I have always been fascinated by the Amazon and the people that have taken up living there. It's one of the few places that is relatively untouched by modern society. And it remains a rather dangerous but exquisite place. One thing that this film did with its pristine setting was suck the color from it. This was a pretty interesting choice. Sucking the color and life, if you will, out of one of the biggest natural areas in the world. And the choice works very well with the film. It seems to be a choice that tells you that this is not a pretty movie. It's not like 'The Jungle Book' where you can gawk at the bright, vibrant landscapes.
No, this is one film that doesn't want you to view it as beautiful. While there are still plenty of jaw dropping shots in the film, they are all captured in high contrast black and white. Not only that but everything is kept fairly close to the main characters. Giving it an almost documentary vibe.
It was a choice that benefits the film significantly. By doing this I can tell that the films director really has a passion for the material. He wants you to know this story in the most realistic way possible. And I very much respect his dedication. As well as all the actors perseverance in this, presumably, harsh environment.
It also helps the message that the film is trying to get across. It talks about race and coming to together, but also about friendship. And how that friendship can transcend decades and lead to helping other colleges of that person. This is what struck me most about 'Embrace of the Serpent.
But the film has a very hard time balancing it all. This is in large part due to it's rather nonexistent story. It revolves around a scientist or two and a native man. They partner together to try and find a rare healing plant. That is pretty much it. Of course they run into other natives and some settlers but aside from this, there is very little actually happening in this film.
Watching a couple of people bicker and quickly make up really only goes so far. With a two plus hour run time this gets very tedious. There are many scenes that seem to have no other purpose than to fill time. This makes for really really uneven pacing. And really really boring scenes.
When there isn't a whole lot of character and a very thin story it's extremely difficult to care about what is going on. For that reason, I found myself checking my watch more than in the three hour 'Hateful Eight'. While this is certainly a technical marvel, and a very original one at that, there just is not enough happening to denote this long of a run time. Its story is thin, the pace uneven, and it's very difficult to care about what is going on. Unless you absolutely love subject matter like this, steer clear.
No, this is one film that doesn't want you to view it as beautiful. While there are still plenty of jaw dropping shots in the film, they are all captured in high contrast black and white. Not only that but everything is kept fairly close to the main characters. Giving it an almost documentary vibe.
It was a choice that benefits the film significantly. By doing this I can tell that the films director really has a passion for the material. He wants you to know this story in the most realistic way possible. And I very much respect his dedication. As well as all the actors perseverance in this, presumably, harsh environment.
It also helps the message that the film is trying to get across. It talks about race and coming to together, but also about friendship. And how that friendship can transcend decades and lead to helping other colleges of that person. This is what struck me most about 'Embrace of the Serpent.
But the film has a very hard time balancing it all. This is in large part due to it's rather nonexistent story. It revolves around a scientist or two and a native man. They partner together to try and find a rare healing plant. That is pretty much it. Of course they run into other natives and some settlers but aside from this, there is very little actually happening in this film.
Watching a couple of people bicker and quickly make up really only goes so far. With a two plus hour run time this gets very tedious. There are many scenes that seem to have no other purpose than to fill time. This makes for really really uneven pacing. And really really boring scenes.
When there isn't a whole lot of character and a very thin story it's extremely difficult to care about what is going on. For that reason, I found myself checking my watch more than in the three hour 'Hateful Eight'. While this is certainly a technical marvel, and a very original one at that, there just is not enough happening to denote this long of a run time. Its story is thin, the pace uneven, and it's very difficult to care about what is going on. Unless you absolutely love subject matter like this, steer clear.