Film Review
This film is a modern retelling of the famous Greek legend where the god Zeus assumes
human form to seduce a mortal woman by impersonating her husband. As the film's
gentle introduction suggests, through a simple parable, this is a film which explores
the disturbing and profound issue of what human existence is for in a godless universe.
This is certainly not Godard's most accessible film and it would be easy to dismiss it
as confused, incoherent nonsense. There is no strong central narrative, all of the
principal characters are eerily detached and underdeveloped, and some of the quirky Godardisms
(such as the voice of the mysterious god-like being, reminiscent of the computer in
Alphaville
) are a little off-putting. Despite that, this remains a strangely fascinating
and profound work of cinema which further confounds the enigma that is Jean-Luc Godard.
This is probably one of those films which you have to watch at least five times to appreciate
fully. But, for the patient, it is a film worth seeing. It broaches themes
which are major concerns for society, indeed for humanity, themes which have growing importance
as our world becomes more mechanised and atheistic. Human existence has some meaning
- must have some meaning - but in a universe where there is no God, where mankind has
the power to explain so much, what can that meaning be? It is a question which this
film scarcely begins to answer, but it is all the more remarkable for what it does manage
to say, because so few other film directors are prepared to venture down this avenue.
© James Travers 2000
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Next Jean-Luc Godard film:
Éloge de l'amour (2001)
Film Synopsis
On the sedate banks of Lake Geneva in Switzerland, a community of people
lead an idyllic life. These include Simon and Rachel Donnadieu, the
owners of a popular restaurant. Recently arrived in the region is a
publisher named Abraham Klimt, who is making inquiries into a strange tale
he heard about involving a couple in the area. Klimt becomes both fascinated
and confused by the responses he gets when he raises the matter with the
locals. The latter offer markedly differing accounts of the same bizarre
story, and it is hard to know where the truth ends and fantasy takes over.
The story begins as follows...
One evening, Simon is called away on a business matter and when he returns
he appears to have changed. In fact, this isn't Simon but a god-like
being that has assumed his physical likeness in order to experience the human
sensations of love and all that goes with it - desire, longing, pleasure
and suffering. To show his gratitude to Rachel, the mysterious being offers
to make her immortal. If she refuses, what else has she left to offer
her god? Klimt's determined quest ends in frustration, with several
fragments of the intriguing tale seeming lost. The mystery unresolved,
the publisher returns home empty-handed...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.