Review XLVIII
Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
I'm always amazed when I see a director's debut theatrical release make it so far. In this case specifically, I am referring to Benh Zeitlin's Beasts of the Southern Wild. Out of all the films nominated for Best Picture, this is the one I had never heard of prior to it being nominated. This is understandable as one, it is Behn Zeitlin's first film (he's made shorts, so I guess this is considered a long film?), and two, it has actors and actresses who have never done work before this film. These include Quvenzhané Wallis and Dwight Henry, who are the main characters in the film.
Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) lives in a Louisiana, United States bayou community, called the Bathtub, with her father, Wink (Dwight Henry). The community is cut off from the rest of the world, but they prefer it that way. Wink is a harsh father who wants to make sure his daughter will be able to survive on her own one day, especially given the fact that he is very ill. With the icecaps melting revealing ancient beasts that will rule the world again and a storm approaching the Bathtub, Hushpuppy will have to find the courage to stand up and face the world on her own, even in the search for her lost mother.
The film is original, to say the least. The story, while it follows a somewhat realistic depiction in certain areas, also follows an imaginary world concocted by Hushpuppy herself. The idea that some of the members of the Bathtub refuse to leave their community is a reference to the reaction of some people of the hurricanes New Orleans in Louisiana has faced. Certain people are adamant about staying put because they would be abandoning their home. At the same time, the storm is reflective of Hushpuppy's desperation in relation to her father's illness. I could go on explaining the symbolism, but I think this can already give you an idea that this film is not just straight cut. It's packed with a bunch of metaphors and symbols that the viewer has to uncover in order to understand. This can lead to either its uprising or downfall. When I first started watching the film, I was confused. I mean, they're going on about these beasts in the icecaps, which I thought was maybe a reference to global warming, but then it becomes something more when they actually escape. I went in thinking it would be one thing, but it wasn't entirely. If you buy into symbolic films, you'll have fun with this one because it leaves you to figure everything out. But if you're looking for a non-experimental movie, you won't like this one. As for me, well, there were some things I enjoyed, but I'm still thrown off by Wink's attitude toward Hushpuppy. I don't know if it's just a cultural thing to hit your children to show them the right way to do things, and there's perhaps a deeper meaning to it all, but it really turned me off. I was just sitting their open mouthed almost everytime Wink and Hushpuppy were together. There's being hot-tempered, and then there's being abusive. I really can't understand this part, besides it being a cultural thing, and if it is, it just disgusts me. Anyway, to sum it up, Beasts of the Southern Wild is a creative film that relies heavily on symbolism and the imagination to tell a story. It's definitely an original piece, though I don't find I was able to appreciate it that much. It wasn't a bad film, but it wasn't my type of film, so I think it's unfair for me to write a fair critique about it.
Nonetheless, I thought Quvenzhané Wallis did a great job. She was six years old during production for the film, yet she does a better job than most actors/actresses who are thirty years her senior. Good child actors are really hard to find, and finding a great one is even harder. Quvenzhané Wallis did a phenomenal job, so I guess she's one in a million. I really liked watching her act, and I never would have guessed she was as young as six years old. If she won the Best Actress category, I wouldn't be surprised. Quvenzhané Wallis was really amazing in the role. I'm glad she got a role like this one because it really showed off her acting abilities. I guess I'm mostly just governed by her age in praising her, but seriously, being six and able to act the way she does is pretty amazing. Dwight Henry also did a great job, especially considering he has no experience with acting. I didn't in particular like his character, but the man still played the part well.
Even though it wasn't my kind of movie, I'll still give it a rating - seven point eight. It's a bit experimental in the story-telling, and as it wasn't my kind of movie, it was hard for me to really enjoy it. Still, it was an original film that was able to get its message across with a bit of thinking, which makes it a good film if just for that. Worth a watch, even if just for Quvenzhané Wallis's acting.
No comments:
Post a Comment