Thought-Provoking

Rating: 9/10 (25 November 2006)

This film is a beautiful exploration of the enigmatic topic of death, love and life. Aronofsky's handling of the film's metaphysical subject matter is captured to great precision in its form. There are obvious homage's or allusions to Kubrick's "2001..." masterpiece as this film strays from rationality and neat 'cause and effect' formations. This was very appropriate considering the various questions the film poses rather than answers. To read the film on a literal narrative level is somewhat possible, but this misses the point of the film. Aronofsky is more concerned with experience than coming to conclusions. To offer rational explanations for some of the pro-filmic events does not pose justice to the film's creative sensibility. The film explores the boundaries of editing and linearity, which is not new for this director. It is not a carbon copy of prior works, but is more of a challenging engagement with the viewer in how we watch or experience cinema differently than any other artistic medium.