18heavenly

The film versions of Michel Houellebecq's novels are a sorry lot. The German filming of Elementary Particles comes out as a cheap TV movie, name actors notwithstanding. This film, helmed by the novelist himself, proves that the author may not be the smartest interpreter of his own work. If Mr. H. weren't a star, there's no way any producer would allow the release of his film in this shape. If you haven't read the book, I can't imagine what can you make of this abortion of a film.

In deciding what to include from the book Mr. H. chose to make do without the core part of the book, the story of the "contemporary" Daniel. This robs the remaining sci fi/cult conceit of any deeper meaning and the story of the future "neo-human" Daniel is worthless without its human contrapunt. He focused instead on the part taking place in the Canary Islands, which is the least essential for the whole story.

The actors are mostly well chosen for their types, but only if you know the book - they have almost nothing to do in the movie. I wonder why I am giving it even 3 stars - perhaps for some impressive sceneries and for one or two dialogs that work. The result reminds anybody who would forget that cinematic storytelling is a craft as well as art, and you can't break the rules of the craft without consequence.

This is a very difficult film to describe, because the description of the goings-on on the screen won't get you very far. The director denies you any conventional narrative that would give you access to the characters' motivation. They themselves don't know what drives them, what do they want or what will hit them; that's the key.

It reminded me of Antonioni more than any other film I have seen. Just like Antonioni, it seemed initially boring, but then I noticed that time was running faster than I had felt. Just like Antonioni, the cinematography is meticulously composed, with characters often sharing spotlight with objects or panoramas. Towards the end Sophie is overwhelmed with profound sadness whose source she cannot fully pinpoint, as in L'Avventura, and eventually she completely vanishes from view, just like in L'Eclisse.

Apologies for describing the film as "just like the Great Master XY", I can't stand this kind of lazy reviewing myself, but somehow the film was like an object that is too close for me to see in its entirety. It has all the hallmarks of an art-house bore - lack of plot, lack of glamorous characters, alienation, etc., but I wasn't bored. It forced me to stop and watch, and conclude that this film probably has more to say about our world than any number of films full of profound "statements".

Of course that doesn't mean that many people won't be bored, just like with Antonioni.