Agora

The course of history sometimes takes sad directions, where in certain situations we have to wait 1,200 years to rediscover things. And yet, even after so many experiences, we are not able to think better of it and learn. This is a producer suicide and one mirror elegantly set to today’s Islam on how faith, so necessary for many, can easily be swept down a path of fanaticism that knows no bounds, nor respect. (2010.07.15)

Quite possibly the best film by Alejandro Amenábar and a great serving of history from ancient Alexandria with the beautiful Rachel Weisz to boot. Very nicely shot, with some gritty scenes of people being stoned alive, nicely narrated, clearly told and rich in religion. There aren't many great historical films and I appreciate every one. Great. 85%. (2017.11.27)

When it comes to historical films of various genres, I usually prefer the most realistic and faithful portrayal of events. Agora does not adhere to a faithful depiction of the presented events, as it condenses and compresses complicated historical events in such a way that processes that lasted for centuries are narrated within a few years. The main protagonist is inevitably portrayed by a charming female star, while the characters are somewhat artificially polarized. And yet, I ultimately lean toward the highest rating because Amenábar directed a magnificent spectacle devoid of cheap action elements, yet one that is still visually appealing thanks to excellent direction, cinematography, and set design. The historical image of the last centuries of the Roman Empire has understandably been thoroughly distorted by the victorious side, namely the Christians. What prevails in history has the right to change the past. And so, the perception of individual figures in Roman politics has been distorted according to their relationship with the Christian religion. Monotheistic religions tend to spread their ideas by any means necessary - in this respect, Christianity did not differ much from Islam during its expansion. Roman emperors intervened against Christians not only because they questioned the divine status of the emperor but also because they needed to ensure peace in an empire where hundreds of cultures, languages, and religions collided, and the Christians systematically disrupted this peace during their propagation of the word of God. I only considered giving the film four stars, but when I watched a recent rerun of Cleopatra and felt how worn out it seems compared to Agora, I leaned toward five stars. Overall impression: 90%. (2011.03.08)

I’m satisfied. From the smart, witty story and from Amenábar's directorial concept, which does not pander to the taste of the ordinary viewer. Plus, I have a soft spot for strong female characters, which Hypatia undoubtedly was; a wise woman, eager to learn and explore, a strong and independent person. I bet it was a pleasure for Rachel Weisz to play a role like that. The clever script outlines many interesting historical aspects: the twilight of the Roman Empire, religious obscurantism, the beginnings of blood feuds between the early Christians and Jews, and also interestingly outlines contemporary thinking about our solar system – the theory of Ptolemy and the heliocentric view held by Aristarchus. Amenábar has delivered a though-provoking historical movie here. (2010.07.20)

A beautiful historical film set in late antiquity Alexandria, featuring my beloved Rachel Weisz. The quality was a very pleasant surprise and the courage to show certain things full-on was also a shock. The world is still full of lunatics and if I were the godless Amenábar, I’d watch out very carefully for any stone flying in my direction. (2010.02.22)