Review of To the Wonder (2013) by Stuart K — 10 Mar 2013

Terrence Malick returns, wasting no time after directing The Tree of Life (2011), which divided critics. Here, he divides them again, with this slow meditation on life and faith. Malick started work without a script, instead just a rough outline and filmed hours and hours of footage, and then made it in the editing suite.

This is not a film for everyone, as it will test people's patience to the limit, but stick with it, and it's a rewarding experience. American Neil (Ben Affleck) has fallen in love with Marina (Olga Kurylenko) in France, she has a daughter Tatiana (Tatiana Chiline) from a previous marriage, but Neil convinces Marina to move to America, and back to his hometown in Oklahoma.

But Marina struggles to cope with life in America, and she and Tatiana move back to Paris. Neil reconnects with childhood friend Jane (Rachel McAdams), but soon Marina comes back to America to give their relationship another go, but they struggle, and Marina seeks for advice from Spanish priest Father Quintana (Javier Bardem), who is struggling to find meaning within his vocation.

This is a difficult film to rate, as it's beautiful to look at, but it only makes sense to one person, and that's Malick. But, it is beautiful and soothing to watch, and it puts the view at ease, which is a good thing.

But, it does make you wonder what Malick has planned with his next 3 films.