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One of my personal favorite types of movie is the escape film, some of my favorite films could be called escape films. It says something that I rank this as the best of them. It's style could best be described as minimalist, but this doesn't detract from the suspense at hand. If anything the minimalism only adds to enhance the movies realism, and feelings of believability. You buy into the main character's struggle for freedom. The minimalist approach also allows the movie to be immensely economic in its approach to storytelling. It doesn't feel like any scenes aren't serving the movie thematically or to develop the plot, everything is perfectly presented and developed. The film is a triumph of pacing and tight storytelling, but it should also be praised for the genuine hope the movie has for humanity, and one of the most powerful portrayls of perseverance ever put to film.

Yeelen is a film that's very difficult to describe, and that wouldn't sound appealing to most even if one can. One thing that can't be denied however is that it's fascinating, not just the events in the movie itself but the experience of watching it. The oddly dynamic and hypnotic visuals, strange often abstract plot, and complete antipathy towards traditional western standards of storytelling. At first I wasn't sure what to make of the film, but when I witnessed the films final shot I came to appreciate it. Maybe not understand it all thematically, but appreciate it none the less. It certainly made me curious to learn more about African cinema. And ignoring the story entirely the movie still works on a purely technical standpoint, gorgeous cinematography especially.

When people criticize this film it's inevitable that the animation is brought up first, but if anything someone of the backgrounds look quite nice. Yes the actual character models and the way they move is uncanny to say the least, but the story and characterization is so much worse. I say characterization as if there is any at all, which there isn't. Character relationships feel forced and unearned. We know so little about the characters relationship with his mother, far too little to care. The movies attempts to build a romantic pairing between two supporting characters came out of nowhere, it legitimately felt like an afterthought. The movies storyline lacks any imagination or creativity, has no well defined characters, and no strong emotional core. This is especially troublesome since it's supposed to be an emotional story about a boy reconnecting with his mother. In short this film is a storytelling failure as much as a visual one. I can complement some of the backgrounds, and it didn't leave me confused like the worst bad movies, but that certainly can't be a recommendation.