The Tree Of Life, Terrence Malick (Dir.)

In the build-up to Terrence Malick’s fourth film in forty years I was becoming readily convinced that The Tree Of Life had the makings of one of the best films of our lifetime. With shots immediately comparable with Kubrick’s ground-breaking 2001: A Space Odyssey, a cast including a weathered-looking Sean Penn and a mature Brad Pitt, not to mention the dinosaurs; The Tree Of Life looked truly seminal.

            Having seen it, I still believe that The Tree Of Life had the potential to be such a film – but sadly it is not. There’s no denying that the visuals are impressive. The cosmic scenes do in fact bring back memories of the final half an hour of Space Odyssey, but the visuals in themselves are not where the problem lies. The missing element lies in tying these scenes of grandeur depicting the creation of the universe to both the adult Sean Penn-character and the family of his childhood. Although the possibility of some truly fascinating ideas lies in such a connection (Is this film a message to God? Is it a comparison between the universe itself and the tiny-in-comparison lives of one very human family? Is it semi-biography of Malick’s own childhood?), what is needed is a little more clarity. This may seem a trivial point, after all this is Terrence Malick and what he does best is films with subtle meanings and hidden agendas. However, in this instance I believe the film would benefit from making it a little more obvious what it is that it is trying to say. After this film’s release, Penn himself made it clear he wasn’t entirely sure how it all added up and even expressed a little doubt as to whether Malick himself knew for sure what his message was. When the cast themselves aren’t sure what’s going on, what hope do we have?

            Yet, having said all of this I cannot deny my own joy at indulging in such a cinematic exhibition. This is a film that is, regardless of its unclear agenda, a stunning display of visual effects - like watching the iTunes visualizer while someone recites poetry in your ear. It is an appropriate display of what contemporary cinema can do. My own interpretation of the film is that it is quite simply a biography of life itself. We are shown how life began, how it progresses and finally what it all leads to; whilst rejoicing in what happens along the way. If nothing else, The Tree Of Life does show how much beauty can be found in not just the far reaches of space but in your own backyard. In every blade of grass, every drop of water and on every individual’s face, Malick finds the spectacular. For that, at least, he deserves to be praised. 


Etep