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Melancholia
| Released |
30 September 2011 |
| Director |
Lars von Trier |
Starring
|
Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlotte Rampling, John Hurt, Alexander Skarsgard, Stellan Skarsgard, Brady Corbet, Udo Kier |
| Writer(s) |
Lars von Trier |
Producer(s)
|
Meta Louise Foldager, Louise Vesth |
Origin
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Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany |
| Running Time |
136 minutes |
| Genre |
Drama, sci-fi |
| Rating |
15A |
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Distressingly brilliant.
Kirsten Dunst has had a strange career that has seen her emerge from a pre-teen sensation in Interview with a Vampire to a blockbuster babe with the Spider-Man franchise before conjuring up major flops like Marie Antoinette that, really, could have ruined her. Amazingly, the American is still only twenty-nine and Melancholia could ultimately prove to be her major breakthrough.
Melancholia is actually a sometimes overwhelming look at the potential end of the world through the eyes of a depressed soul. Upon an abrupt end to a marriage, Justine (Dunst) goes to live with her sister Claire's family to recover. As she struggles to overcome the simple chores in life, it is then revealed that a rogue planet named Melancholia, which had until now been concealed by the sun, is to fly near the Earth. In a clever twist, Claire becomes exhausted by the threat of Melancholia colliding with Earth –potentially causing the Apocalypse– while Justine transforms into the serene comforter as their potential fate awaits.
This film is artistically crafted with the utmost beauty while each character in the story is easily identifiable. The acting is real and remarkably honest in a way that gives you an insight into what may actually happen if Doomsday occurred. The fact that Justine, in her state of depression, is able to come to terms with the impending catastrophe with a clearer mind is a haunting reflection of the entire reel. The only drawback of the film could be its length with some scenes perhaps ruining the overall flow of the motion– but in the grand scheme of things the fault is relatively insignificant.
Dunst won the Best Actress Award at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival for her role as Justine and rightly so. Her connection with her own character was seamless and it will ultimately inflict emotions on the viewer. While this film is arguably the antithesis of a fairytale and therefore will not suit everyone's tastes, Melancholia is a must see if you are a lover of cinema and enjoy a fascination for science fiction.
-
David Caulfield |
