Review of The Sea of Trees (2016) by Eilidh2 — 31 Aug 2016

I watched this on VOD. I expected to be bored stiff or infuriated or even laugh - given the reviews.

I don't know why the film inspired such vitriol. The ending was Shymalanesque so it was somewhat annoying, or would have been but McConaughey totally sold it. The Shinto religious undertones were probably disturbing to Western critics. If the film had been made in Japanese by a Japanese director, I assure you it would be proclaimed a masterpiece!

Ken Watanabe and Matthew McConaughey work very well together and give great performances and the scenes of them wandering lost in the forest are powerful (and beautifully photographed). Hats off to the cinematographer.

The film has flashbacks to McConaughey's life with Naomi Watts (whose character has died before the film begins). Some of these work well, others less well and the screenwriter introduced a silly, soap operaish plot contrivance that the film could have done without.

If there are films focussing on suicidal ideation, I've never seen them. It's a topic which could be very depressing (and did it disturb the critics more than they would openly admit?) or enlightening. Sea of Trees addresses the issue honestly for the most part.

The story is original. The plot is original. The setting is original. The acting is superb. It's not a masterpiece, but it's among the best films I've seen during this horrible-for-movies summer.

The film is far more successful than the critics gave it credit for.