The most intellectually satisfying film since Kubrick

Rating: 8/10 (4 March 2001)

One thing I enjoyed about this film is that it takes the mystery and intensity of its plot and allows it to build slowly and purposely leaves holes for the audience's mind to play in. The black and white photography clearly delineates the black and white world of numbers and mathematics that both enslaves and fascinates the lead character, Max Cohen. But the film has the true mark of an artistic endeavor in that it does not attempt to be easily understood or understood at first viewing but allows several possible definitions.
Aronofsky cleverly mimics his own storyline in his storyline, in other words the mystery of mathematical patterns within every aspect of life is mimicked in the patterned editing and layout of the film. It would be interesting to know if there was an intentional meaning to the editing patterns and repetitions in the film. I suspect that there is.
However the best aspect of the film is the freedom it allows the audience to mull and think on the aspects that the film introduces. Does chaos exist or is it simply a maddeningly complex system of patterns? IS mathematic the only language? What the hell are numbers anyway, symbols for what? All in all an excellent film.