Scorsese's 'Silence' speaks volumes

Rating: 8/10 (28 January 2018)

Martin Scorsese has been the mastermind behind some of cinema's greatest triumphs. While some have become pop culture institutions ('Taxi Driver,' 'Goodfellas,' 'The Departed'), others have not had nearly as much of an impact. 2016's 'Silence' falls into the latter camp, although this does not take away from the fact that it's a very well done film.
In 'Silence,' we follow two Portuguese Jesuit priests (Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver) as they travel through 17th century Japan in search of their mentor (Liam Neeson), who has gone MIA. While searching for him, the two priests try to spread Catholicism through missionary work - something that slowly tears the two apart, as the religion is under assault from the Japanese government.
Scorsese's signature techniques are on full display here, From the meticulous cinematography - which earned an Academy Award nomination - to the use of symbolism and powerful dialogue, 'Silence' is almost a work of art. Between the raw emotion that comes through in Garfield's performance and the persecution that the Japanese common folk experience, there is a lot of pain and suffering to go around. But it's not all for naught. True, the themes at the heart of 'Silence' are dark, but the way the story unfolds on screen is something to be marveled at.
Perhaps the biggest issue with 'Silence' is its runtime. At 161 minutes, the film is excruciatingly long. Some may argue this entire length is necessary in order to tell the complete story, but this really isn't the case. And while Scorsese is known for helming films with super long runtimes, sometimes this works better for certain films over others.
While 'Silence' may not have been awarded with box office glory or Oscar gold, the film is one that will have a special place in Scorsese's catalogue.