Review of The Tree of Life (2011) by Dylan M — 07 Nov 2012

This is the film that Terrence Malick is trying to make in all of his other films. Gone is the Malick formula of wrapping poetry and scenescapes around a grand plot or story. Instead, the poetry is the story.

The prose and the imagery are malicious and magnificent. This film is unrelenting in its purpose--to present to the viewer, not with the big questions we inherently ponder, but rather the sheer meaninglessness of them.

This film is about the end of life, both literally and abstractly, as the sub-plot and characters run parallel with the destruction of Earth. It is told in beautiful fragments that hint at details through action and it elicits emotional response of painfully relatable exchanges.

It is grandiose. It is grounded. It is beautiful. It is depressing. It is more of a visual poem, than it is a film, but it is more impactful than many films you will ever see. This is Terrence Malick's best film, and it is one of the best films I have ever seen.

This is the type of movie that you feel obligated to share because it inspires so much.