An Unfortuneate Miss

Rating: 6/10 (4 December 2007)

Loved Pi and Requiem for a Dream. Read TIME's favorable review and rented this with lofty expectations. Sorely disappointed.
Looking over all these private reviews, most folk either loved or hated this film. I am sympathetic to both camps. The film was a visual beauty and sad even if you were struggling to figure things out. On the other hand, there were tons of plot details thrown in demanding consideration but making little sense.
Clearly, the Inquisition/Conquistador portion is Izzi's book and the space bubble travel is the end - or part - of the sequence. But did Tom write the ending?; i.e., "finish it"? If so, why does Izzi appear in the bubble; e.g., she cannot be a character in her own book! When does Tom learn to accept death? Upon HIS death? He surely has no change of heart during his lifetime and shows no inclination to "finish" the book! Why does the Mayan priest, a character in Izzi's book see, acknowledge, etc., Tom the Space Traveler as "Father"?
For the first two-thirds of the film, I was struggling with a plot idea that this was science fantasy or science fiction. Since Tom Scientist has found a magical South American substance I was justified in thinking the "Tree of Life" would become a physical plot devise and its transport in space was akin to the slab in 2001 Space Oddessey. Also that Izzi has actually been the Queen of Spain and lived 450 years before writing an autobiographical book and, finally, acknowledging that death is part of life and accepting such. Tom Scientist's discovery of the magical substance and his obsession with such supports this idea. This, ultimately, does not appear to be Aranosky's intent, though it is a no less cohesive take on what Darin DID have in mind.
I can believe some of the user reviews mentioning that film audiences audibly groaned at some points and/or laughed at parts were such was not intended. Mr. Aranosky should not dismiss such reactions, nor the cry that the film is confusing. That is poor film making. On the upbeat, this guy has made some excellent films and certainly will do such again.