MovieChat Forums > Silence (2017) Discussion > Is this really a religious movie?

Is this really a religious movie?

posted 8 years ago by ionme2298
60 replies | jump to latest

What's the ratio of wonderfully shot piece of art that I bet this should be and religious *beep* thrust in your throat?

What kinds of ideas does this movie convey?

Can a closed minded antitheistic, faith-hating *beep* that loves good cinema appreciate it as a beautiful work of art, or is it one of those preachy movies that present belief as the highest virtue, and rely on the supernatural to make sense?

This is the way the world begins. Not with a bang but a cry.

[–] TheMichael 8 years ago

This movie is a "meditation". I think labeling it as a "religious" or "Christian" film, not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's why a lot of people will pass on the film, why the film doesn't have a wider release, and thus is why society is so ignorant: because they pass on the chance for meditation.

[–] Psinex6 8 years ago

You can meditate without involving religion. I saw this film very differently. This film tries to recreate the conflict between religion and culture. There's nothing inherently wrong with that premise, but by positioning a religious padre as its moral center and its protagonist, it portrays the indigenous cultural leaders as the murderous villains.

The protagonist's faith is tested repeatedly and his resistance to apostatizing is the main conflict in the film. That's where I believe the split in the audience is. If you see his faith as something important, then the suffering is meaningful. If you don't find his mission and faith to be meaningful, his words are sanctimonious, judgmental and irritating.

If people choose not to see Silence because of its strong religious themes, you can't fault people for having different beliefs. If you didn't want to watch a Muslim, Buddhist or pagan film because it doesn't align with your ideology, there's nothing wrong with that. As long as you understand the differences it's okay to pass on a movie. That doesn't make one ignorant.

[–] MoviemanCin 8 years ago

Yes, but it's also way too long, sluggish, and repetitive.

Schrodinger's cat walks into a bar and doesn't.

[–] The_Baba 8 years ago

Not preachy in any way. More of an examination of the phenomenon that is ''faith''. By the time it ends, it's a mystery whether the film stand for faith or against it, or who's right and who's wrong in all of the confusion.

http://www.imdb.com/list/_OaGg-zdQKo/

[–] tvli_z-477-296218 8 years ago

if you know scorsese he's a hardcore catholic, all his *beep* has religion shoved down your throat. so, yeah, more religiosity, but you can't separate good art with religion. otherwise, you can't enjoy a large percentage of art. it is religio but it also offers really great discussion on faith and sees perspectives of the various factions offered in this film. it's also very pretty to watch. so, if you can leave your prejudices at home, you may have a rollicking good time. if you just can't stand religion. then watch a good documentary that doesn't have any religious influence.

“A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open.”
-Frank Zappa

[–] tribalmaggot 8 years ago

Well, how do you feel about Ingmar Bergman? The running theme to this film seems to be the silence of God.

[–] ionme2298 8 years ago

I'm not sure what you meant by that. I find Bergman a bit of a showoff but I think he was an atheist and (admittedly not having seen much of his work) I don't know how you came to that conclusion, and how "the silence of God" relates here.

This is the way the world begins. Not with a bang but a cry.

[–] rupert-ian 8 years ago

You really are a smug one, huh? Gotta love your open mindedness and tolerance, it just flows from your fingertips like diarrhea.

[–] ionme2298 8 years ago

[–] emvan 8 years ago

I watched it from an anti-theistic and specifically anti-Paulist (Jesus deserves no blame for the awful theology) perspective. Nothing objectionable at all. In fact, the film may make more sense from that point of view. Catholics are doubtlessly seeing this as a film about the wonders of faith and the evils of Japanese persecution. If you regard Paulist doctrine as destructive, you sympathize much more with the Japanese, who will go to any length to stop what they regard as a dangerous meme.

Unfortunately, there's only one scene where characters debate Buddhist versus Paulist doctrine. I wanted that thread to continue, but it was dropped.

Prepare your minds for a new scale of physical, scientific values, gentlemen.

[–] ionme2298 8 years ago

I like your view but probably object to the fact that even though paul was definitely quite a *beep* if he was at all, the whole pitiful business is probably more of a collective achievement rather than one man poisoning the minds of half the population.
Also Jesus definitely deserves some blame for much of his rhetoric is appalling, even though I strongly object to his existence.

This is the way the world begins. Not with a bang but a cry.

[–] emvan 8 years ago

The question is whether Jesus really said the appalling stuff, as opposed to the writers of the Gospels putting words in his mouth to support the much later Paulist doctrine.

Certainly Paul drew from sources, but someone had to invent the ideas of original sin (i.e., damnation as a default) and salvation through faith rather than acts, and AFAIK, it was him.

Prepare your minds for a new scale of physical, scientific values, gentlemen.

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] annotate-1 8 years ago

This movie doesn't necessarily have to be a religious movie. It could be about control or freedom. The government wants you to act they how they want you to act. They want you to conform to their way of thinking and not have the freedom to think as you wish. The religious part of the movie could be substituted for anything. Democracy, for example. Or the religious part could be seen as a deviation away from the culture of the nation. Reminds me of 1984.

I feel the priests were right in stepping on the symbolic "their way of thinking' plaque in order to save lives. And the guy that constantly wanted to be forgiven, yet renounced his faith at every turn could be the devil. Or he could be confession itself.

And the silence. Silence from anything you think you believe in. Doubt. Ambivalence.