Fourth century A.D. Egypt under the Roman Empire— Violent religious upheaval in the streets of Alexandria spills over into the city's famous Library. Trapped inside its walls, the brilliant astronomer Hypatia (Rachel Weisz) and her disciples fight to save the wisdom of the Ancient World. Among them, the two men competing for her heart: the witty, privileged Orestes (Oscar Isaac) and Davus (Max Minghella), Hypatia's young slave, who is torn between his secret love for her and the freedom he knows can be his if he chooses to join the unstoppable surge of the Christians.
Finally an intelligent movie again!
The movie is difficult to stomach for many for obvious reasons - but definitely lives up to the potential of the secularist answer as to why it is important to ask questions and prod and doubt, rather than act and accept the truths of all formal religions and ideologies.