The story of "Silence" follows two Jesuit priests, Sebastião Rodrigues and Francis Garrpe, who travel to seventeenth-century Japan which has, under the Tokugawa shogunate, banned Catholicism and almost all foreign contact. The actors playing these roles are convincing in depicting the internal conflicts of the two priests and the role of the Kichijiro character shows a very human aspect. The priests set off with a straightforward task of finding a lost brother but, as their journey develops, it becomes clear that there is no certainty or answers to their quest, the value of their actions or, crucially, their beliefs. Silence and the unknown is the response to the situation they find themselves in and the brutal events to which they have contributed. But yet something, that is not revealed because it can't be, persists and even helps them. It is an overtly religious film set in a historical context but would appeal to anyone with an interest, not necessarily a belief, in religion. Despite the setting, it has relevance for today's world.
When we think of a Martin Scorsese movie we think: violence, death, awesome music and to top it off a whole lot of swearing and cussing. But Silence is completely different. It's the least Scorsese film ever made. Period. Silence is a film that will reaffirm you're faith. It's so powerful and thought-provoking that it impresses you deeply. The fact that we are willing to die and get tortured for our faith just shows how strong the human spirit is. The jaw-dropping cinematography, powerful dialogue, and meticulous visuals are the aspects that are truly outstanding in this work of art.