Review of Silence (2017) by Stuart M — 01 Jan 2017
It's hard to know what to make of this film. There are all sorts of ways to approach the story in question (what should the Jesuits in Japan do when being Christian has become a capital offence) and I was expecting Scorsese to pick an approach and stick with it.
Instead, he presents all sorts of moral conundrums that are clearly insoluble. What is your responsibility when your disciples clearly need the comfort of your teaching yet your very presence poses a danger to them? How much understanding of a religion does one need to be a member of it? How far are you responsible for the suffering of others when it is done to force you to betray your beliefs? It's a nasty dark brutish sort of film with no easy or satisfying answers.
That's sort of the point. It's also at least half an hour too long and frequently repetitive. And despite what the posters and trailer will tell you Liam Neeson is only in the film for ten minutes at most.
This review of Silence (2017) was written by Stuart M on 01 Jan 2017.
Silence has generally received positive reviews.
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