Agora

When I read the plot of this film, I was intrigued, I love historically movies and period pieces.  It was described as a love story of some sort, however, after seeing the movie, love was more of a subplot.  The main story of the film is the lead character of Hypatia (Rachel Weisz) a philosopher, mathematician and astronomer who taught at the great library in Alexandria at a time when the pagan beliefs of Roman Egypt began to turn over to Christianity around 390 A.D.  You meet Hypatia's slave, Davus (Max Minghella) struggle with his growing affections for his master and his curiosity and yearning for God and Christianity.  A great conflict ensues and those who support the pagan religious beliefs are eventually ousted and Christianity dominates the region, alongside those of the Jewish faith.  During this conflict, Davus is granted his freedom and the ancient scrolls of philosophers and other great teachers of the time are destroyed in the library.


Move ahead  20 years and an uneasy peace exists in Alexandria, non-believers are now the small minority along with Jews.  Christian leaders look for ways to gain more power and influence in Alexandria and first seek out to move out the Jews and then the non-believers. You see the violence of this divide, along with Davus still struggling with the violent ways of the Christians and his desire for his former mistress.  Along with Hypatia's thirst to learn more of the sky and how the Earth moves around the sun.  Hypatia is not interested in the religious divide at all, all she sees is the deplorable and horrific end results of the violent conflicts in Alexandria.


I truly feel that this movie is more about the unruly rise of Christianity and how barbaric it truly was.  Even though they did things in the name of God.  


If you are interested in seeing a bit of history, both philosophical and religious, than I would watch the film.  I did enjoy it and it was well acted.  

I give it a 7 out of 10.

Next up is "Love's Kitchen."