Agora

Alejandro Amenábar takes on another genre and delivers a masterpiece that's unlike any other film. It's a courageous and timely piece that reflects on the two millennial of religious fanaticism that has hijacked the attention of the modern world. The story set in 391 A.D., Alexandria, Egypt where the philosopher Hypatia is more concerned about the mysteries of the universe than what's going on the streets where Christians first fight for legitimacy as a religion before clashing with the other major religion, the Judaism to rule the world. Hypatia is a beautiful woman as well with many admirers amongst them her student and her slave. What's refreshing about this film is that its focus is not the love story as most films do but about the bigger picture on where we went wrong as a civilization where we abandoned science and knowledge with the burning of the legendary library of Alexandria for the sake of religion. Now sixteen hundred years later or so, it's the three major religions that keeps the attention of the world while our planet faces its biggest challenge. Also how women were kept away from high level positions in the society for far too long. Rachel Weisz gives an outstanding performance as Hypatia whose intelligence far exceeds her beauty. Max Minghella comes of age as a leading man with a great future ahead of him. An outstanding film in every way that will stand the test of time. YRCinema's coverage of the 62nd Festival de Cannes.