The Loneliest Planet (2011)

Very low in the audience rankings at the IFFR. This is probably a slightly too radical film for many festival-goers, whereas the story and the presence of Gael Garcia Bernal (it's wonderful that he chose this role, by the way) actually lead one to expect an accessible film. I chose it mainly for the director, though. Loktev was on my regret list from the IFFR 2007; I should have seen Day Night Day Night back then.

This film is for those who found films like La Marea and Meek's Cutoff interesting, and perhaps also for fans of Gerry (although it is filmed much drier and the atmosphere is much more down-to-earth). The Loneliest Planet enters the story without explanation and does not have a perfectly rounded plot either. You see two hours of the adventurous trip of a successful, seemingly wealthy couple. The film is very raw and unadorned. A few events take place that change the atmosphere, but do not expect revolutions; nevertheless, those events reveal sides of the characters that were previously unknown, perhaps even to themselves. This is bare cinema, a stripped-down film. In many respects even more stripped down than the films mentioned. A film like a rippling river into which a stone is thrown a few times. Slower than slow, too, and virtually no plot.

You have to connect with it, and I really do. I found it a very enjoyable film; I was really in the flow, immersed in the atmosphere and the emotions. The film doesn't provide much information; that is up to the viewer. If you can't handle that, then this isn't for you. You'll probably be bored to death and left with frustrations. But for me, it was. I enjoyed it.

4.0*

Translated from Dutch · View original

Phew, that was a tough nut to crack. Extremely slow, endless shots that could easily have been four times shorter, very linear, little dialogue.

A couple is backpacking and hiking through Georgia and have grown fond of each other. The guide tells stories. After forty-five minutes, something happens and they no longer love each other. The second forty-five minutes is supposed to show how they slowly repair that. That's it. It is truly incredibly boring.

Besides the landscape, there is a clear highlight, and that is the acting: it feels incredibly natural and realistic, as if you are really watching along with them. But because virtually nothing happens, it does not elevate the film to the high level that could have been achieved with this.

Completely in line with that, the film goes to the credits at a completely random moment. A waste of time.

Translated from Dutch · View original

A young couple treks through the (desolate) mountains of Georgia led by a local guide. The young couple is in love, so we witness quite a bit of intimacy, both along the way and in that small tent. Then something happens that causes the harmonious mood between the two to shift, and the atmosphere turns grim.

Intriguing, you might think. And it certainly is. I wasn't bored for a single minute, even though very little actually happens. You really need to rewatch that turning point to fully grasp the point. And even then. The film promises a lot, but as far as I'm concerned, it delivered too little. It is striking that the film is rated so differently. Many four-star voters here, but the majority gives the film a failing grade. It is fine, though, that the viewer eventually starts to feel just as uncomfortable as the two travelers.

Translated from Dutch · View original