' about human nature, the ethical dilemma inherent in religious conversion, and God's apparent indifference to man's suffering on Earth.

In the bruising role of a Portuguese Jesuit missionary seeking his missing mentor (Liam Neesom) in a post-feudal Japan intent on stamping out all presence of Christianity, former 'Spider-Man' actor Andrew Garfield provides a mesmerizing canvas for the harrowing trials - both spiritual and physical - endured by his character throughout the film. Coming off a stellar turn in last fall's 'Hacksaw Ridge', Garfield's work here is nothing short of extraordinary, and it's baffling to me why his riveting, Oscar-worthy performance has gotten so little attention. The multitude of hardships visited upon his steadfastly devout priest slowly wears down his resolve, and it is through his deeply pained eyes that the audience is forced to confront its own possible doubts about faith.

If what I've just described doesn't sound like your idea of a fun night at the movies, I totally get it. Honestly, I suspect many (most?) of you will have a difficult time sitting through this emotionally exhausting film. It's long and sluggishly paced, and it offers no easy answers. What this film does do - gloriously, in fact - is submerge you into a deceptively beautiful world where God's presence struggles mightily to take root. Serving as a metaphor for our own increasingly secular Western society, the so-called 'swamp' of 1640's Japan reflects the spiritual doubts that most of us will face throughout our lifetimes. For those willing to take up Scorsese's challenge, SILENCE offers a deeply rewarding journey of self-discovery that is not so much watched as it is experienced.