The film has a very vague storyline, based around Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain and their three sons, but it's hard to piece the rest together. Scenes involving the family are interspersed with sometimes ten minute long sequences of images of God, resurrection, nature etc. In this way, the film feels more like an art installation than a film and it is hard to struggle through. I would love to read the screenplay for this film, or to get an insight into Terence Malik's head, I'm sure it's a very interesting place.
I could probably put up with this film for 30 minutes at a push, but at nearly two and a half hours, it really stretches anyone's tolerance. I'm a bit disappointed, because I'm always up for a challenge and like watching different types of films. I love weird films, and this is certainly the weirdest film I've ever seen, just not in a good way. I suppose it's worth watching just so you never have to watch it again and it will be hard to find a stranger film, but I'd definitely recommend renting it or getting it from somewhere like Lovefilm....just don't spend too much money on it because you'll probably feel it was a waste.
Having said that, the film is extremely beautiful, there are stunning images of nature and the film is well shot, but that's not really enough to make up for the extreme lack of narrative or cohesion in the film.
I seem to be the only person who falls in the middle of the spectrum with this film. I neither thought it was an incredible masterpiece, but I also didn't hate it - I just quite liked it.
ReplyDeleteI can understand why someone would hate it and might be put off the minute they realise that there isn't going to be any sort of scene or narrative structure - at least in the conventional sense. I feel that whilst the film isn't a story, it absolutely is a work of art. It's clearly Terrance Mallick's take on the idea of humility and looks at it in a semi-autobiographical way. I just think that you have to go into the film expecting no real story to appreciate what it's trying to do just as you need to do with similar non-narrative films like Fantastia or Koyaanisqatsi.
It's far from the weirdest film I've ever seen too. Pretty much anything by David Lynch, Forbidden Zone, Pink Floyd's The Wall, Yellow Submarine, Videodrome, Spider and The Temptation of St. Tony come to mind.
I must say that I'm surprised the Oscar gave it a best picture nod - I thought it'd be too polarising for anything like that. I'm sort of glad that it's there, though. It wouldn't make my top 10 of the year, but it's a far more deserving film than fellow nominee (and piece of crap) War Horse.