Great Film overall

Best movie ever!

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

The film explores love as truth and not so many of the false ways it has been tagged through the years. The is the love at the highest level of consciousness, the holistic height of spiral dynamic's human development scale. It's no surprise that critics see it as a story of religious fundamentalism and all of the unfavorable things it implies. It is hardly a perfect piece of film making. It could stand editing in several places, reduce its length, and provide a better understanding as to what was going on in the civil war in Algiers in the 1990s, when a monastery was seen as a colonial intrusion. The film was not short on excellent performances by its old actors, and beautiful photography of what I understand was actually Morocco. But the chief achievement of the picture lies in its depiction of the power of trans-personal spirituality and what that means in shaping lives and conditions.

'Of Gods and Men', inspired by a true story, tells of a group of Christian monks living in Algeria and trying to come to terms with the rise in Islamic terrorism, which threatens their way of life and indeed, their chances of even staying alive. But the film is very slow. The beginning is almost impossible to enjoy; once one comes to share a sense of the monks' dilemma, it becomes more interesting, but the pace is still glacial: there are a few visually powerful scenes which overstay their welcome simply by over-extending themselves. The depiction of the monks, and even (in brief glimpses) of the terrorists, is humane, but there's only so many scenes of men signing hymns that a film needs, and this one has too many of them.

Of Gods and Men starts out rather softly and rather reeks out the lonesomeness of the monastery. Then the story builds up well, with repeated moments of heightened tensions and subsequent moments of slow down. That way the story being told can be viewed as one not so scary. In a way, the movie succeeds in telling the story from the perspective of the monks themselves who have surrendered their lives to God long before they meet death. The movie portrays the relationship between the monastery and the surrounding community very nicely, in a way that many fanatics will get disgruntled with. The acting is a nice overall. The aura of stillness is balanced between all the monks, despite the varying levels of fear, tranquility and or anxiety among the characters.

One can react to a film in many ways including: intellectually, viscerally, emotionally, cognitively, spiritually and aesthetically. One's reaction to a particular film is the result of complex interactions of all of the above and the characteristics of the film itself. Certain films are more likely to bring out particular types of reactions. This film works on many levels and will draw out complex and individual responses from each viewer. My responses were heavily influenced by my being a member of Catholic men's religious order that has a long (and ongoing) history or missionary work that, at times, puts our men in danger. This was true in the centuries since our founding and remains true for a number of my friends who are working "undercover" in several countries. I first watched Of Gods and Men with another member of the order who had already seen it but wanted to share the video and the experience with me. We watched on a small not very good TV with wretched sound. But within moments of the opening all of that faded away. When it was over I sat in the dark room stunned. I know several Trappist monks. I admire their lives and occasionally retreat at one of the their monasteries. While their vocation to contemplative monastic life is not my vocation, the bond of being in religious vows allows us to share something fundamental and vital. I was stunned when I read about the killings in Algeria and followed the story closely in the papers. Before watching the film I read the very well-written The Monks of Tibhirine that supplied some back story and biographical information that was not included in the film, a great deal about the history of Islamic fundamentalism in Algeria and much history of the French in Algeria. The scenes during which the men were discerning God's will, both as a community and individually, ring true. The lack of consensus, the bickering, the fear, the acceptance and the gradual movement of the Spirit are the same for all orders when they engage in corporate discernment emerging from each member's individual discernment. Though forewarned by my buddy, the scene of Swan Lake playing in the refectory was emotionally wrenching. The looks on the men's faces as the music swirled and the sense of community returned could never be described in words. I've been as deeply moved and emotionally drained each time I've watched the movie since (about four times since the initial viewing a year ago). Quibbles about the lack of action are absurd. That is not the kind of life we lead as religious. Prayer, Mass, and contemplation (even in an active order) are the backbone of our lives together and as individuals. The combination of the honesty of the portrayals of the men's and the community's spiritual crises along with the sublime cinematography combine to make this an extraordinary film on all levels.