Byzantium (2013)
On a superficial, deeply gay level, the reason I watched Byzantium is that Gemma Arterton is out of this world gorgeous and she spends chunk of this movie wearing lingerie and killing people (not necessarily at the same time).
The movie itself is a softer, quieter take on the traditional vampire story. Two vampire sisters tackle the world together, attempting to remain undiscovered. Neil Jordan, who directed it, also adapted Interview with a Vampire and while I haven’t seen that one, I’ve heard they share a lot of the same DNA. It’s beautifully shot, and the balance between period segments and the modern day is nicely done so that it isn’t overwhelmingly a period drama. All that said, there are times when it feels overwhelmingly like something else: a teenage melodrama. It’s definitely not a byproduct of the story’s feminine energy, but rather of how the material is handled - centuries old characters act, at times, like fifteen year olds and their views of romance are dragged into the centre of stories where far more intriguing things are happening.
I am also not a fan of how heavily rape plays into the narrative. Rape as drama is not my bag because it is lazy, overplayed and a part of a greater patriarchal structure, and while I understood the purpose it served in Byzantium, it goes so beyond the point of (eugh) shock or (eugh) drama or even an understandable historic context. Sure, it serves its purpose as a point of distinctly gendered tragedy, but as a singular source of tragedy it detracts focus from the relationship between these two fascinating, well-acted female leads that is generally so much more interesting and emotional.
I wish the negative points about Byzantium didn't stand out to me like such sore thumbs. The world of the film itself is gorgeous and rich, and as I mentioned, the acting is wonderful. Saoirse Ronan is way more talented than some of the roles she's taken (The Host was, notably, atrocious), and Gemma Arterton always balances poise with this distinct roughness that works so well with a lot of her characters, including this one.
Rating: 6/10 - A well made movie with some gorgeous imagery (that blood waterfall was absolutely stunning) but ended up over-reliant on some less successful elements.
The movie itself is a softer, quieter take on the traditional vampire story. Two vampire sisters tackle the world together, attempting to remain undiscovered. Neil Jordan, who directed it, also adapted Interview with a Vampire and while I haven’t seen that one, I’ve heard they share a lot of the same DNA. It’s beautifully shot, and the balance between period segments and the modern day is nicely done so that it isn’t overwhelmingly a period drama. All that said, there are times when it feels overwhelmingly like something else: a teenage melodrama. It’s definitely not a byproduct of the story’s feminine energy, but rather of how the material is handled - centuries old characters act, at times, like fifteen year olds and their views of romance are dragged into the centre of stories where far more intriguing things are happening.
I am also not a fan of how heavily rape plays into the narrative. Rape as drama is not my bag because it is lazy, overplayed and a part of a greater patriarchal structure, and while I understood the purpose it served in Byzantium, it goes so beyond the point of (eugh) shock or (eugh) drama or even an understandable historic context. Sure, it serves its purpose as a point of distinctly gendered tragedy, but as a singular source of tragedy it detracts focus from the relationship between these two fascinating, well-acted female leads that is generally so much more interesting and emotional.
I wish the negative points about Byzantium didn't stand out to me like such sore thumbs. The world of the film itself is gorgeous and rich, and as I mentioned, the acting is wonderful. Saoirse Ronan is way more talented than some of the roles she's taken (The Host was, notably, atrocious), and Gemma Arterton always balances poise with this distinct roughness that works so well with a lot of her characters, including this one.
Rating: 6/10 - A well made movie with some gorgeous imagery (that blood waterfall was absolutely stunning) but ended up over-reliant on some less successful elements.
Comments
Post a Comment