Set a few centuries after the crucification of Christ, Agora gives an account of the turmoil that went through during the days of the Fall of the Pagan (Romans) culture and the rise of Christianity. Set in Alexandria in the late 300 A.D., it follows the life of the Philosopher, Hypatia in the background of the political turmoil that Rome went through in those days. What is really interesting is, that while it has been almost 1700 years since, but the context of those times still seem so relevant to our current times. Yes, we have made progress from those days, but some how the religious turmoil and basic ideology differences between humans still remain similar to those times.
Agora follows the life of Hypatia (played beautifully by Rachel Weisz), who is trying to solve the cosmic dilemma of that era, whether Earth is in the center of the world or the Sun. She happens to be a professor in the great library and University of Alexandria, and witnesses the almost complete annihilation of the library, tipped to be a Wonder of that era. While she is busy solving these mysteries, Rome is undergoing a Massive change with a big revolution taking place in the form of "Rise of Christianity". Christianity is gaining mass support, specially amongst the "Have not's" of the society and a mob situation is getting created in Alexandria. Over the span of a few decades, that are covered in the movie, not just does Christianity take over, it kind of takes a Talibanistic form. There is a religious leader who reads his diktates from the Holy Book, there is a moral police which takes charge of the Morality of the society, going to the extent of punishing men and women for what they consider immoral activities as per them. The religious leader declared the working of females as immoral, and also men working under the direction and guidance of females to be against the wish and declaration of God. There is a hard hitting scene where this Moral army, punishing a group of Jews for enjoying Theatre, as they consider it to be anti-god.
There is also the character of Davus(played by Max Minghella), who is a slave of Hypatia and a Christian himself, but musters the courage to fall in love with her. He though sees the atrocities on Christian by his master (Hypatia's Father) from close proximity, an hence ends up becoming part of that moral police. The movie portrays multiple human emotions like curiosity, love, forgiveness, violence, political and religious oppression,these bring conveyed through the dilemmas that Hypatia and Davus go through.
Though all this is happening in 300 A.D., if we look at the current times, we still have these issues. Christianity might have attained a reformist outlook, we can clearly see Islam taking over the role of gaining mass support amongst the "Have Not's". We have moral policing being done by some self proclaimed groups across the world, we have religious leaders reading out Diktats in various forms, some being named as Taliban, some as Rama Sene. But the context remains the same. So how much have we as a Human race really progressed. I guess, the basic premise remains, everything is a circle, and things are ought to get repeated.
The movie ends on a very hard hitting note, and has multiple ironically nodes. And while, the movie ends, it leaves you thinking for a long time, whether we should be judgmental towards the so called Anti-society elements? What was Anti-society and talibanistic in 300A.D. is now a reformist and liberal religion. Why would'nt the same happen to the current Taliban in another 300 years? History might forget all this and consider them as liberal and acceptable in the society then. Will that put a stop to the circle though? No, there would be a rise of something else then to take on the aristocratic governance.
The only way to cut this cycle is by bridging the gap between the Have's and the Have's Not's, and until that happens, human race might take leaps and bounds of steps in progress, we shall remain entangled in this cyclical web.
Coming back to the Movie, the story telling is very compelling with some unbelievable performances by the main characters. Though the movie moves at a slow pace, it keeps you engaged during its entire duration.
Please make sure you do not miss this one, definitely a must watch. Is surely going to get your thinking juices flowing.
