Review: 'To the Wonder'

The unique quality of Terrence Malick is his uncanny, yet great, ability to make you observe the simplest things in life, the things we all take for granted, and turn them into something we have never seen or noticed before. Of all of Malick's films, from his debut with 'Badlands' (1973) to this film, 'To the Wonder' just might possibly be the most "Malick-y" film he has ever made. That's saying a lot, considering Malick's previous film 'The Tree of Life'. You really have to be in the right mood to watch this film.

Being possibly his least interesting film to date, it is still nowhere near being a bad film at all. It's a continuation of 'The Tree of Life' in a sense. The atmosphere it creates, along with the mood, characters, situations and visuals: They're all on a similar scale. That can both be bad and good. Though it seems somewhat pretentious and occasionally repetitive, in a world where we are so often force fed everything we see and touch, it's refreshing to escape once in a while, take a deep breath and relax. If it still has even the smallest bit of power to make you walk out of the theatre and view the outside world in a new light, then there's no doubt something good to be recognized in here. While watching this movie a thought came to my mind which was what if Malick's intention is not only to teach his audience a lesson on life, but also his own actors and crew.

Like Malick's last couple of works, there is no basic plot or story-line in the film. What it is is a journey and observation of the lives of these particular people at this particular time in their lives. We are shown how they deal with the situations they are in: how they deal with love towards each other, how they despise one another, betray one another and forgive one another. Sometimes it's a continuous cycle. It becomes so rooted in our own minds that we begin to think about or own relationships, or the relationships of others, and how we can better strengthen and perfect them as best as we can. That feels like the work of a true visionary right there.

I feel like if Terrence Malick were alive in the years of silent cinema, he would have been the perfect man for the job. He would have been an excellent silent filmmaker. Malick's narrative has certainly changed a bit in his last few films, being more deep and philosophical than ever before. It even gets to the point where it feels like you're dreaming, and in a good way.

To give a Terrence Malick film a poor rating, even one of his below average films, would be almost unforgivable in my opinion. Each one of his works has a real deep, great passion and effort. Watching one of his films is like watching (and listening) to a symphony in a concert hall. To simply let you experience something for what it truly is, without romanticizing it, you have to respect that.

My rating: 3 / 4