Review of The Tree of Life (2011) by Alasdair B — 17 Jul 2015

It is difficult to review a film such as this. It's quite possibly one of the the most intricate and beautiful films I've ever witnessed. Not only is it beautiful to look at, it's immensely thought provoking. "The Tree of Life'' is directed by the incredible Terrence Malick. The cast includes Jessica Chastain, Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, and Tye Sheridan.

There are two ways through life: the way of Grace, and the way of Nature. The film begins with a monologue from the Book of Job. A light springs into existence. Mrs. O'Brien (Chastain) is a mother of three boys, and wife to Mr. O'Brien (Pitt). One day, a telegram arrives in the mail, informing her of the death of her son. The grieving mother weeps for her child. The film then takes us into the future, where the eldest O'Brien son, Jack (Penn) recalls his childhood. As a young boy, he always felt a bit rebellious. Jack remembers his mother. Gentle, kind, full of grace. He remembers his father. Harsh, judgemental, and firm in authority. These two people, mother and father, wrestle within Jack. He loves them both, however he especially rails against his father. As the young boy grows older, he struggles to stay good and pure, turning to the wild side of mankind. Struggling with his own morality, Jack asks important questions. "Why should I be good when my father is not?''.

There is very much a strong feeling throughout the film that reminds me of Stanley Kubrick. Much like 2001 A Space odyssey, this film deals with the meaning of life, humanity, morality, and evolution. There are strikingly beautiful, spiritual, and religious themes throughout the film. Spirituality is an important part of being a human being. In the film, the way of Grace is like spirituality. It's the way of compassion, love, and beauty. Railing against this is the way of Nature. The uncaring forces that guide the universe are present in the film. We see the beauty of life, and the harshness of nature. Nature does not care, but Grace does. Whether or not you are religious, this film will grip you. Malick is believed to be a deeply religious man. He shows the power that spirituality has on human beings. Yes, some of the religious stuff was a bit annoying at times, but it makes sense within the narrative. On the other side, we also see Darwinism and evolution. The title of the film is, The Tree of Life after all, and it was interesting seeing both religious spirituality and actual science being contrasted.

It should be noted that this is one of the most stunning films I've seen in my life. The visuals are absolutely breathtaking. Images are shown of the formation of the sun, galaxy, and our own planet. The evolution of life is shown. Single celled organisms are shown in pools of mud. Incredible images of space are shown, as well as incredible vistas of Earth. Most incredibly of all is the cinematography, shot be Emmanuel Lubezki. Lubezki won an award last year for his incredible camera work in Birdman, and he does a brilliant job here. Every shot was stunning and memorable. It will forever be burned into my mind.

"Tree of Life'' is a beautiful masterpiece that explores human nature in a superb fashion. It's wonderfully directed, and brilliantly shot. The performance from Jessica Chastain is incredible, and Brad Pitt also gives a strong performance. The film is a bit too long, and some of the religious imagery can be a bit too much. However, the film is extremely thought provoking, meshing spirituality with the power of nature. In the end, I believe the way of Nature wins. We see in one of the final shots of the film, the Earth being covered over by the red giant that is the sun, five billion years from now. Some may find this overwhelmingly depressing, but it really makes me see the beauty of our lives. Life on Earth is temporary. All things in this universe must come to and end. This makes life that much more fragile, beautiful, and meaningful. The themes of religion, parenting, evolution, and morality are rich throughout this film, making it one of the most important films ever made.