Review of Silence (2017) by Wayne K — 06 Sep 2017

Avoiding the usual Scorseseisms like excessive tracking shots, constant swearing and short-tempered gangsters/businessmen, but still retaining his customary voiceover which wanders dangerously close to Terrence Malick territory at times, Silence is a film of great beauty, fraught emotions and a lot of suffering, and the latter is not done only by the characters.

Clocking in at nearly 2 and 3/4 hours, about 45 minutes more than it needs to, it's too slow and laborious for those looking for entertainment and way too preachy for those who want to watch a film rather than be lectured by it.

Its statements on faith are genuine only when they're not being shoved down our throats, and as the film goes on that becomes the only way it can deliver its message. The heavy-handedness isn't helped by the fact that I found the central character hard to like or even sympathise with.

Andrew Garfield is a great actor who turns in a powerful performance, but his commitment to faith is supposed to be uplifting and courageous, but smacks of selfishness, impracticality and callousness.

He has the power to end so much suffering, but we're supposed to adore him because he won't simply step on a picture to do so. Whether or not the gesture is symbolic it's hard to accept his intentions are for a greater good.

Most of the characters are forgettable, it has villains with a near-James Bond level of Stupidly Not Killing The Hero Syndrome, and drags on for far too long. Granted it's not as preachy or as hollow as something like The Tree Of Life, and while Scorsese's' talent for crafting a film is still up there for all to see, it's what you hear that will either suck you in or put you off.