a lengthy and stunning journey into the power of religious belief

Rating: 7/10 (22 February 2017)

I particularly enjoy this style of filmmaking, Silence was a long, beautiful journey that followed a very calming pace despite the actually disturbing content. As we follow these two priests through their journey through Japan. I really liked how this film was so long, it really goes to show the excruciating length of their travels, yet it didn't feel dragged on a at all serving as a very well utilized narrative device.
This is the second time we've seen Andrew Garfield in a film about religions and beliefs particularly Christianity. He does really well in these roles, his facial language and soft tone just creates such a soothing aura when very befitting of these roles. Liam Neeson and Adam Driver though didn't get a lot of screen time played it well when they were on screen as more minor characters.
The real breakout performance in my opinion is definitely from Japanese actor: Shin'ya Tsukamoto as Mokichi. It was an extremely well acted role, the way he moves and talks in this film, the stumbling tone and the way he speaks and approaches the two pastors really shows this strength of his belief. I really liked how this came through in all of the Japanese villagers. Other than that also a shout out to the Japanese actor who played the bastardly Kichijiro, both very well acted roles.
As mentioned the theme of belief is so powerful and so impactful in this film as it was in Garfield's other film, Hacksaw Ridge. From the smallest of tokens that the villagers held that had any connection to god to the secret baptisms that the village held. Tomokichi final song, it really is an ode to the power and strength of believing and religion.
Overall Silence definitely has its very impactful and shocking moments however it does have its dull moments particularly in the later half of the film but none the less this is a great film.