Review of The Forbidden Room (2015) by Peter F — 28 Nov 2015
Guy Maddin's latest is a film that seems to encompass all of his interests and insights, but just not in a way that's particularly well-structured. Shot in an intentionally deteriorated style, The Forbidden Room almost looks like it was assembled by Maddin after he acquired clips from a trip to a rare film archive.
Instead though, the film is the product of a recent shoot, which can somewhat be described as a bizarre anthology that nods to several different film movements. It's certainly commendable, but unfortunately, The Forbidden Room's style quickly becomes exhaustive and even a bit non-sensical (self-parody not withstanding), even if its techniques and throwbacks will engage cinephiles.
Plus, at a plotless two-hours, The Forbidden Room is difficult to gulp in one sitting. It's a minor-miracle that this film looks the way it does, but standing as an esoteric pastiche, Maddin's latest work falls a bit short of being entertaining, or profound.
This review of The Forbidden Room (2015) was written by Peter F on 28 Nov 2015.
The Forbidden Room has generally received positive reviews.
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