Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu's “Babel” is an artfully crafted poetic film. A bullet fired by two sons of a goat herdsman smashes through a window on the bus into the shoulder of an American tourist on holiday with her husband to patch up their shaky marriage.
Meanwhile their two children are back home in California where they are under the care of a Mexican servant whose nephew is getting married across the border near Tijuana and she decides to take the children with her to the wedding.
All the characters face situations where their relationships with their loved ones are tested and bring out the message “Pain is universal... But so is hope.”
Fine elements
The characters are totally convincing and the actors are a wonder to watch, absolutely convincing that their struggles are real. The lives, wants, losses and probability for redemption that befell each main character are very poignant.
The settings are fascinating. The glamour, colour and noise of Tokyo are brilliantly thrown into relief by seeing it through the eyes of the teenage deaf-mute girl.
Then the complete contrast of the life of a family in Morocco that seems unchanged for years. The cinematography of Babel is artistic and dazzling. Variations are shown through the long shots and close-ups. The camera work is sheer poetry.
The soundtrack composed by Gustavo Santaolalla is the soul of the movie. It is an added attraction for this work of art. The music reflects different cultures through the various sound tracks.
The sound effects used in this movie are remarkable. Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu once again proves that he is a master storyteller. The writing is superb and it is beautifully narrated. It is well paced and the dialogues are very effective and thought provoking.
Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu's mix of realism and fiction is evident in all his movies, which make his works engaging and appealing all over the world.
Bottomline: A Powerful Conclusion to Iñárritu's Trilogy. A must watch.
Raja R.B. Sc Visual Communication, S. R. M. ArtsScience College
