Excellent movie on Christian perseverance and suffering, faith and doubt. Haunting.

Rating: 10/10 (9 December 2018)

I rarely score movies a 10 out of 10, but Martin's Scorsese's Silence fully deserves it. This movie is so haunting, so impressive, has such an emotional and spiritual impact, even after viewing it multiple times, it does not fail to impress, and leave a mark on your soul.
The subject of the movie is highly unusual, as well as highly unpopular, both with Christian viewers, as with non-Christian viewers. Some of the reviews here clearly show anti-Christian sentiments who just seem to down-vote because of the clear Christian content of this movie. It's not often that in a movie Jesus actually speaks. Apparently that triggers a nerve, almost similar to how the Japanese responded when Jesuit priests came to Japan to share the gospel of salvation through the redemptive work of Christ in his vicarious death, suffering for the sins of mankind. This has been described in Shusaku Endo's novel, the base for this movie. But we also know from other historic accounts how blatantly anti-Christian the Japanese elite were, seeing it as a direct threat to their rule. The brutal persecution that followed resulted in Christianity being almost completely erased from Japan until modern times, and still modern Japan has only a marginal number of Christians.
But the movie goes deeper, touching subjects that also make many Christians feel uncomfortable. Do not expect a heroic, glorious, Hollywood, happy-clappy, superficial version of Christianity, with a feel good happy ending. It goes deep, and it goes raw. Which is not what many Christian viewers seemed to expect either. Not surprisingly, Endo's novel initially was harshly criticized by Roman Catholics, a sentiment that is reflected in some reviewers comments too.
This movie not only takes the viewers in a fascinating but gruesome bit of history, it also dares to explore some very deeply disturbing spiritual questions, without providing the answers. The movie is beautifully shot, and the sound design perfectly reflects the gruesome atmosphere. Viewers have complained this movie is too long and boring, but I strongly disagree. The slow buildup, the somewhat repetitious events, all bring the viewer into an inner state where you really connect to the issues presented deep in your soul. And the acting work of Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver is actually amazing, especially for actors of their age. In contrast I found the acting of Liam Neeson a bit underwhelming.
At the surface the movie addresses the already difficult issue of suffering and persecution. How is someone prepared to suffer under persecution for the faith that is his deepest conviction? But also, how does a Christian deal with the guilt of denouncing his faith, and can he repent of that and be restored in the faith. And at what point have you suffered enough? Should you give in -- not to save your own life, but the life of others? And if you give in, does it mean you failed as a Christian?
But the movie goes deeper, as you can probably guess from the title. How can God allow his faithful servants to suffer? Why does He appear to be silent? Why does He not interfere? Why does He not help these missionaries to spread the Christian faith? It is this same question not only the viewer, but the characters struggle with. Does the silence imply God does not exist? The characters are brutally tortured while facing these questions. And we follow them as they struggle with these questions. Yet, in face of all this, chilling, literally awesome appearances of the suffering Christ are shown, where He speaks to us. Is it imagination, is it real to the characters?
The movie is excellent to NOT give an answer to these questions, although it is somewhat suggestive. It offers these questions to the viewer, to think of these profound questions himself.
It's rare to encounter a movie which takes such an approach, and dares to address such deeply spiritual themes in such a way to confront the viewer and deeply disturb him.
Haunting. Highly recommended.