Alejandro Amenábar’s ambitious, big-budget biopic of philosopher Hypatia – The Passion of the Christ for atheists – struggled to find distributors around the world, was dumped into cinemas with barely any publicity, and was criticised by Catholic groups in Spain for defaming Christianity: the polar opposite of Mel Gibson’s berserk Passion Play. Who knows why audiences didn’t connect with this tragic epic: it has the requisite visual wow-factor, moves at a clip, and is easily accessible.

Perhaps no one wants to be reminded of the ancient — and modern — punishment and subjugation of women by vicious misogynists whose pitiful moral shortcomings and weak-minded thuggery lead to acts of barbarous evil. Rachel Weisz’s towering performance breaks the heart, bringing to life a great thinker whose fate is decided for her by infantile monsters: a loss to the world more profound than the library she tries to save. It should be required viewing for anyone who supports reason over superstition.

I knew nothing of this film, it was my GF's choice. Rather than the over-stylised gladiatorial romp I was expecting, instead it's a beautifully cinematographed, pleasing drama with an interesting ancient world back drop. The boys were aged particularly effectively from rubber faced schoolies to bearded blokes. The recreation of ancient Alexandria and the satellite cinematography was fun. Rachel Weisz plays piggy in the middle to a bunch of religious & political half-wits who resort to the old fashioned fail safe of calling her a "whore" even though the closest she gets to coitus is handing someone a used jam rag.

nice movie

Filma par Hipātiju, romiešu Ēģiptes laika zinātnieci - matemātiķi un astronomi, m.ē. 5. gs. sākums. Man jau patīk vēsturiskais kino, vēl jo vairāk, ka konkrētais ir izteikti feministisks un nopietni "uzbrauc" pirmajiem legālajiem kristiešiem. Tomēr vēsture tur ir pačakarēta nopietni, jo senā Aleksandrijas bibliotēka uz to brīdi jau pilnīgi noteikti vairs nepastāvēja un pašai Hipātijai bija vismaz 60 gadi. Kā arī galvenais fināla notikums - antīkās zinātnes un kristietības sadursme neatbilst patiesībai, jo idejiski tādas nebija. Reičela Veisa man ļoti patīk visās filmās, iespēja paskatīties uz romiešu Ēģiptes rekonstrukciju arī bija jauka, bet kopumā - varēja būt labāk.

Um bom filme. O design de produção é muito legal e a direção é boa. Vale bastante como uma aula de história, mostrando bem quais são os efeitos da intolerância cultural e religiosa e da uniformização de pensamento sobre a humanidade. Se faz as vezes um pouco tendencioso para o pensamento do diretor, dando muita ênfase em demonizar o comportamento dos cristãos da época e não abordando tão bem o motivo real dos conflitos, que era o político. Mas, apesar disso, mostra os diversos lados e pontos de vista das partes conflituosas muito bem. Tem umas linhas fantásticas de filosofia. Um filme valiosíssimo para quem gosta de história e pra quem busca sempre o conhecimento.

This review reportedly contains spoilers. I can handle the truth.

An impressive period piece about the conflicts of Christianity in Ancient Rome. Rachel Weisz plays an interesting Hypatia. All around solid

Portrait of Hypatia of Alexandria, female scientist and philosopher from the 4th Century, is a generous and ambitious film trying to blend melodrama, history and an effort to put fundamentalism in perspective. Great production values and Rachel Weisz' committed performance are not enough to make it work as it should, but some moments - notably the destruction of the Alexandria Library - are quite powerful.

(Rai Movie)

I must admit I went in to this with rather high expectations, having heard only good about it for a long time. And I guess, on the whole, it was a good film.

Some of the characters were kind of problematic. I was particularly disappointed with the character of Davus — the only major player in the film who was not an actual historical figure — who came off less as a young man being torn between loyalties and ideals, and more as a rage-filled stalker. The historical characters were, on the whole portrayed well, although some lacked consistency.

One to show at Sunday school. )O(

Aquellos que esperen una cinta epica romana al estilo de "Gladiator" saldran muy decepcionados con "Agora", que busca mas retratar los conflictos ideologicos y la violenta llegada del cristianismo que grandes y heroicas batallas entre ejercitos.
La cinta es un poco lenta sin embargo es fascinante ver la historia de Hipatia, su rol como filosofa y astronoma, y el entorno politico y social que se vivia en la epoca. La actuacion de Rachel Weisz es muy buena, al igual que el diseño de la produccion.
"Agora" es una cinta muy diferente para el director Alejandro Amenabar, que sera del agrado de fanaticos de la historia. Aunque para algunos sera tediosa a mi me parecio sumamente interesante.