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Originally Posted by AFGNCAAP
How does it compare to previous Iñárritu's films - and what did you think of them, for that matter? I almost loved Amores Perros, but then almost hated 21 Grams, so I'm a bit reluctant to see Babel, with the mixed reviews it's getting.
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The thing is...many of those less praiseful reviews of Babel see it as a film about race relations and say that it's more forced than something like Crash. That couldn't be further from the truth, in my opinion. Babel was, for me, a glimpse into the lives of interesting characters and cultures, all sharing the same world. It wasn't so much about conflict between races, in fact I never got that feeling.
There is a scene I appreciated though where American tourists are made fun of a bit. After they've stopped in a certain village they fear they will be shot and killed by terrorists, but it's just villagers walking around that mean them no harm. Iñárritu does a wonderful job illustrating this paranoia, and of showing how naive Americans can be outside of their own comfort zone (in other words, outside of North American borders). Many Americans believe that anywhere
outside the U.S. is a third world country, and that's just silly.
Unfortunately, this message was lost on some of the less intelligent humans in attendance. As I was leaving the theater, my girlfriend stopped in the ladies room and I was stuck outside with a woman waiting for her husband. She immediately turned to me and said, "Was there some WEIRD shit in that movie or what?" I kinda shrugged and said, "I actually liked it a lot, but I suppose it wasn't mainstream. Besides, I'm probably biased about the Tokyo sequences. I love Japanese stuff."
Then the woman goes on a tirade about Tokyo. Telling me how she and her husband hated it. She actually said, "We did all of the tourist stuff too, we saw all the sights." I replied, "Tourist stuff? So you didn't really wander off the beaten path and see the real Japan?" I think she took offense, but I didn't care. Then the truth started to really come out. She goes, "And the FOOD there! It's so bizarre! Do you like their kind of food?" I said, "Actually yes. I love it." She goes, "But some of it is MOVING three minutes before you eat it! I can't take that! That's just WEIRD." Just as I was about to say that to the Japanese our massive portions and slabs of dead cow might seem odd, her husband emerged from the restroom.
He proceeded to shake his head when his wife mentioned Tokyo, and appeared to be in shock when I told him that I loved the history of Japan, particularly the military history. And this man didn't even know me, but when he was leaving he said, "If you go anytime soon, don't bother sending me a postcard! And DON'T drink the water over there!"
I was
furious the entire drive home. It's people exactly like that who make the people of other countries hate Americans. Bad water in Japan? Are they kidding?! Japan isn't some impoverished, third world shithole... Ugh.
So anyway, sorry I went off on a tangent, but I actually think the overall message of this movie is a good one. And I suppose the message is just that many different cultures need to coexist in this world. The film isn't about conflict between the cultures or races, not in my eyes, but it does tell stories that bring them all together in a sense.
As for your original question, it really depends. I haven't hated any of Iñárritu's films. I've actually enjoyed them. However, I would say that Babel, stylistic as it is, is actually more about substance than style, overall. I liked it. Go ahead and see it and make up your own mind.
