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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 A humorless feminist toga epic that fascinates with its intelligence and its abhorrence of the birth of Judeo/Christian culture. Oct 31, 2012 Full Review Cliff Doerksen Chicago Reader 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. Jan 3, 2011 Full Review Jim Schembri The Age (Australia) Alejandro Amenábar creates a palpable sense of place and never strays too far from his duty to stage big, sense-filling set pieces. Rated: 3/5 Nov 17, 2010 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 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. Rated: 2.5/4 Aug 3, 2023 Full Review Kristin Battestella InSession Film [It] wonderfully tackles the 4th century strife between paganism, slavery, philosophy, science, Judaism, and Christianity in Alexandria before the fall of the Roman Empire. Jul 25, 2023 Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) Agora is a splendid history lesson… it should be accepted as an enigma, and confronted like a dare. [Full review in Spanish] Jul 20, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jelisije J 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. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/18/25 Full Review Ralph R 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. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/07/24 Full Review Carson P 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!! Rated 1 out of 5 stars 08/18/24 Full Review Celtic R 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. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/02/23 Full Review Andy L 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. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/31/23 Full Review Nicolas S Splendide. A movie who need to be study in colege and school. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/07/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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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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