Silence is a near masterpiece.

Rating: 8/10 (13 January 2017)

The latest film from acclaimed director Martin Scorsese comes in polar contrast to his last film, 'The Wolf of Wall Street'. Where that film is all about indulging in excess and living a very in the world life 'Silence' is literally the complete opposite. It's a film that is all about human nature, acceptance, and all that that implies. There's no nudity, no language, and hardly any violence. It's a film that relies on you as an audience member to be invested rather than trying to force you into it. However, the problem a lot of people are going to have with this film is the run time. This film runs just under three hours. Which, compared to the endless ninety-minute features we are getting, can be quite a daunting task to take on.
It's not the "epic" it's being acclaimed as, but it certainly is an experience. Or maybe even a journey yet, this film almost goes out of its way to not be an epic. It spans countries and eras but it manages to feel small and personal. This is why 'Silence' is a film that will go down in history as a landmark in contemporary cinema. If any film will be studied in film school for decades to come, it will be this.
Much like 'The Revenant' the star of this film is the director. The direction here is incredibly precise without being show-offy. There's hardly any shot that felt out of place or over stylized. Which is why Scorsese is definitely the star of the film. It's so breathtakingly beautiful but it's never false or phony. With any other director at the helm, this film would've turned out over stylized or too fake for the content.
It's not only beautiful to look at but it's themes and messages are equally beautiful. I realize that a film that's mostly about religion might turn off a lot of people but it does so much more than being just a religious film. It advertises itself as an emotional, spiritual experience, but it's more about human nature.
It asks questions about humans and why we are the way we are. And it couldn't have come at a better time. Not only is this about human nature but it also brings in themes of acceptance and cultural barriers. In a time where humanity is rather divided, 'Silence' takes these questions head on. And as the credits roll, I sat in a stupor of thought that lasted until the pre-credits for the next show started up.
While we are on the subject of positives, I want to talk a little bit about the characters/performances. Both of which are great. Every single actor in this film (right down to the extras) is absolutely incredible. Andrew Garfield is our main character and he gives a performance like I never knew he could. His efforts in 'Hacksaw Ridge' were admirable but here he actually has substance to work with and boy does he pull it off.
As you go through this journey with him you can clearly see what this character is going through just by his physical acting. He is able to show an incredible range and versatility that I have never seen from him. Obviously, his other star roles were mostly in the 'Spider-man' films where he literally had nothing to work with. Which is why his performance in this film is all the more impressive.
While I could gush over this film for hours on end I did find two chips in the armor of 'Silence'. One being the pacing/run time. While don't really have a problem with the run time, the pacing could've been a bit tighter in a few places. There were two or three scenes where I was on the verge of getting bored. It never quite happened but, in these scenes, the long run time can be felt. Flaw two would be a bit of pandering. There were a couple instances where the film blatantly spells out some of the film's undertones.
This is a very mature, slow-moving film with a lot of moving parts and having it direct us in a certain way of thinking felt off here. Saying, "You should be thinking about this right now." is never a good way to go and especially not in a mature film that requires your attention. That being said, I absolutely loved 'Silence'. It's the third film I have seen in 2017 and so far it's the best. And it will stay that way for the majority of the year I think. If you're willing to give this film your time and fully invest in it, it will blow you away. Seek it out if you love movies or if want to see something completely original and impactful.