Review of Waltz with Bashir (2008) by Shane K — 25 Apr 2010

I went into Waltz With Bashir with high expectations. I'd heard so much about how it was a powerful anti war film but also visually stunning. For once, these high expectations were most definitely exceeded. This movie more than justifies the accolades & acclaim that it has received.

The film is partially a documentary following filmmaker Ari Folman as he tries to reconstruct his experiences during the Lebanon war of 1982. Of particular interest to him is the Sabra & Shatila massacre which he was present at but he has no memory of, save for a vague dream about walking out of the ocean.

Rather than doing a simple documentary consisting of talking head interviews & archive footage Folman decided to use animation to tell his story. This adds an extra depth to his vision & alllows Folman to seemlessly incorporate a depiction of dreamscapes into the narrative. Seeing as dreams are such an essential element of his motivation this hugely original approach just fits the material perfectly.

The tone of the film deviates between a lighter more humourous one where the madness of war is explored to a more sombre mood when the horrors are illustrated & when dealing with how war impacts on the men that carry it out. This balance is struck pitch perfectly. There are never any scenes, shots or visuals that seem inappropriate. The device of changing from animation to live action in the concluding scenes makes for some powerful images.

From a purely technical standpoint the film looks stunning. It has a cell shaded comic book feel. The animation in turn isn't always the most fluid feeling more like cells from a comic that are just barely moving & other times during more high tempo scenes the animation is wonderfully dynamic & rivals the best Disney or Studio Ghibli material. Once again this actually varies depending on the intended tone of the scene but just always seems to work. This may sound clichéd but there were actually instances when I was literally transfixed by what I was seeing on screen.

The film's soundtrack is also worthy of utmost praise. It combines period pop & rock tracks, classical pieces & original compositions in a way that always complements the visuals perfectly.

In closing Waltz With Bashir is a definite must see. It's one of the most powerful anti war films I've ever seen but it isn't weighed down by any overt political leanings instead choosing to explore human factors & how war is felt on a personal level. For anyone that has an appreciation of film in terms of aesthetics & as a means of engagement of the mind this a film tailor made for you.