Review of Blindsight (2006) by Randy T — 24 Apr 2010

The message of this film deserves a 10 out of 10. It's a simple concept, but a powerful one. Life is about the journey and about sharing our experiences with others. The simple beauty of love and camaraderie easily outweighs even the most significant personal conquests. Blindsight makes that point and makes it stick.

My problem with the whole ordeal was that I more or less questioned the excursion from the get go. I admired the determination exhibited by these blind children, but I also felt troubled by their desires to accomplish a goal that would no doubt be a monumental experience, but still a goal that seemed a bit excessive. Initially, their desire to climb the mountain had a way of insinuating that they were all feeling discouraged by their circumstances--like they had to rise above themselves, and to do something beyond expectation. In the end, it was pleasing to see them give up without much difficulty. It showed that they had a much stronger sense of fulfillment than I originally gave them credit for. It showed that they were not at all defeated by their disability, but that their blindness had an enlightening affect on each of them. As far as character studies go, I think it was more interesting to see the group leaders struggle to come to terms with what the blind children already seemed to know--that getting to the top of the mountain did not really matter.

Anyway, it's a great message, and the film does capture this subtle triumph. I'm just not so sure it couldn't have done so in half the time. That was the problem for me. The overall theme was strong, but the narrative wasn't involving enough to keep the film floating for the duration.