Review of Babel (2006) by Gw — 20 Feb 2007
The funny thing about reading everyone's comments is that this movie is polemical. Isn't that the point? Everyone agrees on the quality of the cinematography and the acting, but are divided on the message.
Common complaints: 1) racism 2) offense to social mores 3) raw portrayal of human stupity The emotional impact of the film left everyone in the same state. Vacant and depressed. Perhaps the points is not that we are all connected but that we are all disconnected? It might be a movie not about the characters but about ourselves.
In this sense, polemiscism is the point. One review, which captured this sense, described the following: "As a mexican, I´m supposed to be real glad this movie is up for the Oscars. I'm not.
While others find it touching and human, I think it's incredibly racist and elitist. No one seems to notice that, although all these characters live through tragedy, the tragedies of the rich struck because of a bad twist of fate and turn out Ok in the end.
Meanwhile, the poor live tragedies as a punishment for their stupid decisions: giving a rifle to children, taking your baby sitting charges across the border, getting drunk and getting into trouble with the border patrol.
This review of Babel (2006) was written by Gw on 20 Feb 2007.
Babel has generally received positive reviews.
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