Review of Solaris (2002) by Nicholas B — 09 Mar 2012

It seems to be a trend for me to like movies that are "not for everyone". Solaris fits such a description.

Though his voice slightly grates on my nerves in every movie I see him in, George Clooney can act. And while in her other movies I never gave Natasha McElhone another look, here she shines brightly. She is supremely beautiful, and sad, and disturbing. As she looks right out of the screen she's boring holes with her gorgeous eyes straight into your own, and there's no escape shy of shutting the TV off. She certainly does the job of being creepadelic.

The love story is worth chewing on as the credits scroll. Was it enough for Kelvin to love his memory and projection of Rheya, rather than Rheya herself? And what is really the difference between existence and perceived existence? If his dead (?) wife were aware that he was seeing "her" again and wanted another shot at the relationship they were meant to have, would she be happy? Or sadly repulsed?

There's also the matter of the "planet". I enjoy a good brain exercise, and here is brought the paradox of having it all figured out because you are aware that you do not, in fact, have it all figured out. Do you understand the situation when you are aware that you don't? "I would tell you what's happening, but I'm not sure that would tell you what's happening." The storyteller's attempt to portray higher intelligence, and that we have no idea how to predict how such an One might treat us, is a worthy stab.

The ending is very fitting as well. Because, indeed, what in the world happened?

I think I'm going to have to watch this a 3rd time before returning it to the library. What a find...it moved slowly with no action but it blew my expectations away.