Genre: Adult Esoteric (aka Weird)
Running Time: 2:13 (45 minutes too long)
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlotte Rampling, John Hurt
Lars von Trier brings us a psychological science fiction tale that left me dazed and confused. The opening is reminiscent of the bone-to-spaceship scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey: beautifully shot sequences with terrific imagery and powerful, loud music. But, I am convinced that if one critic dared to dismiss this film "too long, too self-important, and too morose" he/she would get drummed out of the LA writers' guild and kiss goodbye any hope of primo seats at Bobbie Flay's.
Maybe my tastes run too simple, but this film was too long, too self-important and too morose.
The story centers around the wedding of a troubled Kirsten Dunst. Her sister (Gainsbourg) and brother-in-law (Sutherland) are throwing this very, very expensive wedding on her behalf at their grandiose estate complete with riding horses, an 18-hole golf course, beautiful gardens, large lake, and multiple servants. Dunst is a roller coaster of emotions and her family is as dysfunctional as The Munsters. As the wedding and its aftermath spin out of control, we learn that good ol' Mother Earth is in danger of colliding with another planet, "Melancholia," previously hidden by the sun. Dunst senses that it is the end of the world and this does not help her mood one bit.
The last 30 minutes of the film are suspenseful, but even two gratuitous Dunst nude scenes are not worth plodding through the first 1:40. I suspect that Dunst will get a few statues for her efforts because she acts moody, looks pale and gets naked. Suffice to say, I wasn't all that upset with the ending. Sorry.
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