Review of Manderlay (2005) by J D — 24 Nov 2007

A word to the wise: Don't watch a Lars von Trier film if you want to feel good about human nature. I hadn't realized that this was a sequel to "Dogville" until I started watching it, and was very excited to see what von Trier was up to when I realized it was the case.

Like "Dogville", this is filmed on a sound stage with a minimum of sets and sound effects taking place of things like opening and closing doors and rushing water. And like "Dogville", this film looks at humanity with a cold, cynical, unfliching eye.

But whereas "Dogville" was more about sexual hypocrisy and had a cathartic, visceral, satisfying ending, "Manderlay" is much more unforgiving, if that's possible. This time, von Trier is confronting race and the history of slavery, and with a thesis that I've never encountered in a film dealing with such issues.

Any movie I've watched on the subject has a clear, logical statement on the nature of slavery and race. von Trier treads in a grey area that leaves it up to the viewer to decide that. Unbelievably challenging ideas in this movie, with an ending that lets absolutely no one off the hook and left my jaw dropped open for the last 15 minutes.

While some may be put off by the lack of sets, I can say that the stories in both "Dogville" and "Manderlay" are such that you soon forget that you can't actually see the mansion or the plantation or the slave quarters.

Highly, HIGHLY recommended, one of the most challenging films I've encountered yet, and I can't wait for the last of von Trier's "USA" trilogy.