I am *not* homophobic but...

Rating: 4/10 (7 August 2006)

Its very hard to critique movies that everyone else seems to love, especially if they deal with controversial themes. I for one, did not like Brokeback Mountain at all. Of course, as soon as I say this everyone naturally assumes I'm a homophobe. This is entirely unfair. For years I've been a huge fan of Pedro Almodovar and Gus Van Sant. Both directors have dealt with homosexual themes years before Heath Ledger, Jake Gylenhaal and Ang Lee ever even set up their first shot. My Own Private Idaho deals again with the theme of homosexuality and is far superior to Brokeback for a number of reasons. For a start, I think its hard to see any love at all between the movie's two central protagonists Jack and Ennis. The very fact that two heart-throbs were cast as homosexual lovers makes me think that maybe they were more attracted to each other's body than anything else. Also there is really no connection between the two leads before they first have sexual intercourse. The two seem to be in lust, not love. The fact that Jack goes to visit a Mexican hooker in order to fulfill his desires seems to suggest he's really only addicted to sex. He doesn't need Ennis; he just needs anyone to relieve his sexual longing.
Then again maybe the movie just didn't strike a chord with me personally. The ending which many found tragic (a woman sitting next to me was crying so hard she actually had to leave the cinema) left me cold. I didn't respond to the characters at all. The direction I found rather flat: the landscape seemed to do all the work for Ang Lee. He was just very lucky with where he set up all his shots.
So in conclusion please do not label me as homophobic. Is it wrong to dislike a film because it deals with gay characters? Does that mean that any movie, no matter how terrible that contains the theme of homosexuality should be left uncritiqued?