Silence is the virtue

Rating: 8/10 (1 January 2017)

This review of Silence is spoiler free
**** (4/5)
We don't know what Pope Francis thought of Silence when he attended the special premier at the Vatican but rumour is that he possibly gave it (4 out of 5 mitres at best) but may be that was the religious subject that reigns the strength of the film. Based on the late Shusaku Endo's 1965 novel Silence which also spawned an animated short in 1971 it pictures the tale of two priests who travel from Portugal to Japan to find Father Ferriera (Liam Neeson) who has somehow thought that the people of Japan could see the word of God, but without success. But when Father Garrpe and Father Rodriguez (Adam Driver, Andrew Garfield) receive the seemingly final letter from him they are given a quest to find him. They must enter Japan without seen, so when they are on the brink of constant danger from being caught by a Machiavellian Japanese man who thinks that he runs the country and thinks that he can scrape their faith.
We also don't know what the novelist will think of this adaptation either but it seems that the decades Martin Scorsese spent trying to make this film it the final result is worth it. Though at points Scorsese isn't afraid of using torture among the residents of Japan who are put through some very harsh forces of torture, as we see images of men and women being burned at stakes, but also there are some men who devout the word of god they are tied to crucifixes for many days on end finally drown by high tide, though these gruesome images are essential stuff for setting up the story of the characters. But as Rodriguez and Garrpe are separated and sent to fend for themselves in different parts of the country to try and teach the other residents. Though the fate is clear for Garrpe but with Rodriguez its not so clear though there are points he seemingly gives up, thinks that the lord doesn't love him and just when it seems he is about to give his life away there is a scene when he looks into a stream and sees an image of himself as Jesus, so he forces himself to some extent to keep going.
As Silence starts its stunning third act. It's here through a series of flashbacks that we see what the country did to Ferreira there is final chance for him and Rodriguez to sit done in conversation but as he is trying to convince that he isn't who he was Rodriguez looks to him as if his religion has been betrayed by him, and so he sees an end to his final hope and decides to declare his life to Japan and it's culture as he finally sees that he can't teach the country new things into the world of Christianity. Though the film does flag a little with it's length as it seems that some of the film is prolonged it shows that Scorsese can still create a masterpiece even at the age he is as he also manages to get Oscar-worthy performances out of Garfield and Driver. Despite the length and the fact that it feels a little slow at points Silence is a genius religious film, with stunning imagery that's gorgeous, strong with a hard hitting story that's utterly compelling. And it shows that his imagery of religion in the 1600s is as relevant today as it is pertinent.
VERDICT: Yet another masterpiece from Scorsese, it may not be for everyone but Silence is a hard hitting with epic proportions and phenomenal Oscar-worthy performances. It's stunning to see, though sometimes cruel but it's powerful.