The movie “Agora”, which centers on the life of Neoplatonist pagan philosopher Hypatia, had its first official screening at the Cannes Film Festival and initial reviews are trickling in from the entertainment press. While some thought the epic overreached and fell a bit flat, others, like Variety’s Todd McCarthy, thinks the film succeeds with its handling of difficult subjects despite some “dramaturgical” shortcomings.

Director Alejandro Amenábar with Rachel Weisz

“…there is much in the picture to sustain sympathetic interest, including its dedicated historical perspective, intellectual seriousness and credible presentation of epic film elements that have often tripped up filmmakers in the past. Then there is the physical side of the production, which is genuinely impressive. Lensing entirely in Malta, Amenabar has fleshed out real locations with extensive sets and helpful (and largely undetectable) CGI extensions to provide a striking impression of a legendary ancient city. Production designer Guy Hendrix Dyas has mixed traditional Greco-Roman style buildings with Egyptian motifs and various interior decorative influences to palpably evoke a Mediterranean port city where many cultures convened. Gabriella Pescucci’s costumes colorfully support this approach, and Xavi Gimenez’s widescreen lensing captures it all with colorful mobility. Dario Marianelli’s score is rich, with occasional swells into the bombastic.”

Also speaking positively about the film are the Hollywood Reporter’s Natasha Senjanovic, who says that Rachel Weisz gives an “unfaltering” performance as Hypatia, and Patrick Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times who calls the film rich in “visual imagination”. As for the historical accuracy buffs, The Guardian’s Charlotte Higgins calls “Agora” a “gift to classicists”.

“Classicists are going to have a field day with Alejandro Amenábar’s Agora, which premiered yesterday at the Cannes film festival. Starring Rachel Weisz as Hypatia, the 4th- to 5th-century Alexandrian astronomer, philosopher and mathematician, who was brutally killed by an angry Christian mob, it avoids some of the pitfalls of movies set in the ancient world. The characters behave naturally and speak normally, without either jolting archaisms or ridiculous anachronisms, and the world that has been created to stand in for Alexandria – a huge set on Malta – works well, with minimum CGI nastiness and an obvious attention to historical detail. The costumes and the “look” of the characters was based on Romano-Egyptian mummy portraits, said Amenábar at his press conference, and that was deftly done.”

Even better, Higgins assures us that the film manages to “deftly” include the famous tale of Hypatia repelling a suitor by showing him her menstrual rags. Also reassuring to those worried that Hypatia the virgin philosopher would be thrust into romance is this comment by director Alejandro Amenabar when counselling Rachel Weisz in the role.

“Rachel had accepted the part, but then she grew worried about that solitude, so she called me one day to talk,” Amenabar recalls. “I told her, ‘Remember, I’m not offering you the part of the scientist’s wife. You are the scientist. And you are very much in love — you’re just in love with the sky.’ ”

So it looks like “Agora” really will be a treat for Pagan film-goers once it sees wide release in December. Prepare to ramp up your expectations! I can’t wait to see this one on the big screen.

Tags: Agora, Christianity, film, Hypatia, movies, Paganism