Unlike anything you've ever seen before, for reasons both good and bad

Rating: 6/10 (12 January 2017)

Having wrestled with getting Shūsaku Endō's 1966 historical novel adapted since 1988, Martin Scorsese's 28 year battle with screenplay, financial and legal troubles is finally over with the release of 'Silence'; an epic story of two missionary priests (Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver) and their journey into 17th Century Japan, where Christianity is outlawed on pain of torture and death. Their mission: to find Father Ferreira (Liam Neeson) who went years before to spread the word of God but supposedly denounced the faith whilst there.
Films that extend to over 2 hours 30 minutes are not unfamiliar to moviegoers of the 21st Century; even the mighty superhero genre has ventured beyond this mark with 'The Dark Knight Rises', which was undeniably stretched. Notably though, Scorsese is one of the master filmmakers in this area and standing at 2 hours 41 minutes, 'Silence' is similar in length with his other projects. However, it consistently peaks and drops between scenes of fascination and disinterest; for this reason, it does not reach the heights of 'The Wolf of Wall Street' or 'Gangs of New York' (both over 3 hours long) which expertly maintain the viewers captivation throughout.
Where the moments are good they are artistically beautiful, as cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto provides atmospheric shots of Taiwan's (standing in for Japan as the setting) landscape so sweetly, it makes such dreadful torture scenes where people are burned with boiling water or drowned at sea somehow feel serene. But when the artistic nature of this film cannot be appreciated during the admittedly repetitive extended scenes of dialogue, it nadirs to pure boredom, and one cannot help but think 'Silence' tries too hard to make the viewer aptly acknowledge the magnitude of the film.
Fulfilling the mainstream appeal of this film, Andrew Garfield rises from the ashes of 'The Amazing Spider-Man' series with undeniable gravity, and Adam Driver proves his acting skills further, swaying far from the 'Star Wars' franchise, which has type-casted many before him. But both fall just short of legendary performances with unstable Portuguese accents in with their English dialogue, adding to the films inconsistency. Liam Neeson's talent is barely used; even he looks confused at his lack of participation at times, but is still as solid as ever. But it's the Japanese cast that truly shine here, with Tadanobu Asano and Issei Ogata playing their respective roles with conviction, portraying their manipulative characters with confidence and unquestionable ability.
Scorsese addresses the complex issues in this film with the experience that one would expect from the 74 year-old classic director, and while 'Silence' may not be as engrossing as 'Goodfellas' for example, it is eloquent yet sharp to the point, and can be a joy to watch.
'Silence' is a culmination of artistic class and mundanity, certainly not a highlight amongst Martin Scorsese's vast collection of thrilling and intricate plots that have been seen in his previous films, but it stands out as possibly one of his most aesthetically creative works yet.