Reminds us of the heights that cinema can soar to

Rating: 10/10 (11 January 2015)

In Birdman's opening moments then we are introduced to Regan (Kearon) as he meditates in his underwear and levitating a few feet off the ground. It is a rare moment of tranquillity that he rarely gets throughout the film. But it is not long before the Skype alarm goes off and he is thrown back into a world that continuously mounts the pressures upon him as he tries to mount a stage show to revive his career and reclaim his former glory he had when he played the hero Birdman.
It is this lurking shadow that appears to haunt the entire film with his conscience acting as a dark reminder of how far gone his heyday is. As he looks to the sky he imagines soaring once more to the heights he previously had above everyone else in the world. On top of which he constantly tackles the fears that this stage show is going to be a failure and he no longer has a true place with the fear that he just doesn't matter any more.The film makes some interesting statements on both the current nature of modern cinema (with his thoughts telling him that all people want now is explosions and monsters) with the desire to be respected and validated as an actor but fearing he will never get this recognition he deserves. As these pressures build with the constant drumming that follow us throughout the film, we are brought to boiling point as we witness the pressures that past fame can be and the dark daemons it can create.
Iñárritu's vision of combining the entire film into what appears to be a single continuous shot is one of the most ambitious pieces of filmmaking in recent years. Just like any theatre production there is no chance for error with every actor, every prop and the camera movement having to work to be perfectly timed so as not to ruin these long takes. In spite of all this risk the film is carried out near flawlessly with all the comedic timing performed incredibly with not a single moment wasted in the film, constantly passing from scene to scene seamlessly. It's a mixture of technical mastery and cinematic genius that Iñárritu has used to create this masterpiece as through these shots he can switch from showing us Regan's reality before transitioning to beautiful and at times dark fantasies as the film blurs the line between the two and throws us in to the constantly shifting mental state of our protagonist as he longs to fly again to the heights he once flew.
With the long continuous shots there are many times in the film where the film focuses on nothing but the actors performance to guide the scene. Fortunately the entire cast were up to the challenge with every member of the cast giving a standout performance. Though it must be said that Keaton particularly gives the performance of a life time. Obviously Keatons background as the caped crusader and the many parallels between Keaton's life and the character creates an additional element of relevance. But what really makes him perfect for the role is how he incredibly matches both the comedic tones and the emotional hardships that the script calls for. Throughout every scene Keaton nails everything in the script going from a silly clown one minute walking merrily down the street in nothing but his underwear to becoming an emotional wreck questioning his entire production in the very next scene. The film clearly hinged on getting a spectacular lead and without a doubt they got one in Keaton.
Every actor assembled similarly gives a career high performance, with each deserving all the acclaim that can be given. They all handle the long takes in stride ensuring that every line delivers the comedic or emotional punch that the scene calls for. And the script is perfect at facilitating these masterful performances ensuring that each character gets a stand out moment ranging from Stone's emotional explosion as she tells her father that he doesn't matter to Norton fighting Regan in his underwear. Each character in the film is well fleshed out even taking the highlight off Keaton at points.
Dark, emotional and constantly funny, Birdman is astonishing. It's flawless performances mixed with Iñárritu's visually stunning style to create what is nothing short of a masterpiece that reminds us the unbreakable limits that cinema can soar to.