Review of Melancholia (2011) by Lisa R — 14 Nov 2012

Watching the end sequence of this film is the most overwhelming cinema experience I have ever had. I was left asunder. I was left mortified. I was left shocked. I was left exhilarated. I saw this in a cinema that was completely empty except for me and I think that helped me delve into the world and connect with the characters that Lars Von Trier, Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg had created. The emotional response I had to the ending is something I will never forget. I made an audible sound, my mouth was agape and tears were streaming down my face. The music (Wagner's Tristan and Isolde), the sound effects, the imagery I was seeing were just too incredible to simply see, you had to feel them, you had no choice.

The ending was so affecting that it almost doesn't matter what came before, but when I watch a film I am always thinking about my upcoming review and possible mark. Films often start out as a 4 or 4.5, but slowly drop away to a lesser mark as they fall into predictability, cliche, over stay their welcome or have a let down of an ending. This film opened with a breath-taking and beautiful, slow-mo sequence that had me instantly start it with a high grade, it then quickly changed to fly on the wall coverage of a wedding with some horrible hand-held camera techniques used that left me feeling queasy, so it dropped down in grading. I kept thinking, I am enjoying this story, please stop moving the camera! Thankfully, two things happened, I got used to it and the technique really dissipated as the film went on. As the story continued, my connection to it only increased and so did my grading. The performances from all the leads and integral supporting cast were all stellar.

So, even though I think there are flaws with the film, as it was a tad too long and the hand-held cameras at the wedding were irritating, all was forgiven by the end. I simply can't give a film anything less than a 5, that left me so speechless, so affected and so deeply moved.

If you are partial to art house cinema and enjoy being moved by film and/or art, I implore you to see this film at the cinema if you can, so you too can experience it as it should be seen. A beautiful film about the ending of one's world.