FILMBRATS - REVIEWS

That famous story goes that Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden after eating the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. This film supposes that they stole from the Tree of Life as well and the two are now immortal. They are destined to live forever, watching the world change around them. Their boredom starts to overtake them and they begin toying with mortal lives just to pass the time. However, more than anything, they’re looking for a way to die, a way to escape this unspeakable hell called life.

This movie was pretty interesting. It’s a unique experiment in form and substance. There is very little dialogue, especially in the beginning. The silence is off-putting at first, but then becomes acceptable. As soon as characters do begin to talk (at least ten minutes in), it’s quite jarring and a little awkward. The mix of silence and not takes some getting used to, if it happens at all. My preference would be to avoid all dialogue by the main characters. It’s okay if the actual citizens speak, because they have to. I would think that Adam and Eve would have gotten to a point within their relationship and understanding of one another that they wouldn’t need words. They should be beyond that. Combine these awkward gaps with the lingering shots/sequences and the blurry nature of time, and you get a movie that’s a little bit too experimental to be considered an effective narrative. On the same note, it’s also a little too narrative to be considered an effective experimental film.

Since it’s telling the story of the first man and woman, you might expect a little nudity. After all, they entered the world without any clothes on, and they most likely feel most comfortable that way still. There are many scenes that invoke nakedness and some that include it without the proper motivation. No matter how it comes about, it becomes nothing, just like in “The Dreamers.”

Basically, the film takes too long to develop into anything interesting. We quickly understand that eternal life is boring and miserable. At least they get to stay young and fresh (unlike in “Death Becomes Her”). I would have liked to see God used as a character and see how he deals with these two. It’s tough to get involved in the movie, when it takes a half hour to form a recognizable narrative thread.

The cinematography looks fantastic. There are great, vibrant pastel colors mixed in with the murky backdrops of the city, which makes for an interesting landscape. The set pieces are very detailed and even the costumes showcase the boredom they are faced with. It’s quite creative and provides plenty of eye candy. But this mix of experimental and narrative forms gives director Iván Avila Dueñas an air of pretentiousness. The movie was good, but it could have been great.

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