Of Gods and Men (2011)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Emile T

  
  This movie, as beautiful as it is, still presents some dumb technical flaws and the story left me pretty cold, perhaps because I think religion is evil, but I believe something went wrong in the development of the characters. There was a way to get me to understand their motives and… More
  This movie, as beautiful as it is, still presents some dumb technical flaws and the story left me pretty cold, perhaps because I think religion is evil, but I believe something went wrong in the development of the characters. There was a way to get me to understand their motives and it failed to do so. It is not by showing me a man planting seeds that the movie will get me to sympathize with the character. As good as this movie was, I don't think it deserves all the praise, for this movie offers too much religious points of view and, in the end, fails to keep any rational humanity for itself.

• Alireza M

  
  It's one of those movies you can talk about it for days.Disturbing and thoughtful,brought up again unanswered questions about god,religion and philosophy of life.Cannes Grand Prize winner which is better movie than Golden Palm winner Uncle Boonmee.

• Carlos M

  
  A wonderful film that moved me to tears and left me completely speechless. The story, based on real events, is developed in a perfect slow pace, taking the necessary time to present us to each one of the characters and their lives together, and make us truly care about them and the… More
  A wonderful film that moved me to tears and left me completely speechless. The story, based on real events, is developed in a perfect slow pace, taking the necessary time to present us to each one of the characters and their lives together, and make us truly care about them and the tense situation they find themselves in.

• Dillon L

  
  Meditative and contemplative; a thought provoking masterpiece.

• Walter M

  
  In the 1990's, a group of eight French monks go about their daily business of prayer and study in a monastery in Algeria. Brother Luc(Michael Lonsdale) runs a clinic for the local villagers. In order to support the monastery, the monks harvest honey which they sell at market.… More
  In the 1990's, a group of eight French monks go about their daily business of prayer and study in a monastery in Algeria. Brother Luc(Michael Lonsdale) runs a clinic for the local villagers. In order to support the monastery, the monks harvest honey which they sell at market. But events in country threaten the fragile peace, starting with the murder of teenage girls and a teacher for talking about true love. Things take a frightening turn for the monks when Croatian workers are brutally killed, leading some to believe that westerners are now being targeted. However, Brother Christian(Lambert Wilson), their elected leader, refuses military protection, to the anger and consternation of his fellow monks who are starting to discuss a possible evacuation. Based on a true story, "Of Gods and Men" is a subtly powerful and immensely moving film with a great use of silence that deftly shows the differences between the devout and the fanatical who thrive on ignorance.(When the terrorists come to raid the monastery, they first ask for the Pope.) The monks, many of whom have been there for decades, provide valuable services that the government does not, and are not out to convert, unlike the fanatics.(And it is an accurate assessment that the monks cannot work with the military there, as the people fear them for different reasons than the terrorists.) As one villager puts it, the monks are the branch on which the villagers rest and are invited to village celebrations. That also goes to the movie's main point of there only being one god, of many names, as it does not matter what you call him. Christian studies the Koran which impresses Ali Fayattia(Farid Larbi), a terrorist leader. As he bravely stands up to him, Christian is visibly trembling, symbolizing the resolve of the other monks, even as they are partially consumed by their fear and doubts.

• Jeff T

  
  Serious-minded adult entertainment about Big Ideas is hard to come by, and OF GODS AND MEN certainly delivers on all those levels. But is it entertaining? I honestly don't know. Don't get me wrong; I like movies that challenge intellectually as much as emotionally - and I… More
  Serious-minded adult entertainment about Big Ideas is hard to come by, and OF GODS AND MEN certainly delivers on all those levels. But is it entertaining? I honestly don't know. Don't get me wrong; I like movies that challenge intellectually as much as emotionally - and I like this film. But in telling the story of an incredibly fascinating group of monks dealing with terrorists in Algeria in the '90's (true story), I often felt that I should be more compelled by the story, and not just appreciative of its existence. Well acted, well shot, but also in the end, I might've been just a little . . . well . . .

• Alec B

  
  The plot would suggest a sappy and predictable story filled with swelling music and hammy performances, and while the film belabors its point quite often its actually very understated. As a quiet meditation on the courage of a few monks, it works.

• Cinema F

  
  Of God's and Men is a film with only the sound of Gregorian chants and the bustle of natural life for a soundtrack. Dialogue is sparse but what is said resonates all the more for the silence and it moves at a meditative pace that only serves to heighten the tension as the film… More
  Of God's and Men is a film with only the sound of Gregorian chants and the bustle of natural life for a soundtrack. Dialogue is sparse but what is said resonates all the more for the silence and it moves at a meditative pace that only serves to heighten the tension as the film progresses. Written and directed by Frenchman Xavier Beauvois, the flick is loosely based on the lives of the Cistercian monks of Tibhirine in Algeria and their capture by terrorists in 1996. The Cistercian monastery had been in Algeria since colonial days and, although there were fewer than 10 monks living there in the 1990's, they were still part of village life. They dedicated their lives to study, prayer and manual labour for their survival. Their mission was not to evangelise but to offer witness to their Christian faith in a region where the majority of people were muslim. In 1996, the conflict between Jama Islamiah and the Algerian government is intense. After a local group of Croatian workers is murdered by terrorists, the government sends the army to protect the monastery. Brother Christian (Lambert Wilson) who appears to be the most scholarly of the brothers (he writes and thinks most profoundly on matters of faith and theology, and has read widely, including the Koran, so his understanding of the 'villagers' faith is well informed) resolutely opposes the protection, which puts him at odds with some of the other brothers, who argue that he has violated the rules of the community by not discussing the decision with them, nor confronting the larger question of whether their life of witness extends to the ultimate sacrifice at the hands of terrorists. Finally, Brother Christian asks each monk what he would like to do. The group is divided but the oldest monk, Brother Amadee (Jacques Herlin), believes "it is too soon" to reach a conclusion. At this point, when the villagers, some of the monks, the local politician and the army believe it is time for the monks to leave, it seems impossible that by the end of the film the audience is so convinced of the rightness of their decision to stay. The pace of the film reinforces the complexity of a life of faith and deep spirituality. The slow unveiling of a change of heart and mind, the slow realisation and acceptance of the purpose in a spiritual life of work and meditation is, at times, overwhelming. The story itself is compelling, but the way in which it is told by Beauvois and performed by the cast is inspired.

• Daniel P

  
  Beautiful and moving film with an especially heart-rending sequence set to the music of Swan Lake. Slow paced but involving, with natural performances and stunning photography. Important themes are explored subtly, and there are no easy answers.

• George N

  
  A fragile, quiet, beautiful true story of a brotherhood of 8 monks who are faced with a life-changing dilemma. Either leave their beloved village for fear of being massacred by Islamic fundamentalists in the region, or stay and risk being kidnapped. A wonderfully reflective meditation… More
  A fragile, quiet, beautiful true story of a brotherhood of 8 monks who are faced with a life-changing dilemma. Either leave their beloved village for fear of being massacred by Islamic fundamentalists in the region, or stay and risk being kidnapped. A wonderfully reflective meditation on martyrdom and an exploration of faith and fellowship, this film achieves being a modern-day 'Schindler's List' by excluding the melodrama, having a perfect acting ensemble, and writing that makes one really love these characters, without cliche. A truly perfect film. I cried multiple times.

• Lord N

  
  Myerla's winning film. I know I put this one off too long. Sorry... Acting/characters: The performances in this film were pretty stellar. They fit with the overall tone of the film. Everything about the characters was very slow and deliberate and I think the actors acted their… More
  Myerla's winning film. I know I put this one off too long. Sorry... Acting/characters: The performances in this film were pretty stellar. They fit with the overall tone of the film. Everything about the characters was very slow and deliberate and I think the actors acted their characters to perfection. You really felt the fear that they were going through despite the fact that they still managed to keep inner peace for the most part. I liked how incredibly selfless the monks in this film were. They knew what their fate was going to be if they stayed but rather than leaving they chose to stay and help the people around them as much as they could. Even though they had moments of doubt (who can blame them!?) they still managed to gain strength from God and continue their lives. It was beautifully acted. 10/10 Plot: One of the things I liked about this film was how it showed religion in a great light without preaching about religion. The film opens with the Christian monks and the Muslims in their community living in absolutely perfect harmony. They go to each other for advice, for prayer requests, they join each other in celebration, it was simply wonderful to watch. Like the monks themselves the plot moved at a very slow and deliberate pace but it did not get boring for even the briefest moments. It also did a great job emulating the growing fear that the monks had but still being peaceful at the same time. One of the best things about it was that is showed that there is a significant difference between actual Muslims and the f****** who find it necessary to blow up and kill people who do not agree with them. I liked that. I just thought it was awesome how they kept the tone and pacing of the film slow and deliberate without being really boring. That is difficult to do. Screenplay: The whole thing is in French with bits in Arabic (I think). I think that it was a great script overall. once again, it was slow and deliberate but it was still really interesting listening to the monks talking particularly when they are deciding whether to stay or go. While some of the best scenes in the film were the ones without dialogue (particularly the excellent scene near the end where the monks are drinking wine and listening to Tchaikovsky) the dialogue heavy scenes did not fall behind. Since the film didn't rely on action or anything like that whatsoever to move the plot along, the dialogue is incredibly important because the film is carried by the characters and the dialogue. I think it was excellent. 10/10 Likableness: I liked this film a whole lot and I would have no qualms about watching it again. I would highly suggest it to anyone who hasn't seen it. It is a slow film but I don't feel that that makes it boring. The characters are very well done and the acting is superb. Plus it manages to show religion in a good light without being preachy about how religion is misinterpreted by society today. Plus there is the fact this this all actually happened which makes the story that much more powerful. It was a very good movie. 10/10 Final Score: 40/40 100% (P) Tomatometer Rating: 93% Tomatometer rating if my review was added: 93% TRIVIA TIME: 1. The official French submission for the Foreign Language Film Award at the 83rd Academy Awards.

• Kyle S

  
  I need to see this again, right now it's a low 8, might go up on future viewings.

• Daisy M

  
  Of Gods and men was a true story about seven French catholic monks who were kidnapped and killed from their monastery in Algeria .Director Xavier Beavois based this movie on true events, starting with a very slow paced, he focused on the lifestyle between the Monks who put their… More
  Of Gods and men was a true story about seven French catholic monks who were kidnapped and killed from their monastery in Algeria .Director Xavier Beavois based this movie on true events, starting with a very slow paced, he focused on the lifestyle between the Monks who put their life's biggest test of faith when they are threatened by Islamic terrorists..He also formed a quiet character development without much dialog, following the monks one by one while they were in prayer and worship. The monks debated hours inside their monastery whether they should leave or risk dying as martyr's. It was a realistic drama about faith with excellent performances showing religious topics and the life inside a catholic monastery in the Muslim populated country.Of Gods and Men" is France's biggest chance to win the academy award for best foreign language movie in 2011.

Read all 13 featured audience ratings