Review of Drawing Restraint 9 (2006) by Jorge R — 02 Jul 2007

I saw this film as a Bjork fan, with little knowledge about Matthew Barney's work and even less about Japanese culture, yet I was truly impressed by its beauty and depth. Despite the fact that it has no dialogue, the film is not too hard to follow thanks to a pretty straightforward story and Bjork's soundtrack (until the last 10 minutes, when I confess that I lost track of events).

Barney's exploration of the struggle between formation and resistance is cleverly expressed in the transformation of 'The Field' (that weird goo on deck) throughout the film and a bit more subtly in his character's relationship with the other Guest.

The film does make a strange and utterly violent/macabre turn in a 20+ minute mutilation scene that will prove too much even for those with a strong stomach. Yet, it is this turn that truly drives the movie forward.

Go see it, but be patient!