This historical drama follows the fascinating story of Hypatia, a female scientist, mathematician, philosopher, astronomer and teacher, who practised in Egypt in the 4th century. As you can imagine, this was highly unlikely for a woman, yet Hypatia was well respected nevertheless.The story examines the tensions between religion and science as well as sexuality during the time, mainly through a relationship that Hypatia struck up with one of her young students. This is not everyone’s cup of tea, but a brilliant piece of drama if you’re interested. Plus, Hypatia is played by the lovely Rachel Weisz, who instantly makes the film well worth watching. Put aside your scepticism and give this one a try – you might just be surprised.
Rating: 4 outta 5.
I saw Agora when it first came out in NYC and loved Weisz' performance as Hypatia. Amenabar distorted some history in pursuit of his art. The Great Library of Alexandria didn't end as he depicted and Synesius wasn't such a jerk. However, that's what artists do. I don't go to movies for accurate history. For people who want to know more about the historical Hypatia, I highly recommend a very readable biography by Maria Dzielska called Hypatia of Alexandria (Harvard Press, 1995.) I also have a series of posts on my blog on the events and characters from the film - not a movie review, just a "reel vs. real" discussion.
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