Agora (2010)

2 1/2 stars but rounding down rather than up, this film never quite makes its point.

If there was one place that would have loved to visit in my lifetime would be the Great Library of Alexandria , but alas due to religious incursions this priceless piece of history was lost forever. What books were lost and destroyed in this made us go through the Dark Ages without any wisdom but fortunately we had people like Leonardo De Vinci and others with gifted minds who got us where we are today and even though the great mind of Hypatia of Alexandra was lost in this epic, in such horrible circumstances , it is a reminder that science and religion do not mix well in any cultures if nothing is done to stop it at the beginning.

This film is not quite true to history as Hypatia did not die in the way depicted. And Hypatia behaves in a way no woman would have, I think - brandishing her bloody sanitary pad is not credible. However as a study of misogyny and the disaster of ( another )intolerant monotheistic religion brooking no dissent it is remarkable. The acting is superb and the settings also. Far superior to the absurd and corny Hollywood attempts at ancient world recreations such as the christian-devout Ben Hur.

Loved this movie.

I like anything with Rachel Weisz. Well almost anything. This movie is BORING and very convoluted. Didn't bother watching the end> the one star I gave it was for Rachel Weisz

Although well produced and researched, the movie could not find a balance between religion and science and somehow both themes did not complement each other. I got so bored I gave up half way through

Did absolutely nothing for me. Mass slaughter, fighting, mass slaughter, fighting, and then for a change more mass slaughter and more fighting. I couldn't even identify who was on which side half the time. Very disappointed.

Ancient Alexandria is torn apart by sectarian violence and science is viewed with suspicion. Thought provoking movie that deals with ideas and religious beliefs rather gladiatorial battles. Its approach of viewing history from a godlike perspective at intervals throughout the movie is a novel. Worth a look. 3.5 stars

A very interesting film about a very difficult historical time and place. Well acted, and thought provoking - it prompted me to do Google and Wikipedia searches afterwards to find out more about the characters (primarily the philosopher Hypatia, played by Rachel Weisz).

Excellent film, both thoughtful and realistic. Weisz performs beautifully, poised and believable in this drama that looks at how the world works, back-dropped against the decline of the Roman rule of Alexandria. The scene of the destruction of the library was very emotive and the end scene of Hypatia's death culminating a relationship that was wound into the film was touching.

Worth watching to the tear jerker end. I thought it started slow, and my partner went to bed, but I don't regret watching it. Rachel was very good.

A good, but ultimately depressing, film about reason versus religious intolerance.

Based on historical events, in the 4th century Alexandria, Egypt. Agora as "an ambitious, cerebral and complex movie...Unlike most toga movies, it doesn't rely on CGI spectacle, but real drama and ideas... The title of the film takes its name from the agora, a gathering place in ancient Greece. Rachel Weisz's role as Hypatia, is an outstanding performance. Agora received seven Goya Awards in Spain, including Best Original Screenplay, and it was awarded the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Feature Film Prize at the Hamptons International Film Festival. The film is in English, with no subtitles.

Finally, a film about the ancient world at a critical moment in history. This is no ordinary sword and sandal cartoonesque action flick but a deeply profound essay concerning the clash between burgeoning scientific understanding of reality and the mindless tyranny of a brand new, arrogant faith, destined to take over the West. If you have ever suspected that religious faith suppresses reason and informed inquiry then you must see this film. Religionists beware - the Christians are the evildoers in this narrative as indeed they were, firstly destroying the Great Library of Alexandria and all of the accumulated wisdom of the non-Roman universe and later on in 596AD with the forced closure of Plato's Athenian Academy of the Human Sciences. Had humanity not trodden this arrogant and perilous path, the hideous gulf that has since opened up between theology and the exact sciences that persists to this day might never have occured and the human race would be light years ahead of where it is now.

Really must vet my selections a bit more thoroughly. This was an absolute load of rubbish,in fact I fell asleep so didn't see the outcome, & quite honestly couldn't care less.

Thoroughly disappointing - what a load of rubbish - it was one of those films where the trailer pretty well constitutes the whole of the main feature - give it a miss

As a history addict I was really looking forward to this film. Turned it off after about half an hour. Truly terrible acting.....totally terrible film.

This was a good movie to watch although I was hoping for a little more action, romance etc.

I really looked forward to this film about a woman philosopher of Alexandria. It was disappointing. The personality of the woman was so one-sided, the settings and characters reminded me of films of the 1950's like "Ben-Hur", very affected and dated. The acting in general was exaggerated and affected. What a pity, I would have liked to learn about the real woman not this made-up, false story.

A sword and sandal epic where the Christians are the villains (along with the Pagans and the Jews). As a movie it is a little overwrought at times, but it gets an extra star for that rare quality of being about ideas. Science versus superstition.

Margaret and David gave this movie a rap and that is why I watched it. I can't say that I got as excited about it was they did. I will say that the sets were incredible, far more impressive than Gladiator. Basically, it is a story about two blokes competing for the affections of a woman - Hypatia. It just didn't have enough substance for me to get involved in it.