I hate to write this review because I'm a big Tarkovsky fan but, for whatever reason, this one didn't connect with me. So far I've seen all of his films apart from Ivan's Childhood and I thought Andrei Rublev and Stalker had a kind of bold and profound magic about them but I couldn't get into The Sacrifice, despite trying hard.
Tarkovsky is good at mixing contemplative dialogue with incredibly beautiful photography but here it felt like the script was turgid and maudlin, and there really wan't that much to be entranced by when it came to the visuals either. There were lots of long, dark interior shoots that came across as boring for some reason and it was only after I finished the movie that I realised it was due to a lack of Tarkovsky's usually rich sound palette - raindrops, wind, and so on.
Apart from the last scene, which is spectacular, The Sacrifice comes across as quiet, dull, and self-indulgent. I really wanted to like it and have been able to watch all the other Tarkovsky creations without pausing them, but with this one I kept having to take breaks. I just found it to be a slog.
Perhaps the subject matter didn't resonate with me. Maybe this was an older man's film, dealing with themes I can't yet relate to. Or there's a chance I am missing or misinterpreting something in the movie's themes or story. At any rate, and with reluctance, I have to give this a middling mark.
Tarkovsky is good at mixing contemplative dialogue with incredibly beautiful photography but here it felt like the script was turgid and maudlin, and there really wan't that much to be entranced by when it came to the visuals either. There were lots of long, dark interior shoots that came across as boring for some reason and it was only after I finished the movie that I realised it was due to a lack of Tarkovsky's usually rich sound palette - raindrops, wind, and so on.
Apart from the last scene, which is spectacular, The Sacrifice comes across as quiet, dull, and self-indulgent. I really wanted to like it and have been able to watch all the other Tarkovsky creations without pausing them, but with this one I kept having to take breaks. I just found it to be a slog.
Perhaps the subject matter didn't resonate with me. Maybe this was an older man's film, dealing with themes I can't yet relate to. Or there's a chance I am missing or misinterpreting something in the movie's themes or story. At any rate, and with reluctance, I have to give this a middling mark.