Review of Wings of Desire (1987) by Al M — 10 Aug 2010
Wim Wnders' Wings of Desire is a beautiful, wistful, and poignant exploration of our conceptualizations of the human, life, and death. A powerful depiction of angels as beings who sometimes aid humans on the brink of despair but mostly simply spend their time observing and cataloging human affairs.
But ultimately one of the angels craves more and begins to desire a young trapeze artist and consequently to desire the human condition. Ultimately, Wings of Desire explores the concept of ennui in the postmodern world, a world evoked by the almost futuristic architecture that populates the film and serves as its well-nigh surreal backdrop.
It is an insightful, aesthetically innovative exploration of desire and its role as the foundation of human identity--it is simultaneously the force that drives humankind towards greatness but it also the instrument of their own suffering.
A truly sublime film that calls for us to love, to experience, and to appreciate the sadly beautiful gift we have been given.
This review of Wings of Desire (1987) was written by Al M on 10 Aug 2010.
Wings of Desire has generally received very positive reviews.
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