Silence Movie Review

Released: January 1st 2016 (UK)

Length: 161 Minutes

Certificate: 15

Director: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson, Yōsuke Kubozuka and Tadanobu Asano

Having long been a passion project of Martin Scorsese, Silence has been several decades in the making. Arguably his most unflinching and ambitious project yet, this delve into history and conflicting cultures opens 2017 with a hard-hitting flourish.

In the 17^th Century, two Jesuit priests, Sebastian Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) and Francesco Garrpe (Adam Driver) journey to Nagasaki in Japan, intent on finding their lost teacher (Liam Neeson) while also spreading the Catholic Christian faith. However, the mission proves dangerous as they are working in the time of “Kakure Kirishitan” (Hidden Christians) in which the Tokugawa Shogunate outlawed the practice of Christianity. Adapted from the book of the same name by Japanese author Shūsaku Endō, Silence takes place mainly from Rodrigues’s perspective as he journeys through the islands and later endures numerous hardships at the hands of the ruling power, with some brief flashbacks in-between. The film is incredibly slow-moving, but it maintains a strong, ominous tension that builds towards moments of intense impact and hardship; as the priests are put through a hellish torment, countless philosophical questions are woven into the narrative seamlessly. It’s the humanisation and flaws of the characters on both sides that bring in a sense of ambiguity; Sebastian’s mission is driven purely by his own belief, but it also makes him tremendously stubborn, almost entirely naive to opposite viewpoints, which adds a sense of futility to his motives. On the other hand, the Japanese attempt to sway through words but give in to unspeakable acts of violence and torture to achieve control. It’s a psychological tug of war based on two points of view that simply cannot co-exist and the way it swings back and forth adds further intrigue to the plot. Much of the film’s surprises come through the lengths the characters go to; every fibre of Sebastian’s will is put to the test as the tactics of the Shogunites become more deadly. Will he give up his faith or resist? This question hangs over the proceedings, a constant source of fascination for the audience.

The performances in Silence are incredibly well-realised in that they hold the film’s subject material in an unyielding grip across the entirety of its running time. Andrew Garfield rests at the film’s centre, his mission and later crisis of faith pushed to the forefront; he puts such a vast array of emotions on display here to form a character with numerous dimensions. Steadfast in his belief, at times Sebastian is worked into a confused stupor; and at other points he sees the people around him staying just as loyal to the faith and believing his mission to be a successful extension of God’s will. It is perhaps his most outstanding performance to date. Adam Driver, while not holding the spotlight also conveys a great deal of emotion; his character’s belief is far more hard line than Sebastian’s and this clearly shows through his actions. Yōsuke Kubozuka plays Kichijiro, a conflicted villager. Acting as a middle ground and a parallel to Judas, he appears cowardly yet constantly comes running back to Sebastian; he’s a character torn in half by his belief and a focus on himself. The Japanese Shogunites are also well portrayed; their somewhat calm and collected demeanour contrasts greatly with their sadistic methods to drive religion out of the people; an interpreter played by Tadanobu Asano personifies this and the conversations he has with Sebastian are among the most interesting aspects of the film. The rawness of the side performances is often astonishing; you will feel the conviction and the devotion that religion holds on the people, before the narrative lays the horrific suffering and persecution on thick. The sheer grief shown through the people’s faces and cries cuts deep, instilling a sense of tragedy, a lack of tolerance that destroys their lives. Much of the film is built on suffering but it is portrayed in such a visceral way that it never loses an ounce of its impact.

As its title implies, Silence opts for pure atmosphere and in this way, it succeeds beyond reasonable doubt. The lack of music is immediately obvious as the film relies on the natural sounds of the Japanese landscapes to set an appropriately haunting mood. The squalor of the villages visited by the priests delivers further depth to the plot, highlighting the difference between rich and poor while also emphasising why the latter have turned to Catholicism. The cinematography is also very intimate with many point of view shots, panning around the scenery to pull the audience into the character’s predicaments; add to this the use of natural lighting and weather effects and you have an absorbing effect that works over the entire film. The authenticity and attention to detail is impeccable throughout with costuming, set design and input from Jesuit priest James Martin working together to form a detailed portrayal of the time. Working alongside the plot and characters, not one aspect of Silence’s presentation falters at drawing the viewer deeper in.

Silence is masterfully produced and altogether uncompromising in its presentation. It is not an easy film to watch and doesn’t go for pure entertainment; instead it aims to challenge the audience with an immensely powerful, often harrowing depiction of religion, violence and human nature across differing perspectives. With that goal in mind, it becomes one of the most mesmerising epics put out in years.

Rating: 5/5 Stars (Exceptional)