Review of Leviathan (2013) by Brian B — 25 Nov 2017
Leviathan triumphs as it shows how much a documentary can do in terms of atmosphere. Numerous scenes from the film are so well shot in terms of their usage of camera placement, lighting, and sound that you quickly forget you're watching a documentary about a fishing boat and that you're watching a David Lynchesque, absurdist nightmare.
The shots of the waves crashing against the ship at night produce a foreboding effect to an intense degree and the underwater shots feel hypnotic and, at times, hallucinatory. Every shot in the film seems to brim with surrealism.
There's very little dialogue in this movie, but this makes it feel all the more mysterious. I've seen some people try and derive a deeper meaning out of this film. However, I don't think this is the kind of film which requires a concrete explanation.
I feel like someone watching it should just think of it as an exercise in the concept of less is more in terms of its atmospheric building. It won't work for everyone, but I found it to be a highly compelling film.
This review of Leviathan (2013) was written by Brian B on 25 Nov 2017.
Leviathan has generally received positive reviews.
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