Of Gods and Men

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Keith K. @goa64 May 26 Humble. Reflective. Unfolds slowly like a solid examination of conscience. The ‘last supper’ scene is cinematic brilliance as the camera catches every nuance of pained emotion in their bodies, their faces, and ultimately their eyes. A perfect ‘what would I do if that were me’ movie with so many possible modern-day, faith-related scenarios. See more Ana F. @RT95078477 May 8 Beautiful story of faith , commitment, and, most importantly, love. See more Rebecca S @RT70213763 05/06/2025 This is a great dramatisation of a grace-filled event in recent history See more Georgan G @RT98616417 01/12/2025 Not being religious, I had difficulty enjoying this film. I strongly believe in helping others & had they been giving their lives for others, it would have made more sense to me. What good did they do the local community by not being there for them after the war? See more S R @ScottR 05/26/2022 1001 movies to see before you die (Added 2011; Removed 2014). I saw this because my Catholic friend said it was his favorite movie. For me, I did appreciate its slow method to expose the viewer to monastery life and then contrast it with the Algier culture. It highlighted the importance of Monks and their commitment to their religious teachings, but it was not one that kept my interest. The cast was good though, bringing in some popular actors. It was an STG DVD. See more William L @RT77267842 03/11/2022 A Biblical test of faith played out in the modern era, when such sentiments are often thought to be relics. Instead of the stripped-down sentimentality of a Sunday School story, where men of God stand firm against those that threaten them through the power of their trust in the Almighty alone, Xavier Beauvois' film injects elements of pragmatism and personal doubt into the mix. Characters are left questioning their roles as they reflect on the sum total of their lives, their role in the community, and their relationship with God, while violence builds around them that threatens to spill over the walls of their carefully maintained monastery garden. The dedication to routine and worship are used well in the construction of the film itself, as a frequently encountered reference to the nature of the monks' lifestyle and personal commitment. Additionally, the thoughts on the futility of the conflict at hand (the religious underpinnings of the French Catholic v. Algerian Muslim disconnect, while a bit reductive in the colonialist, highly political history of the two nations) is not lost on the director, who uses the true-to-life work of Prior Christian de Chergé to emphasize the senseless brutality of religiously-motivated slaughter among men who worship the same god. Even then, the story does not shy away from the difficult relationship the monks have with both the rebel and military forces. Well-made, with nice on-location shooting and well-designed cinematography from Caroline Champetier. Certainly a bit slow, but it's difficult to make a refelctive film with a focus on a crisis of faith any other way. (3.5/5) See more Read all reviews

Of Gods and Men

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