All this beauty in continuum is almost an overdose. Terrence Malick’s remarkable The Tree of Life brought this controversial American filmmaker’s skills to the forefront so much so that he didn’t follow his past form and wait five or six years to make his next film: To The Wonder came hard on the heels of the winning Tree of Life and seems aimed to capitalize on the previous film’s popularity.
Starring Ben Affleck as Neil, a man caught between two alluring women (Olga Kurylenko from Quantum of Solace and Oblivion, and Rachel McAdams, recently seen in Midnight in Paris), the story loosely follows his trek as he moves from France to his Oklahoma hometown. The details are love, loss, children, parenthood, identity and sexuality. Reflecting his own doubts is Father Quintana (Javier Bardem), a priest who has his own problems.
To The Wonder couldn’t be made by anyone but Malick: it contains all of his trademarks – endless beautiful shots and scenes, people walking through fields touching the tops of wheat stalks and broad horizons stretching to infinity. He’s able to make even the most mundane landscape seem sculpted by the hand of God. But, like a dinner that features nothing but desserts, To The Wonder is a rich confection, almost too ravishing for its own good and so overwhelming in its symbolism that it could become a challenge to watch.
The DVD extras including a Making Of feature and an exclusive interview with Olga Kurylenko.
Watch the trailer for To The Wonder
Add comment