Review: The Tree of Life (2011)

For the lay audience, maybe the name of Terrence Malick is a bit strange. The film directives can actually be counted on the fingers. But the festive greetings he gets from critics make Malick's name a prestigious name as a director. The Tree of Life itself is the 6th movie in which Malick is actively sitting in the director's chair. The film before this was The New World in 2005, 6 years ago. It's no surprise that Malick has a long distance on his works, maybe a decade of a movie. The Tree of Life (hereafter referred to as ToL) is actually scheduled for release in 2009, delayed to 2010 until then only completely resolved in 2011. Got the opportunity to be included in the Cannes Film Festival competition, ToL won the highest award of the festival the most prestigious film in the world, the Palme d'Or or the Golden Palm. Although when it first aired, the critics were divided into two camps. Some are cheering him up, some are killing him half-dead. Cheers were sprinkled with scorn. Some even think that ToL got Golden Palm just because so 'besar' this film in terms of prestige and factor 'Malick-ness'. Finally yesterday, with the desperation and waiting, I had the opportunity to enjoy this movie on the big screen. And I seem to understand why this movie gets contradictory opinions.

Anyone ever said on twitter (forgot, @ jokoanwar is not ya?) If watching ToL is like watching poetry, and it is true statement. When other films tell their contents through narrative and dialogue, ToL brings more to the image language. It's like bringing a poem and turning it into a live action movie. Through pictures with nice angles, dynamic camera movements and really reflect the 'live' really, ToL presents a clear viewing experience different from most films. The story of this movie is berinti on the family O'Brien. How their daily activities, their interactions both inside and outside the home, to how they question the meaning of life to God. And there are also inserts about the formation of the world in a sequence that is decorated with pictures like wallpaper, and if my friend said, the pictures used ESQ hahaha. I myself, very much like the childhood story of Jack O'Brien, played by Sean Penn (adult) and Hunter McCracken who plays young Jack. Through the chronicle, the process of growing and growing up Jack along with his two younger brothers. Starting from birth, begin to walk, swim, play, interact with neighbors and the people around him, arise interest in the opposite sex, increase curiosity, rebel, see a criminal, the meaning of being a brother and a child, to witness a death. All are displayed through minimal dialogue scenes and only rest on the power of scene, camera and acting by each actor.

In addition, the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien (Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain) with their children, how to use each, the opposite, in dealing with the activities of his children. His father who has a hard attitude, shown somewhat hypocrite and felt the most correct. Her mother is softer and loving. But both are shown to have very affection for their children. There is a personal thing from this story, maybe remembering my relationship with parents like-so, eh but not as extreme here. I never ask God why not kill my dad's father so hate, as did Jack. Jack, who had been distressed by his father's fierce attitude, began to rebel, but in the end he realized that he should be a better person than his father. Well this is where I really like the choices taken by young Jack. There is a quote that I do not know where; 'You are getting older and wiser when you have realized your parents' flaw but still forgive them for it', about kayak gitu is (I think different bit). The quote fit perfectly with Jack's mood at the time. When he realizes that 'violence' is not what he wants on him, considering he does not like his father's hard attitude too. And oiya, Hunter McCracken as young Jack is the star of this real movie. Amazing performance! In addition to McCracken, Brad Pitt played pretty good (honestly never satisfied 100% with acting doi, sori bro!), Jessica Chastain is very emotional, Sean Penn ... really seems to be a patch yah hehe

Early in the film, Terrence Malick presents a sequence of formations and evolutions that occur on earth. The pictures are amazingly artistically presented captivately by Emmanuel Lubezki. Not forgetting the strange and fascinating score of the game which was arranged by Alexandre Desplat and the special effect of Douglas Trumbull. It is hard to let the eyes see the 'natural wonder'. But unfortunately, despite showing a treat that 'breathtakingly beautiful', I felt a little disturbed with a long duration. That's one of the most challenging things in watching this movie. As a stand-alone work, the sequence has a very attractive level of beauty. But if for me a little less clear and a little wordy. Perhaps a little bit absurd is the sudden appearance of a dinosaur in this drama. For spectators who do not follow the 'journey' reviews of this movie would be very surprised because it suddenly appeared out of nowhere. And counted about 15 people walked out when watching this movie. I'm not judging them, because indeed watching this movie needs the right intentions and mood. When you understand and enjoy this movie does not mean lo 'pretentious', and when lo hate it, do not mean lo taste bad. As already mentioned, experimental films like this are not for everyone. IMHO anyway, try if om Malick does not use that part, or at least shortened it, as a result I would prefer this movie because I really love and touched with the story of O'Brien's family.

Overview: Tree of Life is about a lot of things. Maturity, sincerity, nature, emotion, family, until death, regret and forgiveness. Like a branching tree, all combined in a big trunk called 'life'. Well, that's my amateurish interpression of the tree of life itself. I think the description of 'life' described on the character of the O'Brien family is genius and dalem really. Although I feel annoyed with the beginning and a bit confused at the end (which although actually impressive but really like ending LOST hehe tv series). A number of very artistic shots are seen to symbolize the meanings in it. But let me if I can not understand the meaning of the picture completely, what is meant by Malick, it will grow on me, hopefully. And indeed, Tree of Life is about many things, what I can tangkep mean can be very different with other people. Indeed it seems the privilege of films like this. Nevertheless, witnessing ToL is a unique and amazing cinematic experience. An experience that seems to have started a rare, ie watching an 'experimental' movie like this on a big screen, especially in Indonesia. So I think it's really lucky that I can take myself to nntn ToL directly in the cinema. It's a rare privilege indeed.