underrated just because it is about Catholicism?
Just my thought. What you have to say about it?
shareI actually didn't enjoy the movie and feel that it would be best rated as a 6 for general audiences.
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MovieChat Forums > Silence (2017) Discussion > underrated just because it is about Cath...
More probably because it's slow and boring.
Schrodinger's cat walks into a bar and doesn't.
I'm agnostic and feel as if I viewed this film from an outsiders perspective:
I think it's about more than Catholicism. To me this is a philosopher's film. Yes, the Japanese tortured the christian converts, but think back to the beginning when we are hearing Ferreira's words. He states the converts asked to be tortured to prove their faith. It's the 1600's, and to me the Japanese seemed rational for the time. As cruel as they came across at times, they made it clear how easy it would be to stop the pain, even when they would've been justified in slaughtering these "invaders". Remember the Christian religion has plenty of cruelty in its past. Again, I'm agnostic, so for me it was easy to keep thinking "you fools, touch your foot to the symbol, keep your faith in your heart, and stop the suffering". I found Ferreira's appearance near the end to be a welcome, rational relief.
Imagine if it was opposite, it's the 1600's and a Christian nation has people showing up on its shores with the intent of spreading a foreign religion. Do you think they would take to it with open arms, or would they resist with violence. Would such a film be about Catholicism?
Then there is the issue of doubt, among even the Fathers themselves. The title "Silence" refers not only being silenced by the Japanese, but the lack of response from God to Christian prayers. This doubt is a common theme for Scorsese.
Then there's Kichijiro. What to make of this guy? To me he represented modern Christians. Time and again he apostatizes, time and again he betrays. Time and again he asks for forgiveness. But that's the thing with Christianity. If you have faith and ask for forgiveness you're saved. It's almost like a license to sin. All kinds of rationalization. Also the Japanese converts seemed more enamored with the prospect of "paradise" or "heaven" than with the teachings of Jesus Christ. They viewed death as a good thing.
These are just some thoughts from an agnostic and philosopher, so please don't rip me for blasphemy. It's almost impossible to discuss the concept of religion without invoking philosophy. (And it's almost impossible to discuss religion without pissing someone off.)
Imagine if it was opposite, it's the 1600's and a Christian nation has people showing up on its shores with the intent of spreading a foreign religion. Do you think they would take to it with open arms, or would they resist with violence. Would such a film be about Catholicism?
Or you can just go back in time to Europe during the Inquisition and they weren't even being invaded. They were in power and all powerful, but still they persecuted to fortify their power.
I just wish the movie had addressed the irony, just once, while all those poor Japanese Christians were being persecuted.
That would have been a better movie for it. As it stands, it was too one-sided, even fanatical in the persecution complex to be a great movie.
For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco share
I do find some of these actors over rated. Maybe its a middle class thing, all actors n tv folk nowadays come from well to do families and havent really seen the harsh daily struggles of life and I find that quite blatantly lacking in many modern day performances. De Caprios recent award was quite frankly hilarious. Garfield seems to be another of these posh boys, i dont even need to read about them, i bet half my life savings on him being from well to do posh middle class education and privileges. Driver too, no doubt same thing. On the 'serious' side, If I am to take a movie seriously from the outset in this sort of context then Liam Neeson cant be on the cast, sorry, thats just silly, I love him, but come on
shareI agree with you on your take on this.
Yes it was beautifully filmed in breathtaking surroundings.
Impossible as it was not to finish watching it because I wanted some sense to come from all of it.
Fortunately it was only a 3 hour movie.
its not underrated. the rating is even a bit higher than it should be.
shareI think we are often too prone to mistake Christianity the religion with Christianity the institution. Certainly the institution is prone to abuses and concurrently with the setting of this film, the institution of the Catholic church is committing abuses in the Americas while, I believe, the Wars of Religion are happening in Europe.
This, however, is not what this movie is about. This is about the meaning of faith and the devotion to something that these priests believe is a universal good which needs to be shared. They head to Japan as true believers, not as sanctioned enforcers of Catholic dogma. It is their faith, and their struggles with reconciling that to the events they encounter in Japan which make this so powerful a film.
The struggle that Father Rodrigues has with Kichijiro is excellently played. Kichijiro is one of the most complex characters I have seen in awhile. Kichijiro wants to do/be good, but he is weak and he knows he is weak. Rodrigues wants to see the good in him and continues to have spiritual faith in him while his personal beliefs and feelings know that Kichijiro will continue to be his Judas. Nevertheless Rodrigues performs confession and the ritual of forgiveness because he wants to continue to believe in the truths of his faith, despite the weaknesses of conscience he repeatedly witnesses from Kichijiro.
Overall, I felt this was a deeply moving film. I don't have to be a Christian or Catholic to enjoy it. I feel that the message of faith in the film transcended any one religious ideology or philosophy. It was a film of the nature of faith or beliefs and how we reconcile them with other faiths or beliefs.
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I'd say the movie was too long for its own good. I took a few breaks while watching this film and didn't feel particularly inclined to come back to finish it during those breaks. There are some films which are longer still but keep you interested throughout - this film was not it.