"I am so tempted to despair. The weight of your silence is terrible."

Rating: 7/10 (17 January 2017)

"Silence" (2016 release; 161 min.) brings the story of several Jesuit priests in Japan. As the movie opens, we get to know Father Ferreira in a flashback in what looks to be maybe his final days. We then move to the present day, 1640, where Fathers Rodrigues and Garupe, Portuguese priests in Macau, and pleading with their superior to let them go into Japan to look for the missing Father Ferreira, whom they last heard about in a letter written in 1633, already 7 years ago. Their superior agrees, despite the clear and present danger to venture out in Christianity-hostile Japan. When Rodrigues and Garupe get smuggled into Japan, much to their surprise they find there is a thriving underground Christian community. But it isn't long before the dangers start popping up... At this point, we're 15 min. into the movie but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.
Couple of comments: this is Martin Scorsese's long awaited (over 2 decades) "religious" film, about the trials and turbulations of Jesuit priests in 17th century Japan. While things are happening pretty quickly in the initial 20 min. of the movie, they are most definitely slowing down to a glacial speed in the middle 90 min. of the movie. So if you are expecting some sort of an epic historical action-drama, please adjust your expectations immediately (in particular as it relates to the "action" parts), otherwise you are bound to be let down, if not outright disappointed. I think the movie's running time is in fact too long, and could've easily be trimmed by probably 15-20 without losing much of the narrative. That said, if you can hang in until we get to the last 45 min., you are bound for a wonderful payoff. I thought the last part of the film was nothing short of mesmerizing. The central theme of the movie (will Rodrigues renounce his faith to save himself, like Ferreira may have done?) plays out beautifully. "I am so tempted to despair. The weight of your silence is terrible.", Rodrigues tells us in a voice over, and we hear his pain! Along the way, we are treated to a visual spectacle (has there been a movie containing more fogged landscapes that this one?). Andrew Garfield, MILES away from his erstwhile Spider-Man days and just after his equally acclaimed performance in "Hacksaw Ridge", is outstanding as Rodrigues. Adam Driver disappears from the movie altogether after just an hour (but for one short scene afterwards). Neeson makes an appearance both at the movie's very beginning and again in the last 30 min. When the end credits start rolling, Scorsese dedicates the movie to those that advanced catholicism in Japan, and adds for good measure Ad maiorem Dei gloriam (the Jesuit slogan, meaning For the Greater Glory of God).
"Silence" opened wide this past weekend, and under-performed at the box office. This does not surprise me, as it takes quite a commitment to sit through this overly long film. It it weren't for the movie's excellent last 45 min., I'd have rated less than what I am rating it now (4 stars. The early evening screening where I saw this at on MLK Day here in Cincinnati was not attended very well (about 10 people), and unless there is a a significant pick-up in Oscar nominations next week, I can't see this movie lasting much longer in theaters. That said, if you are a Scorsese fan, you will definitely want to check this out.