Review of Werckmeister Harmonies (2001) by Mark — 22 Aug 2006
This film deserves praise for the chances it takes. Its visual style and steadily mounting mood of dread are expertly done and hauntingly effective. These strengths keep me from rating this film below a 5.
The same cannot be said for its exploration of its themes. It is a film that means to suggest more than is there, a laudable goal but one I don't feel was achieved. Its intentions are simply overmatched by its pretensions.
After a while, the wooden performances and long takes become more than tedious and the overreliance on heavy-handed "symbolism" insulting. Ultimately, this film is nowhere near as insightful as it pretends to be.
This review of Werckmeister Harmonies (2001) was written by Mark on 22 Aug 2006.
Werckmeister Harmonies has generally received very positive reviews.
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