I have had enough!!!

Rating: 1/10 (6 January 2007)

I had an entirely different review for this movie written and posted, but after hearing more and more people comment on this "mystical, haunted wonderland of a movie", I had to re-write my comment, more out of anger than anything else. First, let me set some guidelines. This is a great movie. It was made with a lot of skill and talent, it is a different approach to story telling and there is a lot to be admired. However, one thing that I simply cannot stand anymore is how exponentially increasing masses of people keep calling this "one of the best fantasy's ever", "a dark and horrific, yet wonderfully creative trip down the rabbit hole". People, if this is one of the best fantasy's ever, or even of recent times, then all that means is our expectations of what a fantasy should be are sorely lacking. Throughout the entire movie, there are two, count them, TWO scenes that are pure fantasy, and neither one lasts more than perhaps four minutes. The rest of the fantasy takes place in real life situations with subtle hints of fantasy or one or two fantasy characters appearing to talk to the girl. Again, don't jump down my throat too quickly, these scenes are interesting to watch and for light touches of fantasy I think it was very well done, but by no means whatsoever can a movie that is 75% war drama and 25% fantasy, if that, be considered an "enchanting and mysterious fairy tale". If anything, it is a dark war drama with innovative and well crafted flairs of fantasy interwoven, but stop reviewing this movie in ways that are going to mislead people into thinking they are going to see a flood of creative and magical imagery!
Possible Spoilers
As a final point, I think the biggest flaw in this movie is that I couldn't help but feel all the mystical elements of the story were, in the end, pointless. They in no way connect to the real world and are more like interesting side notes into the delusions of a little girl while the real world ticks on around her. Say what you will about the themes about losing one's innocence, and how the fantasy might have been real, either way there is a feeling of disappointment when the girl drops dead at the end and we think, "why did she do all this again? What does this have to do with ANYTHING else we've seen in the movie?" I was looking for a greater sense of importance to the girl's story. Perhaps the writers weren't going for that, which is fine, but it would have made the movie more enjoyable for me.