An intelligent, insightful and visually stunning depiction of the Ancient World, the new drama by Alejandro Amenábar (director of the Oscar-winning The Sea Inside) stars Rachel Weisz as Hypatia, a philosopher and astronomer in 4th century Egypt. In the late years of the Roman Empire, Alexandria is a cultural melting pot, and Hypatia teaches everyone: pagans, Jews and Christians alike. She is courted by the privileged Orestes (Oscar Isaac) and secretly desired by her slave Davus (Max Minghella), but Hypatia's only real passion is for the life of the mind. As the Empire converts to Christianity, the rise of religious fundamentalism threatens not only the pagan aristocracy and the old gods, but also new ideas. Hypatia, a dedicated scientist, finds her quest for secular knowledge at odds with the mob's demands for strict religious doctrine. A big and beautifully realized production, Agora is a "thinking person's toga movie" with topical relevance as well as epic scope. With Michael Lonsdale, Rupert Evans. Music: Dario Marianelli. Writers: Alejandro Amenábar, Mateo Gil. Director: Alejandro Amenábar. (Spain 2009) 126 min.
