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Agora

Play trailer Poster for Agora R 2009 2h 6m Adventure History Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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56% Tomatometer 95 Reviews 65% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
In the 4th century A.D., astronomer and philosopher Hypatia (Rachel Weisz) teaches her scientific beliefs to a class of male students. Among them is lovestruck slave Davus (Max Minghella), the equally smitten Orestes (Oscar Isaac) and young Christian man Synesius (Rupert Evans). Hypatia dismisses all of their advances, but this romantic drama pales in comparison to a rising battle between Christians and pagans on the streets of soon-to-be war-torn Alexandria.
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Agora

Agora

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Critics Consensus

Noble goals and a gripping performance from Rachel Weisz can't save Agora from its muddled script, uneven acting, and choppy editing.

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Critics Reviews

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Brandon Judell IndieWire 10/31/2012
A humorless feminist toga epic that fascinates with its intelligence and its abhorrence of the birth of Judeo/Christian culture. Go to Full Review
Cliff Doerksen Chicago Reader 01/03/2011
This Spanish-produced period drama is pretty dreadful: the drama is torpid, the astronomy lessons pedantic, and the spear-and-sandal production values flat-out cheesy. Go to Full Review
Jim Schembri The Age (Australia) 11/17/2010
3/5
Alejandro Amenábar creates a palpable sense of place and never strays too far from his duty to stage big, sense-filling set pieces. Go to Full Review
Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 08/03/2023
2.5/4
By the end, the audience comes no closer to understanding why Hypatia is driven by her quest for truth. Her character is merely present to ask these questions, so that the viewer might ask analogous questions today. Go to Full Review
Kristin Battestella InSession Film 07/25/2023
[It] wonderfully tackles the 4th century strife between paganism, slavery, philosophy, science, Judaism, and Christianity in Alexandria before the fall of the Roman Empire. Go to Full Review
Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) 07/20/2022
Agora is a splendid history lesson… it should be accepted as an enigma, and confronted like a dare. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
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Jelisije J May 18 A movie based on one of the most famous women in history during the times of ancient rome where in Alexandria, Egypt is split between religious fanatics tear a city apart and destroy scientific knowledge and eventually the women who is stuck in the middle of a chaotic time. See more Ralph R 12/07/2024 Agora is a well-crafted film that manages to be both entertaining and educational. While the movie takes some creative liberties with the historical events, which is understandable given the gaps in recorded history, it does a great job of capturing the essence of the time. The writing feels solid, and despite some moments that might stretch historical accuracy, the story remains compelling and thought-provoking. The acting is another highlight. Rachel Weisz shines as Hypatia, bringing intelligence and grace to the role. Her portrayal makes Hypatia’s struggle with philosophy, reason, and the changing world around her deeply engaging. Most of the main cast delivered strong performances that added depth to the characters and their relationships. The directing is to the point, keeping the narrative focused on the tension between reason and dogma. The production design deserves credit too. It successfully recreates the feel of ancient Alexandria, immersing you in the historical setting. From the bustling streets to the grandeur of the Serapeum, it pulls you into the world of the film. Overall, Agora is a beautifully executed movie that is as educational as it is entertaining. It offers a glimpse into an important and tumultuous period of history while exploring timeless themes about knowledge, power, and humanity. Despite its fictionalized elements, it is a powerful film that is worth watching. See more Carson P 08/18/2024 Terrible movie, just as most religious movies are, another terrible performance from Rachel weisz can’t believe she still gets payed to star in films her acting is so godawful I litteraly wanted to hit someone!! See more Celtic R 10/01/2023 The story of Hypatia is one of the great stories from the ancient world. Like some of the other stories about ancient religion and philosophy, the tale has been interpreted, and reinterpreted, and twisted around, and "improved" by factions that have something to sell. This movie has its faults. Historians have made their complaints. Still, the movie introduces one of the great women in intellectual history and it raises important questions about coexistence, government, education, and other topics that need attention in the 21st century. Some thinking will be required. If you're searching for easy answers and entertainment, this is not a movie that you'll enjoy. If you're trying to understand how and why today's bigotry started, it's a film that will be helpful. See more Andy L 07/31/2023 Such a thought provoking and beautiful film. Even though there are some rather large inaccuracies, it captivates the upheaval and thrill of the time. I love the aerial shots and how they set the tone for you to simply observe a the world that we are simultaneously from and not from (our planet and the world we inherited and inhabit but in a different time). It's interesting how the arena is the same. A very thought provoking film. See more Nicolas S 06/07/2023 Splendide. A movie who need to be study in colege and school. See more Read all reviews
Agora

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Agora

Agora: Official Clip - I Shall Walk Across the Fire Agora: Official Clip - I Shall Walk Across the Fire 2:10 Agora: Official Clip - Heliocentric Model Agora: Official Clip - Heliocentric Model 2:44 Agora: Official Clip - Earth is the Center of the Cosmos Agora: Official Clip - Earth is the Center of the Cosmos 2:49 Agora: Official Clip - We Do Not Move in a Circle Agora: Official Clip - We Do Not Move in a Circle 2:47 Agora: Official Clip - Overtaking the Library of the Serapeum Agora: Official Clip - Overtaking the Library of the Serapeum 3:32 Agora: Official Clip - Attacking the Christians Agora: Official Clip - Attacking the Christians 1:56 Agora: Official Clip - The Earth is Flat Agora: Official Clip - The Earth is Flat 1:02 Agora: Official Clip - I Am a Christian Agora: Official Clip - I Am a Christian 2:44 Agora: Official Clip - The Stoning of Hypatia Agora: Official Clip - The Stoning of Hypatia 3:03 Agora: Official Clip - Kneel Before God Agora: Official Clip - Kneel Before God 2:20 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis In the 4th century A.D., astronomer and philosopher Hypatia (Rachel Weisz) teaches her scientific beliefs to a class of male students. Among them is lovestruck slave Davus (Max Minghella), the equally smitten Orestes (Oscar Isaac) and young Christian man Synesius (Rupert Evans). Hypatia dismisses all of their advances, but this romantic drama pales in comparison to a rising battle between Christians and pagans on the streets of soon-to-be war-torn Alexandria.
Director
Alejandro Amenábar
Producer
Fernando Bovaira, Álvaro Augustin
Screenwriter
Alejandro Amenábar, Mateo Gil
Production Co
Telecinco Cinema, Himenóptero
Rating
R (Some Violence)
Genre
Adventure, History, Drama, Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$617.8K
Runtime
2h 6m
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