Gives a deeper insight about gruelling problems Christian community faced but with personal walk in faith as well

Rating: 8/10 (25 March 2017)

This is not a standard review but rather a reflection about the movie.
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At first I was a little dubious about Silence. I thought it would portray Catholics in a fashionable and biased way. So to begin with, Scorsese most certainly has not done that. Both Japanese and Christians are presented in an honest and engaging way. Apart from being shot beautifully, Silence raises very difficult and important theological questions. It is not only about persecution and evangelism but intrinsic religious emotion and relationship with Christ each individual grows in in his own heart.
Scorsese struggled with religion throughout his life. Silence completes his religious trilogy. He was raised as a Christian and now at the age of 75 finally makes a movie he wanted to make for 25 years. This explains why Silence is permeated with personal struggle priests encounter in their missionary work in contrast to community problems Japanese Christians face.
The main question Silence raises that I have identified is the following: Can you commit apostasy and still be a faithful Christian? It's a more difficult question than I thought it was. Christ clearly said: "But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God." (Lk 12, 9) On the other side, one may even bear martyrdom for his own faith, but what if others have to bear martyrdom for *your* faith? Is it then possible to commit apostasy on the outside only for the sake of others and stay true to Christ in the inside? What about martyrs then? Would there even be a Christian faith if everybody just committed apostasy and bore Christ only within without any external sings?
I don't think Silence gives you answers to this and other questions but instead it confronts you with them in an unnerving way. And that is a good thing. If you decide to watch Silence, take into account deep personal issues it develops and reflect upon them within the silence of your heart. See it with proper attitude and think about it with forbearance afterwards. You might benefit more that you think.