A Journey at The Heart of Darkness

Rating: 10/10 (24 January 2009)

The Beach is my all time favorite movie. Ironically, the first time I saw it, I was disappointed. The problem was that the studios were marketing this film like an action movie, which in many ways it can be, but it's so much more than that. This is the reason why this probably should've been an indie film rather than a major studio one. But anyways, here's what I think of the film:
To me this is not far from a Kubrik or Terry Gilliam film in the sense that it's more than just a movie, it's an experience. A journey into the human soul, into the human condition. And sometimes, this is a dark place. And sometimes it hurts. And sometimes you're running around in the jungle aimlessly, imagining yourself right in the midst of a video game. This is truly a movie that holds up after the years and gets better and better with each viewing. You start to slowly pick up on all the subtle nuances and begin to understand how complex and sophisticated this movie actually is despite all its flaws. And even when it's flawed, it's flawed in the most seductive of ways. Leo is spectacular. Far from the sweet, iconic, almost surreal Jack Dawson, Richard is a real person. He's dark, he's selfish, he's cocky, at times we hate him, at times we love him, he's tortured, tormented, he's a lonely soul in search of redemption. He's the ultimate antihero. I admire Leo DiCaprio for taking on that sort of role right after the madness that was Titanic (the best movie of all times). The film also heavily references Apocalypse Now, Deer Hunter, Rambo and Lord of The Flies in a really intelligent way. Like our brains have become so fried from television, films and video games that no matter where we go and what we do, this is who we are: a media hazed generation.
Watch this film and remember to "just keep your mind open and suck in the experience. And if it hurts, It's probably worth it", "there is so much here to inspire us..."