This is one of those movies that you either love or hate. Being a rather "artsy" film, it will hardly appeal to the majority. It's a film that requires much patience and understanding in the subtleties of human nature and emotion.
There are many things that are appealing to the senses and many things to take note of. The camera hardly moves, giving the audience a chance to explore and take in the entire scene. They're left to pay attention to whomever they wish for as long as the scene continues. The entire movie is drenched in a certain stillness; from the somewhat drab color tones to the soft-spokenness of the characters. Often times, scenes are simply shots of the landscape, accompanied by the song of birds or the crashing of waves against the shore.
The thing that I praise most about Archipelago is Hogg's ability to capture the subtle, mundane aspects of humanity. Whether it's the scene in which Edward accidentally steps on a book laying on the floor and mutters a quiet, quick apology while preoccupied with thoughts of straightening a picture on the wall or the frequent awkward silences between the family, all is done in such a tastefully boring but natural way that many directors and actors fail to capture it properly. For me, that alone is what made this movie so profound.
This movie has gotten a lot of undeserved criticism in which people have claimed it to be boring, trite, and too tedious in detail. I say, ignore the criticism and watch it for yourself before deciding whether you'll like it or hate it. This is definitely not a film to ever be overlooked.
There are many things that are appealing to the senses and many things to take note of. The camera hardly moves, giving the audience a chance to explore and take in the entire scene. They're left to pay attention to whomever they wish for as long as the scene continues. The entire movie is drenched in a certain stillness; from the somewhat drab color tones to the soft-spokenness of the characters. Often times, scenes are simply shots of the landscape, accompanied by the song of birds or the crashing of waves against the shore.
The thing that I praise most about Archipelago is Hogg's ability to capture the subtle, mundane aspects of humanity. Whether it's the scene in which Edward accidentally steps on a book laying on the floor and mutters a quiet, quick apology while preoccupied with thoughts of straightening a picture on the wall or the frequent awkward silences between the family, all is done in such a tastefully boring but natural way that many directors and actors fail to capture it properly. For me, that alone is what made this movie so profound.
This movie has gotten a lot of undeserved criticism in which people have claimed it to be boring, trite, and too tedious in detail. I say, ignore the criticism and watch it for yourself before deciding whether you'll like it or hate it. This is definitely not a film to ever be overlooked.