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Agora (2009)

R  |   |  Adventure, Drama, History  |  9 October 2009 (Spain)
7.2
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Ratings: 7.2/10 from 48,508 users   Metascore: 55/100
Reviews: 169 user | 177 critic | 21 from Metacritic.com

A historical drama set in Roman Egypt, concerning a slave who turns to the rising tide of Christianity in the hope of pursuing freedom while falling in love with his mistress, the famous philosophy and mathematics professor Hypatia of Alexandria.

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
...
Orestes
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Ammonius
...
Theon
...
Synesius
...
Aspasius
Sami Samir ...
Cyril (as Sammy Samir)
...
Olympius
Omar Mostafa ...
Isidorus
...
Theophilus
...
Medorus
Charles Thake ...
Hesiquius
Harry Borg ...
Prefect Evragius
...
Peter (as Yousef Sweid)
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Storyline

Alexandria, 391 AD: Hypatia teaches astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy. Her student Orestes is in love with her, as is Davus, her personal slave. As the city's Christians, led by Ammonius and Cyril, gain political power, the institutions of learning may crumble along with the governance of slavery. Jump ahead 20 years: Orestes, the city's prefect, has an uneasy peace with Christians, led by Cyril. A group from the newly empowered Christians has now taken to enforce their cultural hegemony zealously; first they see the Jews as their obstacle, then nonbelievers. Hypatia has no interest in faith; she's concerned about the movement of celestial bodies and "the brotherhood of all". Although her former slave doesn't see it that way. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

Alexandria, Egypt. 391 A.D. The World Changed Forever


Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violence | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

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Details

Official Sites:

| |  »

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

9 October 2009 (Spain)  »

Also Known As:

Alexandria  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$70,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$44,313 (USA) (28 May 2010)

Gross:

$617,840 (USA) (15 October 2010)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

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Sound Mix:

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Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally, Alejandro Amenábar wanted Rachel Weisz, Sacha Baron Cohen and Jonathan Rhys Meyers to appear in the film. After reading the screenplay, Weisz did accept the part of Hypatia, however, Baron Cohen turned it down declaring that it was "too prickly, and it would lift sores". See more »

Goofs

The Serapeum was on the top of a hill. According to certain authors it contained only a part of the works of the Great Library after its fire occurred centuries before. There were then two libraries and the Great Library was in fact on the other side of the Rhakotis quarter, more or less in front of the Island of Pharus. See more »

Quotes

Hypatia: Synesius, you don't question what you believe, or cannot. I must.
See more »

Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Summer Special 2010/11 (2010) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
A very courageous view of the battle between rational science and "free thinkers" versus religious doctrine
25 October 2010 | by (Canada) – See all my reviews

I highly recommend the film AGORA by Alejandro Amenábar (who also directed the Others) now out on DVD.

It's not a perfect film (the acting and dialogue is a bit clunky at times) but it is a very courageous view of the battle between rational science and "free thinkers" versus religious doctrine. And even if it takes place 1600 years ago, the frightening conflicts are still here today and the questions the film raises are, unfortunately, still very relevant.

The sets, photography, costumes etc are great, the use of shots of the earth from space give the film a slight "Kubrick" feel (not because of a parallel with 2001) but because down below, humans in their folly, are murdering each other over "my God is better than your God" fairy tales, meanwhile the universe, that we are slowly starting to understand through SCIENCE, remains there with many secrets waiting to be discovered.

The film is unbelievably sad in it's depiction of mobs of religious extremists destroying accumulated knowledge, a fact that has happen many times throughout history, delaying our progress in so many ways.

This is a truly a horror film for those whose value science, rationality, free thinking and feminism.

Unfortunately, this film got only a very limited theatrical release in North America.

I give it plenty of kudos and 8.5/10


29 of 39 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

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Destroying the library lintelhawwen
Why Are Christians So Defensive? fyahyro
How was this received in the US ? Romojo
Did Davus became an atheist towards the end? fat_tonyle
Ellipse and seasons elzosmid
True or false? dipsy-lee54
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