Review of Tideland (2005) by Megan L — 29 Mar 2008

This is an unusual, eccentric movie revolving around a young girl, who suddenly finds herself orphaned, and the mental coping mechanisms that come into effect to protect her from the grim reality of her situation. It is a surreal, controversial tale that can imaginably offend some sensitive viewers due to its occasionally strong content and themes, that sees the girl retreat into her own imaginary world, and because of this, as you can imagine, there is some striking imagery that you really would believe came from the mind of a child--it was clearly a very personal project for Gilliam.

If you have seen Fear and Loathing you will know what to expect from this, a sort of disjointed structure, trippy imagery and a cast of truly eccentric characters (all played superbly), but where it differs from Fear and Loathing is that it's simply just not as entertaining (even if it is perhaps more thought provoking) and it's a lot more boring, or at least I thought so, and I was expecting a lot more having not really been disappointed by Gilliam's work before watching this.

Most of the factors at play are perfect, the acting and direction, the stunning visuals and the rural American scenery, and even the general premise has merit but the film just failed to intrigue and it is challenging to watch in its entirety due to this.

In a sentence, boring but commendable.