With their destination closed to Christians, especially missionaries and priests, Rodrigues and Garrpe must covertly enter the country. Before entering Japan a Jesuit superior, Father Valignano (Ciarán Hinds), who authorizes the continuation of their mission, provides the two priests with an impassioned warning: “The moment you set foot in that country, you step into high danger.” Rodrigues and Garrpe find the rumor of Ferreira’s renunciation and abandonment of Christ impossible to believe. The central purpose of Rodrigues’ and Garrpe’s mission is to find their former Father Confessor and mentor, Ferreira (Liam Neeson), who is rumored to have publicly apostatized his faith in Christ Jesus. It is the story of two Portuguese Jesuit priests, Father Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) and Father Garrpe (Adam Driver), infiltrating Japan 19 years after Japanese authorities had banned Christianity and enacted a brutal regime of persecution meant to snuff out the faith. Martin Scorsese’s “Silence” is an adaptation of Shūsaku Endō’s 1966 novel of the same name.

Note: This review includes spoilers, so you may want to read it after you’ve seen the film. (Rated: 14A and R for some disturbing violent content directed by Martin Scorsese stars Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson, Yôsuke Kubozuka, Yoshi Oida, Issei Ogata and Ciarán Hinds run time: 161 min.) While it is difficult to watch, the film is a cut above other Christian-themed films, says reviewer Ted Giese. In the new Martin Scorsese film “Silence,” Andrew Garfield, center, portrays fictional Jesuit missionary Father Rodrigues, whose faith is put to the test by his Japanese captors.

Silence by Shūsaku Endō