Review of Wings of Desire (1987) by Zachlarnhart — 29 Oct 2018

The dark inner thoughts of a human are brought to light in the 1987 film Wings of Desire. Berlin, Germany is blanketed with angels who can only see in dull colors of black and white. Their job is to provide indirect comfort to those who may be in need of a little extra love and care.

Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander) sweep the city and observe how humans interact and form relations with one another all while providing their best wishes. The film begins with a very sporadic string of events.

The first 20 minutes will be spent trying to figure out what the movie is about and what it will entail. Combining this and the lack of high quality special effects such as audio and transitions can mislead you into thinking this movie isn’t worth the bag of popcorn you just threw in the microwave.

Patience and close attention is recommended throughout the entirety of the movie. You may find yourself dozing off, but be careful because you may miss an important detail amongst things that do not matter.

The movie is made up of interpretations and wonder. The audience is trying to follow a plot that doesn’t necessarily exist which is what makes this film so unique and successful. Wim Wenders created a beautiful concept and makes it obvious that it is refreshing to view a movie that doesn’t follow any specific guidelines on how it is supposed to be watched.