Rather silly pseudo-political film that exploits Tibet as a backdrop to part of the drama to make a political point about the current Chinese occupation of that land that has only limited resonances with the story of the excesses of Soviet communism. To claim that communism collapsed when the Soviet Union did is also supremely fatuous and ahistorical; smacking, as it does, of leering wishful-thinking.
However, the real problem with this film is the characterization and the relationships between the characters. The fine acting does not conceal this dearth in this all-important dramatic dimension, and so we never feel the characters' pains and pleasures as they move along their tortuous journey to freedom. The usual ensemble playing preferred by Peter Weir is very much in evidence, since no actor – no matter how famous – is favored over another. Yet the lack of developed ideas means we simply do not care enough about the characters.
This is odd, given the fact that we know some of these men will succeed from the get-go such that there is no suspense as to whether they will succeed - merely how. The film's spoiler beginning leads us to expect a character-driven drama that eschews all the clichés of winning against impossible odds. There are no clichés, certainly, but there is also precious little in the way of character. The film's theme of not renouncing ones humanity simply to survive is not well-explored and the audience is left very much to its own devices as to what point the filmmakers are really trying to make.
Only Colin FARRELL's performance saves this cross between Bridge on the River Kwai and Midnight Express - that is not as good as either - from complete boredom; along with a focus on a realistic look at Gulag life. But One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich it certainly is not. An example of style over substance; of vast visuals dwarfing the characters - and nearly swallowing the whole edifice. Still, the Himalayan scenery is pretty breathtaking.
No comments:
Post a Comment