Harrowing and complex religious epic brands a superb cinematic work by Martin Scorcese

Rating: 9/10 (21 January 2017)

"Sometimes silence is the deadliest sound" marks the uncompromising tagline of this religious epic directed by the hands of Hollywood mogul Martin Scorcese. This film is perceived as Scorcese's passion project, a cinematic translation of the acclaimed novel by Shusako Endo, which he's tried almost three decades trying to lift off the ground before finally landing it just in time for Oscar season. The historical epic paints a harrowing of the journey following Catholic priests venturing into a foreign country where spirituality comes at a great cost and religious rights are stripped away by the hands of tyrant individuals who spit in the face of religion. What Scorcese's long, complex testament comes down to is a harrowing and realistic tale that feels largely relevant to today's era, particularly when you examine the ongoing cultural conflicts erupting around the world as shown in the media. For many people, it hits awfully close to home. Set in the 17th century, this film follows Portuguese Catholic priests Father Rodrigues (played by Andrew Garfield) and Father Garupe (played by Adam Driver) who are informed by Father Alessandro Valignano (played by Ciaran Hinds) of the news of Father Ferreira (played by Liam Neeson) captured in Japan and denouncing his faith in a public. Out of curiosity to this rumor, Rodrigues and Garupe travel to Japan where they witness mass persecution against Christians at the hands of Inoue Masashige (played by Issey Ogata). In an efforts to locate Father Ferreira and propagate Christianity, Rodrigues and Garupe are placed in a harrowing battle of wills against the Japanese tyrant that will place their faith to a test.
Although this doesn't mark Martin Scorcese's first time tackling on the topic of religion as his first adventure in this subject was 'The Last Temptation of Christ', this film does not draw a biblical portrait of the days of Jesus. Instead, it explores a powerful testament on how Christian missionaries have experienced challenges where their spirituality is battered and used as a weapon against them by nihilists who view religion as a philosophical hoax. And with an inspiring screenplay by co-written by Jay Cooks, stunning cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto (who's collaborated with Martin Scorcese for a second time following 'The Wolf of Wall Street') to capture the overwhelming atmosphere, and an overall enchanting direction; Scorcese paints an emotionally (and visually) arresting picture on two Catholic's priests' journey to spread of God while fighting against the mass persecution in a world where religion is outlawed and flushed from society. The story is very gut-wrenching and very complex, but also very slow. The plot moves in a leisurely pace that is enough to drive impatient viewers into utter boredom. But those who sustain their wills of sitting through the sluggish narrative are offered into a captivating story of pain, loss, hope, and redemption; and Martin Scorcese rarely pulls any punches when igniting the story is life. It is a depressing journey, but unfortunately it is still true to this day.
Since his debut in the cinematic spotlight, Martin Scorcese never an immersive cast of widely acclaimed actors for granted. Stepping into the lead role of Father Rodrigues is Andrew Garfield. With his 'Spiderman' two years in the rearview mirror, Garfield has taken the advantage of the opportunities to explore more grounded roles outside the superhero genre as well as his acclaimed role in 'The Social Network'. Garfield plays the role of a determined Catholic priest who's forced to face the brooding reality of Japan in a society where Christianity is a contraband philosophical being. By the hands of a brutal Japanese authority officer, Rodrigues is trapped into a tense, psychological battle that challenges his spirituality and pits him with a tough decision between standing up for his beliefs and witnessing poor civilian followers being slaughtered, or shout against his faith to save their lives as well as his own. Similarly in Mel Gibson 'Hacksaw Ridge' in which he played another religiously-defined character, Garfield delivers a solid portrayal of this role. Although he evokes occasional hiccups in his Portuguese accent, it is difficult to deny the powerful gravitas he pours into the role. Adam Driver is also very stringent in his role as Rodrigues's accomplice as his Liam Neeson has the emotionally broken Father Ferreira who shares much less than a handful of screen time throughout the near three-hour run. Japanese actor Issey Ogata successfully unleashes a frightening, if somewhat humane portrayal as Inoue Masashige, the cruel mastermind behind the savagery against the Christian community.
Silence is a harrowing and complex religious epic that marks an enthralling piece of cinematic work by Martin Scorcese in a departure from his typical violent mobster crime genre. Needless to say, this is not a film that is likely to convince those who are non-believers to convert to Christianity (or at least that is not Martin Scorcese is aiming for), it is a captivating picture that marks a good recommendation for both sides of the religious compass. In conclusion, it stands high as one of the best films of 2016.