In the Hand of Dante Contemplates Intriguing Mysticism

In the Hand of Dante is, by its very nature, an esoteric film. By centering its narrative around “The Divine Comedy,” written by Dante Alighieri around 1308-1321, it immediately alienates a significant portion of moviegoers. This happens especially for those unfamiliar with the poem. Furthermore, the film delves into various spiritual themes regarding the nature of God, life, and love. It is a film that engages the intellect. Aside from its compelling mystical explorations, it could be considered an ordinary mob movie. However, if you are interested in mysticism, you may find it particularly captivating.

The film chronicles two separate storylines. One takes place in the 1300s—in color—following Dante’s (Frankenstein star Oscar Isaac) creation of the famous poem. The other, primary plot—in black and white—takes place in 2001 and follows a fictional portrayal of the author who wrote the novel on which the movie is based, Nick Tosches (Isaac again). Nick finds himself hired by Joe Black (the incomparable John Malkovich), a mob boss. Black has the opportunity to retrieve what is supposedly Dante’s original manuscript of “The Divine Comedy.” He instructs him to journey to Italy and find Don Lecco (Italian film legend Franco Nero), who has recently come across the manuscript.  Along for the ride are Louie (Gerard Butler of How to Train Your Dragon) and Lefty (Killers of the Flower Moon‘s Louis Cancelmi), a hitman and fellow crook, respectively.

Tosches has a history of self-hatred and an impulse for violence, though he is displeased at the murder of innocents. Louie doesn’t flinch at the killing of dogs, but he claims he likes them. The two make for an oddball team. Everything seems to fall into place, except that Nick falls for his new secretary, Giulietta (Wonder Woman herself, Gal Gadot). When Black discovers Nick’s involvement with his new love, the affair gets messy.

Gadot also plays Genma Donati, Dante’s wife in the 14th century. Other actors like Gerard Butler double up as well, with him also portraying Pope Boniface VIII. While Genma’s double role makes sense, it’s more difficult to find thematic reasons for Butler’s double play. Unless you want to count their corruption as the sole thematic link, there is little else in common.

The most interesting character of the past storyline, however, is found in Martin Scorsese’s Isiah, Dante’s mentor. The man is a Jewish Mystic and has particularly controversial ideas about the nature of God and where His true domain lies. He argues that God is found primarily within, rather than without. However, he bluntly states that God is also found everywhere. He argues that the world revolves around Love itself. Every man has to look within to find that Love, the dependence upon which he is damned or finds salvation in the present life. Anything else after death is unguaranteed. His words echo the advice of an earlier character in the film, Nick’s grandfather, played by Academy Award winner Al Pacino.

Scorsese lends Isiah a kind, benevolent, and wise presence. The advice he gives to Dante helps him to realize his preoccupation with Beatrice, the central feminine figure upon whom he wrote “The Divine Comedy”, was simply an obsession, and not someone he was truly in love with. Further advice from Isiah sends Dante back into the arms of Gemma. This further relationship with Gemma is fictionalized. Scholars are almost positive that he never returned to her after his exile from Florence.

These storylines make for an intellectual investigation into spiritual matters and feature some great character development for Dante/Nick. However, the female characters like Gemma/Giulietta serve primarily as inspiration for Nick/Dante. They are not so much characters as they are driving forces behind Nick/Dante’s actions.

Is In The Hand of Dante a pulse-pounding thriller? No. It is deeply contemplative and requires concentration and attentiveness to be understood. Dialogue in the past storyline of the film is at times hard to grasp and could confuse viewers as to the action of the plot. Although not many of the characters are deep in and of themselves, Nick/Dante and Isiah are highly memorable. Where the film ends up is somewhat surprising and makes you ponder its mystic intentions. It definitely makes a claim, through Isiah, that the current world today is driven by the God of money, not that of Love.

The intellectual and spiritual aspects of In The Hand of Dante lift it from merely average to intriguing, especially if you have interests in mysticism, faith, spirituality or the occult. Yet if you’re looking for something that entertains from a purely spectacle driven aspect, you may need to seek elsewhere.