Babel - Review

Comment on “Babel”

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1. DS Says:
   October 11th, 2006 at 22:07

   Josh you couldn't find it? REally? Misunderstanding each other due to language could not be pushed more to the surface of this movie without making it retardedly simple, on all levels of all relationships. This is one of the best movies and most important movies I've seen in a while because of it's unpretentious, subtle patterns and intensely built relationships. There was a guy in the theatre who put it best, as he was getting out of his seat: "I feel like I just took my first breath in 2 hours."

1. Josh Says:
   November 6th, 2006 at 04:25

   Sounds like your "guy in the theater" has a a bad case of sleep apnea to me.
   
   You're going to have to point out all these linguistic misunderstandings to me.
   
   Let's take the center of the whole movie. A woman is shot in the desert. How did language barriers cause her to be shot? Cultural differences? Anything? No, she was shot because a kid was stupid. End of story.
   
   The movie's not nearly as deep as it pretends to be. It does however, seem to go out of its way to tell the audience how important it is.
   

1. Victorio Santollo Says:
   December 5th, 2006 at 19:58

   Babel review by Victorio Santollo, Los Angeles, CA Nov. 2006
   
   This film is without question one of the most shabbily executed efforts by a director I have ever had the displeasure of experiencing. The film should be classified as torture under the Geneva Convention. Babel fails at every level, its sophomoric attempt to be "thought provoking", leads the viewer through a film editing nightmare of laborious nonsense. The zero character development approach is inexcusable as this film repeatedly asks the viewer to deeply care about people we simply don't know. Nor is there any context placed to the lives of these characters, so what one is left with is the hope of a plot capable of unifying the mess. Unfortunately the writing is so bad that a story line is unfathomable.
   The dialogue is contrived and jerky in its motion, only then to be interrupted by the chainsaw approach to editing of each scene, leaving the viewer with the agonizing task of comprehending the vague intent of this misguided project. The director then adds to this failed recipe, with a set of gratuitously scattered cheap camera shots meant to "shock" the audience, revealing just pure sleaze. After viewing this film I wanted to wash my clothes from the stench. This film is not just bad; it is atrocious, without a single redeeming quality. Give me my money back, plus pay me for the time wasted in sitting through almost three hours of utterly fraudulent art.
   
   write for you? vallegent62@yahoo.com
   

1. Kinshen Says:
   December 21st, 2006 at 17:56

   I don't know what to say about the movie because i did not understand anything! And the thing is, there is no relation between the name of the movie and the story, as per my information that Babel is in Iraq and i thought that the story will be about the history of Babel and the Babel’s gardens...etc.
   
   My rate for this movie is 10 out of 100.
   

1. Everette Says:
   December 27th, 2006 at 17:15

   Well, not to be rude, but you don't know much about history do you Kinshen? Babel is not in Iraq, and is actually modern day Babylon. Babel was a place mentioned in the Bible back when man spoke one language the world over. But when the people of Babel disobeyed God, he confused their language, causing everyone in the world to speak a different dialect, thus, they spread out into the earth where they could understand themselves instead of each other.
   
   Innaritu incorporated this into the plot and put it into modern context. It has everything to do with the story! Let me also say Kinshen, if you didn't even know what the movie was about before you went to go see it, why did you bother? That's like paying for a DVD you haven't seen! How many times have you done that?

1. Josh Says:
   December 27th, 2006 at 17:18

   If you have to spend time in a research library before seeing a movie, then it's a bad movie.
   
   Regardless, none of what you said is true. I see no parallels between this movie and the real story of Babel. I knew and understood what Babel was before going into the movie, and still saw none of that in this film. You're seeing what you want to see, not what's actually there... which is nothing.

1. Michele Says:
   December 29th, 2006 at 08:15

   Babel was full of unconnected excitement which went nowhere. I left it wondering what was the point with very little care about any of the characters. Perhaps just one of these stories could have been developed into a meaningful movie with some depth. I think Babble would be a more appropriate title.

1. Tato Says:
   December 29th, 2006 at 12:33

   My view of this film is extraordinarily simple - I felt very sorry for the Americans; they are shot when traveling overseas (Morocco a fktup-country and Muslim) by a rifle that came from Japan – present from a bon-vivant Japanese aristocrat given to his Moroccan “bro” (gift-merchant). The gringo kids are left with a Nanny (La Tia) that decides to take them overseas (Mexico a fktup-country) for a wedding party! IoI arriba arriba! the nanny (that was illegally working in “America” for 16 years! IoI - I am sure the parents didn’t know anything about that) has no choice but to ask El Gael Garcia (drunk-driver-armed fktup-miguelito) to take her to the big one - she gets court by the Chico patrol (cool and not prejudiced Afro and Mexican Americans cops – same as the truly Mexican director) she gets in trouble resulting to her extradition to the other side of the wall (is that ready yet?). -- The Happy End; the Moroccan police (bad-boys-cops) shot the kid (he have now learned the lesson about shooting true blue good people) the deaf Japanese girl did not go for the kamikaze sky diving from her veranda (expected as she is a decadent teenager from the country of Japan), The American embassy sends an helicopter (after struggling to have a permission to enter that Muslim country) to rescue Cate (that was a bit more comfortable after the opium bong that the witchdoctor provide to her (Brad was happy too). “hope” The Moroccan kids saw a helicopter for the first time in life “hope”. The Japanese cop gets the girls number (Japanese is so complicated and her mobile n. takes the whole page) “hope”
   Lesson - Next time if you want to go on holidays’ don’t go to any fk-up-country; take your whole family to Disneyland and the Babylon world will be a better place.
   Babel - Hebrew verb balal, "to confuse or confound"
   

1. Kunaal Says:
   January 3rd, 2007 at 12:56

   What was the role of the japanese mute -deaf girl in the story? Though the movie is good , makes you think but .. its too complicated for a person like me who is 18 years. I think the movie should have had a 21 yr Certificate. Final comments... the movie is going to leave you no where.

1. coquetta Says:
   January 8th, 2007 at 12:54

   TO Everette,
   
   Everette wrote above:
   
   
   "Well, not to be rude, but you don't know much about history do you Kinshen? Babel is not in Iraq, and is actually modern day Babylon."
   
   Well, as far as I know - modern day Babylon IS in Iraq!!

1. stephen Says:
   January 14th, 2007 at 15:42

   I thought this movie was brilliant, I would go so far as to say one of the best movies I have ever seen. I'm pretty disappointed to see so many people disliked it.

1. Shiva Says:
   January 15th, 2007 at 16:44

   I couldn't agree more with what Josh as been saying both in the review as well as in the responses to comments from other readers. And yes, one does not have to go to a research library before seeing a movie :)
   
   Some of Chieko's scenes, especially the one in the nightclub where we see the world as she sees it, touched me. But if Alejandro Inarritu's idea was to convey that we are now living in world that is unable to communicate, he took the 'Babel' concept too far and has done a pretty poor job of it...

1. Chris Says:
   January 20th, 2007 at 21:40

   Victorio did a great job of summing up just how bad Babel was. Definately the worst film I have ever seen. The story is horribly disjointed and many scenes were simply tastelessmost. Most notably a scene of a young boy touching himself and a deaf-mute flashing people. Horrible doesn't even touch the surface. You are better off burning your money than to have your mind defiled by this crude film.

1. Rebecca Says:
   January 21st, 2007 at 13:24

   What a strange movie. I liked the idea of it much better than the actual film- interconnected stories showing how difficult true communication is today, despite all of our modern conviences and technology. I didn't get that message at all from this film, though. The message I got is that America is an over-protected, overbearing, over-reacting nation largely comprised of people who have no true desire to see outside its boundaries. There were interesting stories within the movie, but because there were so many and the director was struggling so hard to make a clear connection between them, it never really reached its potential. My biggest problem with it is that the Japanese girl seemed to have no real connection to the story whatsoever, even though hers was probably the most interesting character. I would have preferred to watch a movie just about her instead of the jigsaw pieces we got that didn't really match up in the end.

1. Sarah Says:
   January 23rd, 2007 at 13:03

   Good for you Josh Tyler! All I can say is ...it´s too kinda sleazy for me, and Im sure you know what I mean.. Who wrote this movie? Get some counselling. It´s offensive. The first half was boring. Good acting though. I´m sorry I wasted my money but the popcorn was okay.

1. Pedro Says:
   January 23rd, 2007 at 14:06

   [{Tato Says: December 29th, 2006 at 12:33}] Thank God, we live in a free Online World where you can get away with presenting your point of view eventhough it could reflect how ignorant you are... Have not seen the movie just yet, was navigating the web since the Academy Awards are about to be held and since BABEL was the Golden Globe drama winner...All I can say that if it is like 21 Grams well I ll wait to have a friend lend me the DVD... God is great....

1. victor Says:
   January 24th, 2007 at 16:14

   i watched the movie yesterday.before i jump into the conclusions about the movie i would like to say a few things.
   
   Yes,Babel is now...Babylon
   
   in hebrew, babel meant 'confused'
   
   title of the movie derives 'abstract' meaning and not typical historic reference.
   
   well,if one desparately wants to see a historic epic like some people building a tower-god hated it-those people are punished-talking defferent languages-MESSAGE-dont go against god-kinda movie, there is nothing wrong about it .my kids too feel the same way.
   
   for a viewer,wether it is cinema,art,drama,theatre-he/she should posess a minimum quality.a quality of looking into the medium as it is supposed to be looked at rather making his own presumptions, ideas and corrupting the sense of the art.
   
   i read here someone here saying there is no message in the movie.well, if there is one, are you going to follow the 'message' from the next day you 'got' it?.hundreds of movies out there preaching some kind of 'goog' stuff. why dosent this world end up being good?
   
   one needs to understand the difference between self expression and sending a message
   
   clarity is necessary. wether you criticise or admire.

1. Viggo Says:
   January 24th, 2007 at 16:15

   Wow, well done Victor. Never has anyone used so many words and still said absolutely nothing. Most impressive.
   
   That by the way, is an example of exactly the type of self-important idiot who thinks this is a good movie.

1. Sam Says:
   January 25th, 2007 at 13:52

   Saw the movie yesterday, after the hype about the 7 nominations and the golden globe. Must say that if Babel = Confused, then by judging the faces of most of the people in the theatre(after the movie), the mission was accomplished. As for me, I liked it, however Im a little perplexed re: the ending, Im pinning my hope of a (hypothetical) deleted scene , possibly by the Indian censor board. Did the Japanese girl actually loose her virginity to the cop, if so, then I can tie atleast one loose end...If she did loose her virginity to the dude, then she was really connected to the film, otherwise she didnt have to be there. I focussed on her as the main character of the film, coz she was mute, and if the incident in Morocco triggered her loosing her virginity to the cop, it would have been a brilliant co-incidence (initiated by her dad) . Can someone please tell me what was in the note from the girl to the cop ? and why did she lie about her mother's death, and was it significant at all ??
   Great dialogue up here, I guess thats whats the movie did, made us all think at different levels. The movie certainly begs to all nationalities for a global understanding of each others' cultures and way of life, Each corner of the globe shown had different (normal) ways of life, be in ecstacy/raves in Tokyo, or a young adolscent male in Morocco peeping to see his cousin's nude body, (and the girl liking it) and then jerking off , or the Mexicans' struggle, the beheaded chicken, the nanny's rendevous with an old flame or the American couple with their marital problems after 2 kids.

1. Brett Clark Says:
   January 28th, 2007 at 02:50

   Simply put - this is a terrible film. Boring, unrealistic and a complete waste of time. A true disappointment.

1. ancient Says:
   January 28th, 2007 at 03:42

   people who lived in that small vilage have few sources, they could died 1000 times easily than that goddam american woman...and does anyone care? does anyone who sits in the movie theater with no brain for this reality cares?
   
   perhaps most of the people think it's a happy ending, they only care about main characters..yeah..they r not dead..american government orders a holicapter to pick them up..they survive...
   
   and so? spent almost three hours in the movie...did u get anything from it?
   

1. Alyssa Says:
   January 30th, 2007 at 23:09

   I cannot properly express just how bad this movie was. I was expecting an award winning movie and all I got was some sorry excuse for a kiddy porn. Why was there a scene with a young boy jacking off firstly? Tasteless. Why was there some deaf asian girl flashing her bush around, and trying to get laid?? What was the deep meaning in that??? What did she even have to do with the plot....wait there was no plot...the only connection between the 3 completly uninteresting stories is a gun...are you kidding me????????? People are compairing this to CRASH.......HAVE YOU PEOPLE SEEN BOTH MOVIES??? Crash was a beautifully complex picture about the racial prejudices that are still present to this day in our society....BABEL was about some gun who was given to some guy buy some asian that shot some american tourist....please anyone tell me the meaning behinde this pointless, drawn out movie....and by the way...I'm pretty sure every damn Mexican and American know you absolutly cannot bring someone elses children over the goddamn border! Worst movie I've ever seen. The acting was amazing but other than that I would rather watch The Wicker Man ( those who have seen it know what I'm talking about ) for 24 hours straight than ever watch that movie again.

1. Victor Moldova Says:
   February 2nd, 2007 at 13:34

   Actually I liked the movie, two thumbs up. This movie has a strong political message, that from a stupid move of kids the american mass-media turned-up to talk about terrorism. Don't you get that you americans were brainwashed about terrorism lately? Have a deep thought about it.
   Another strong point shows how arrogant is the US border police, the way they treat people, people from a poorer world, the movie talks by itself.
   Open your mind and think about the messages sent by this movie but not wondering if that japaneese girl lost her virginity.

1. peta weta Says:
   February 3rd, 2007 at 02:14

   I saw the movie, and I like it.
   It conveys the issues of certain ethnic groups.
   If you look at the movie with a sociology mindset then everything will become clear. Every scene conveys a message such as bad habits, culture shocks, overreactment, outcast,type cast,ect of each ethnic group. I admit the plot was simple to the point where its predictable. Infact there was no plot at all. The only thing it did do, it pointed out some of the stupid, grotesque, and tasteless things humans do to oneself or each other.
   It is this food for thought that made me like the movie.

1. Maria Says:
   February 3rd, 2007 at 02:14

   I thought the movie was interesting. I liked the different ways the cultures handled guns: children in Morocco we allowed to use them, shooting them in celebration at the Mexican wedding, Japanese man just giving one away as a gift to a practical stranger. As violent as the American culture is supposed to be, the American children were the ones afraid of the violence in Mexico (the chicken) and the Americans were the ones harmed by the gun in Morocco. I thought the "message" if there was supposed to be one, was that sometimes people do stupid things; they don't mean to but shit happens and people are affected by it. That theme did run through all the stories.

1. ark Says:
   February 3rd, 2007 at 15:01

   Just saw the movie today after all the hype and i must say it was pretty dissapointing, certainly not deserving of an oscar! Acting was good but gud acting does not take a film far, one who's themes and plot is so mixed up that its hard to figure it out.
   And yes i agree with whoever wrote here that it shows the americans as victims. how convenient! at the end of the day all we get from the movie is that all other people can go to hell, itz not the american government's problem if people out there are dying of thirst or hunger or maybe all the dozen other people who're shot everyday by american soldiers. But only an american tourist was shot and it ended with a little boy's life. How totally barbaric and inhumane. The movie to me seemed more like how everything is suppossed to revolve around america and again how the 'american' culture is the most superior.

1. Stefan Says:
   February 4th, 2007 at 08:37

   The most depressing film I have seen in a while, wife and I walked out about half an hour before the end. Loosely tied together story with a simple plot, well thought out, but makes one feel that everything in life will turn out wrong: bad for the head and bad for the the sprit.We felt traumatised, and before the movie we had been feeling great. Few other movies have had this effect on me. what a waste of AUS $15 each.

1. wood Says:
   February 4th, 2007 at 08:37

   SAw the movie tonight...was perplexed, seeking the "deep" meaning of the overlying themes. But as most of us in the theater couldnt figure out wether to laugh or cry in certain scenes, I found myself wondering if I came to see it because of the star power of Brad Pitt?? I think he was greatly mis-cast and took away from the movie. His persona and previous work left me looking for more realistic plotlines and ...well they were not there.
   
   A strange move to use him. Would anyone have gone if he was not in it?

1. Jeff Says:
   February 5th, 2007 at 02:08

   Saw Babel today and really disliked it (even though from the description I thought it would be my kind of movie)....At least it wasn't as superficial and stereotypical as Crash but it came pretty close - and can these directors of interlocking stories cease with the overuse of slo-mo for dramatic effect....The best of these intertwining life stories films is Antares from a couple of years ago (Crash was absolutely copied on it)...Antares, an Austrian film, at least had real characters in it living in everyday life situations!

1. Frank Says:
   February 5th, 2007 at 21:02

   Really funny how some americans dont get this film...for obvious reasons. And the person that said something like "if you have to read to get a movie, that is a bad thing"...man, how sad is it, that you still use oxygen. This is really the crapiest pseudo-review of a movie I have ever seen on the web.

1. Steve Says:
   February 10th, 2007 at 03:33

   This film offers superb cinematography, a number of gripping and engaging scenes; and uniformly excellent acting. But taken as a whole, it is a disjointed mess and a not-so-subtle endorsement of anti-immigrant, anti-foreigner sentiment.
   
   When the film (finally) finished, I nodded and thought, "No wonder this movie wins awards in America. It paints Americans as innocent victims of bad acts by foreigners."
   
   I was frankly alarmed at what a strong anti-foreigner/anti-immigration statement director Inarritu delivered, as he successively portrayed dark-skinned foreigners (Morrocons, Mexicans, Japanese -- you pick 'em) going around causing trouble for good 'ol white folks.
   
   Poor Brad, poor Kate, poor lovely blond children. What a nice white American family they make. And to think three of them were nearly killed by those stupid irresponsible foreigners. Thank goodness for providence -- and deportation.
   
   And thank goodness for you too, Inarritu. For you've helped validate our deepest racist, xenophobic yearnings, and still allowed us to feel virtuous. That's one neat trick. And for that alone, you will no doubt reap great rewards.
   
   

1. Patriot777 Says:
   February 16th, 2007 at 01:54

   This movie fails on so many levels.
   
   Leaving the theater, I felt just like I did after watching the recent State of The Union Address. I felt lied to and betrayed and wanted my money back.
   
   ************** R E A D B E L O W ************************
   *******************************************************
   
   For those who seek the TRUTH watch "911 Mysteries". You can watch it free on Google Video. It will be the MOST eye opening experience of your life. And if you DO watch it... DON'T TAKE ANYTHING IT SAYS ON IT'S FACE. Do your own research and you will come to the shocking conclusion for yourself that OUR OWN GOVERNMENT WAS BEHIND THE ATTACKS OF 9/11. Then google "false flag terrorism" to reveal the question WHY.
   
   God bless our country.
   
   

1. Al Says:
   February 17th, 2007 at 00:39

   Josh summed this one up pretty well IMHO. I disagree with 'beautifully shot', after about 30 minutes I was motion sick, sat through a third of the movie with my eyes closed just to keep from puking.
   
   To date the worst movie for me was 'Biodome' this is worse.

1. Objective third party Says:
   February 20th, 2007 at 14:19

   After watching a film like this, you really do need to take a moment to reflect. The educated, rational mind must at least take time to reflect on the piece as a whole, and make a sincere effort to find meaning. Unfortunately, for this piece and all those deluded individuals who see some deeper meaning imbedded in so much trash, this film is a classic example of how great ambition can cause directors to be blind to the basics of film making. The characters were very beautiful through their flaws and weaknesses. The very essence of this film seemed to be a story about humanity. It attempts to mirror the problems our world faces today as physical boundaries blur and the inevitable clash of cultures leads to complications that can make even basic survival uncertain. Unfortunately, the "message" was very poorly delivered. Character development was practically non-existent. Indeed, it is very hard to care for characters you don't even know. It is the same in war movies where you see a random soldier die a gruesome death but are really only affected by the manner in which they died, not the actual significance of their death. As an observer, you make a valiant attempt to make some sort of bond with the characters, but the movie yanks them away before that is possible. You don't cry with Brad Pitt at the end, and you don't feel the truly beautiful sacrifice that the Morrocon brother made at the end. The director did a suberb job of numbing all emotions that any individual should feel in this film. As for any political value of this film, I think people would be better off to search for the human value in this piece, if they bother to search for anything. Debating on the politics of this piece would completely discount any remaining value this movie has, since the fleeting basic issues of humanity in this film would be lost in discussions of "who" is saying "what" about "that" culture. Overall, great core acting supported by a suberb indie feeling cast of new comers, but the story fails to reach any significance due to poor writing and poor interpretation. This film truly aspires to be a masterpiece but in reality ends up as another hyped up waste of resources and talent.

1. RaDDx Says:
   February 21st, 2007 at 00:26

   This was a simplistic and boring movie with a whole lot of senseless hype behind it. Because of this hype, you spend your time trying to see these supposed deep messages throughout the movie. But be warned, you will probably fall asleep. But then again, the movie is filled with seemingly never ending annoying music which will probably give you urges to throw something out of a window. You will probably find yourself fast forwarding through alot of the movie, like when it keeps jumping to the story of the deaf Japanese girl, which really has nothing to do with the supposed main plot of the movie. It is scary to think that this movie is actually being called a masterpiece? A masterpiece of what.....Boredom!!??

1. Sam Says:
   February 22nd, 2007 at 11:43

   You guys aren't smart. The film is about communication and its barreirs. The kids' miscommunication with their parents in Moroccan culture, the Japanese culture and its closed nature symbolized through a deaf girl who can not communicate with her father in particular, a husband and wife who can't communicate well due to the premature death of their first baby, a Mexican babysitter and her nephew whom can't communcate well with the border guard which leads to their predicament, even miscommunication among Americans as other passengers on the bus leave the couple in the village, miscommunication between two countries trying to figure out how to even handle the incident, shall I continue? IT took a detective (information seeker) and a handwritten note for the communication barrier to be broken down = the film's resolve. Good luck.

1. Arash Says:
   February 23rd, 2007 at 23:16

   hey guys, japanese deaf girl is just a mirror of another stories characters in the movie , they could speak but result is the same! she is a mirror front you and me.... you hear "bebel" everywhere in the movie but you see "babel" in the eyes of japanese deaf girl. i love babel because that is a series of snapshots from our real life. when you watch the movie you delayed life to watch the life from corner. it's not important that how the movie ends up. or how the story are all connected together. thats just our life. in ICT world we have many tools for communication;phone, cellphone, internet, satellite,...but we are much alone. there are two things in Babel. 1- miscommunication and misunderstanding of each other 2- bad response from our modern social structure to human needs

1. Ricardo Says:
   February 24th, 2007 at 22:44

   I alwqys look for a message in a movie when it is otherwise boring and bad. It especially helps so that I can discuss the "true" meaning with those that have extremely High IQs.
   Did any one pick up the gun message?? Guns are bad. An innocent gift can create havoc. We should not have guns!!! They kill innocent people, People kill themselves with guns, and of course, the police use them to suppress peace loving peasants. Think how happy everyone in this movie would have been if there had beem no guns, especially me because then they would not have made the movie in the first place.
   How about drugs. Opium is good. Ectasy is good. Let's legalize it so we can all look like that woman in the Morrocan Village.
   Don't forget that we all go the bathroom so we want to show everyone with their pants off or partially off. Voyeurism at its finest.
   Did anyone catch the Anti Semitism dig. The old jewish couple that needed the Bus Air conditioning system. Get that bus out of here before the Arabs get us. Those dirty ugly jewish american cowards. Brad got his message across.
   And last but not least. the Police. What Bastards, looking for someone that shot someone or sending someone back to the Mexico that had been in the US illegally for 16 years. Where's our compassion.
   Only comment there is anyone as stupid as Auntie Tia who would take 2 American white kids across the border to a Mexican Wedding in Tiajuana, has no papers to get back into the US, and let's her drunken nephew try to drive her and the tiny tots across the border shouldn't be here in the first place. She should be in Hollywood with the rest of the judges awarding Babel Grammy awards and 7 academy award nominations!!!
   
   

1. Victorio Santollo Says:
   March 1st, 2007 at 19:27

   The fact that “Babel” was not selected as a winner in any category (except music…impressive? Not! And it didn’t deserve that either.) is a complete vindication of my comments made way back in Nov. 2006.
   
   The academy has spoken…”Babel” had no chance of winning… ever. Its nomination was purely obligatory PC tush smacking.
   
   Now Pan’s Labyrinth? Run... don’t walk to see that film…absolute film genius… and orginality... I would pay double to see that wonderful poem of a film again.
   
   

1. Ingrid Says:
   March 9th, 2007 at 07:59

   Obviously this movie is based on communication or lack off communication which stressed me out by the end, but I also believe this movie demonstrated how (one) firearm affected so many lives all over the world. I am not convinced the Japanese girl's mom "committed suicide" but may have been murdered by the "dad" with the " same weapon which explains why the cops were still investagating and the daughter may have witnessed the crime. It is very obvious she is angry at her dad. The dad takes off to moracco....gives the "murder weapon" to the guide and the daughter's note.....I believe she ratted on her dad.

1. olgo Says:
   March 17th, 2007 at 17:27

   I didn't find this movie exceptionaly interesting. I was expecting the same reaction I've got from Gonzalez's one of the first movies Amores Perros. This movie, in my opinion, had more thought to it than Babel. However, Babel seemed to be a repetion of the effects used in AP which wasnt unique anymore.

1. Jami Says:
   March 19th, 2007 at 09:44

   It's funny I came across this page. Lighten up guys. It was just a movie. There is no need to bash one another for their opinions. What gives? Take it for what it was and move on.
   
   
   Cheers :)

1. Chris Says:
   March 24th, 2007 at 22:49

   I Loved the Movie. I once did a stupid quick draw MacDraw with a rifle in the country and shot a bird. I was mortified that I actually hit it. Right thru the neck and that was it, the bird was dead. One stupid act on my part and a horrible consequence for another “being”. I saw this movie in Argentina of all places partially in Spanish. Life around the world has random acts that may in themselves have no significance, yet they alter future possibilities. Hurray again for a movie that feels less like Hollywood and more just like life.

1. ed Says:
   March 30th, 2007 at 00:46

   i am still looking for the theme of the movie. is babel part II coming up? what a wonderful movie to waste time. jaja.. keep the awards up Golden Globe.

1. Saminoske Says:
   March 30th, 2007 at 14:39

   Ah Babel, not only does it suffer from too much hype, but inextricably waves celebratory flags of racism of which ironically it was supposedly breaking down.
   
   I found this movie to be far too Hollywood and the sweet candy ending disappointed me to no end.
   
   Once again, Babel is another movie that shifts the blame away from one culture and onto many others.
   
   This movie is racist toward Mexicans, Japanese, Moroccans and sublimely the British.
   
   I was happy that the director wanted to display differences in cultures, but at all times I felt that the differences were examined and judged as being ‘wrong’ and not just as different. He used sensationalism to paint a negative picture of cultural differences. From the killing of the chicken, inwardly judged as wrong from the American children, but in the eyes of many cultures around the world this is an acceptable way of killing a chicken … to Brad Pitt’s character’s desperate and selfish appeals for the others to wait, when in reality they (the others) didn’t know whether or not an act of terrorism was taking place ... and onto the cold image painted of the Japanese, as a problematic race of people intoxified with raging sexual urges and dissonant communication.
   
   I find it ironic that the director felt it was acceptable for the Morocans and the Mexicans, to have a devastating ending, but for the American couple to live happily ever after. Life is often not fair, and if he was attempting to portray ‘real life’ tis movie would not have the saccharin ending that it did.
   
   I would like to see an International Cut of this film, where reality takes centre stage and not Hollywood dollars (sic). A better ending would have seen Kate’s character die and the Japanese girl suicide. None of which would have needed to be explicitly shown. Then this would have seemed more real – because in this ending, no-one would have won and the premise of the movie then would have come full circle.
   

1. rachel Says:
   March 31st, 2007 at 17:37

   i just saw the movie and was so close to stopping it cuz it was crapy....there was no point at all! like i know what babel is and for sure there is no connection.....i was disappointed and disgusted about the japenese girl....like who needs to put that in a movie? like there was no connection at all...waste of my time

1. LS Says:
   April 29th, 2007 at 13:12

   I saw this last night, and am still mulling it over. I don't think this is about language or politics or even guns, so much as total physical disconnection. (which in the bible is what happened to babylonians with language.) Here we have all the grownups physically leaving the kids alone and they're all in terrible danger as a result -- they shoot guns, wander streets and encounter drugs/sex, almost die in the desert without food/water. (Even in backstory they're alone: Chieko (sp??) was alone when she found her mother. Cate Blanchett's baby died alone. The nanny may have left her boy alone if she was in the U.S. for sixteen years and he wasn't.) The plot implies that the catalyst for events is the gun itself, but it seems more that it was Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett's decision to go to Morocco without their young children (who would do that??? especially considering they'd suffered a loss too -- a sibling.) Then the shooting brings about a series of assumptions (that terrorists did it; that the nanny could stay away from her son's wedding; that it would be okay to travel with a drunk driver; that the police were there for Chieko's dad to ask about her mother). And finally, a bunch of revealed truths: Cate's "it's not my fault;" Chieko getting totally naked and finally just letting go of her grief; the handwritten note; the border guard saying "they're not your children," Brad Pitt's brusqueness toward the nanny after she'd been there for years. The events in many ways were traumatic, but at the end, parent and children were reunited. Think about the last scene showing most of the parents: Nanny and son embracing; Brad Pitt on the phone with his boy; Chieko and her dad embracing; the Arab man cradling his oldest son.
   
   I don't think Brad Pitt was the ugly American. Anyone would've done the same amount of hollering to save a loved one. It's human, not American.

1. Hawke Says:
   May 6th, 2007 at 13:37

   I just watched it on DVD tonight and I really liked it. Don't quite get what all the negative comments are all about. Out of all the BS I read here, LS's comment (the one just before mine) is perfect. Babel is a good movie. Perhaps too deep for most shallow people reviewing the movie here.

1. Joanne Says:
   May 21st, 2007 at 20:23

   I had the same two questions as Sam (january 25th above). Does anyone know why the contents of the note from the police officer to the Japanese teen was not revealed and why she lied about her mother's deaf? I thought that possibly she was trying to protect her father from prison, whom she might have known murdered her mother (or suspected such) and who eventually took the gun faraway to dissipate his guilt. A young teen, having lost one parent would be very afraid of losing the other. Why else would she have made up the story about jumping if not to lead the police away from the gun (in her adolescent fearful thinking she was still fearing that they might figure something out about the gun) if, in fact, it was the same gun used in her death. (We don't know this either).

1. Beto Álvarez Says:
   May 22nd, 2007 at 15:57

   I think Babel is a great movie. Actually one of the best i've seen.
   It talks about how we can't communicate.
   I think there are alot of themes but related .. like the stories. One is the innocene.. if you see..all the problems started when a KID pulled the trigger of the gun. A KID. a KID that because of his culture acts older than he is, acts without the innocence that he MUST have. i thinks that's why there is the scene when he is masturbating, to make more obvious and more realistic how the innocence in himself is gone. Kids now a days act like grown ups..
   Shows also the difference in cultures, like how do all the cultures see a gun, the japanese dad give it like a gift, mexicans use it in partys, in rodeos, in races, Morrocos give guns to their sons to make them see more mature, and americans are afraid of guns. But also shows that every culture neeeds something very important: LOVE AND AFFECTION. The boy just needed more affection and Love of his dad (Morroco).. The american kids were very happy with their nanny that was constantly giving them love and affection. The Love and Support that the two americans give each other even though the other americans left them alone. and the Love that the Japanese Girl needed to feel more accepted, and that's why she was looking for love, but in sex..
   It's a great movie.. i love it.. and i understand if some american people just doesn't understand it.. i do think they make a big criticize to the way that SOME (not everyone) americans live.. with fear and just thinking of themselves.. like the tourist that left the two american husbands. And how the embassy felt superior to the morrocon.. but it also shows the kids.. the american kids who accepted everyone.. and of corse didn't understand things like why they killed a chicken or why they shoot a gun..
   
   Well.. i don't know if i express myself OK.. but i think the Movie is great.. and it teach us really important things for acceptance, understanding, empathy, and LOVE. Love that everybody, eventhough different CULTURES, different LANGUAGES, different ways of everything.. feel equal and that's how we are all related to every person in this world.
   
   Love the Movie!!! Love it!!!! One of the Best Movies Eveer!!

1. Kiak Says:
   June 15th, 2007 at 16:47

   This movie is good only for the people who have enough time to analyse it. It's just like reading a poem, you will need time to try to understand it. If you just go to the theatre, watch the film, eat popcorn, and come out with nothing in your mind, then this movie is a crap for you. Spend more time thinking about what the author tries to tell you, I am sure you will get something from the movie.

1. Steve Says:
   June 24th, 2007 at 00:58

   A whole bunch of talk about a movie that's nothing but a pile of crap. Nothing else needs to be said.

1. David Says:
   June 25th, 2007 at 06:28

   Maybe there was also some contrast about the inherent racism that exists in all of us. Moroccans and Mexicans on one end of the spectrum while the privileged Americans, Japanese and Germans on the other. The latter seem to enjoy a life of privilege, but it is at the cost of loosing the bonds of family and affection?
   
   Throw it all together and mix it up and what comes out would be Babel. "My mother says that Mexico is dangerous" Yes, it's full of Mexicans". Would the police have reacted in the same manner, had it been a Moroccan villager that was instead shot? Why was the Border guard so obviously suspicious of the Nanny and her son? Why were the Germans so cold and ready to leave the woman who was shot behind? Then there was a Japanese girl who had everything anyone could ask for except for the love and attention we witnessed so vividly at the Mexican Wedding. Anytime a movie leaves me thinking about things, it is can be considered a good movie. This one did have a deeper thread, if you open are open to it, it is there. This one was about family.
   

1. Rachael Says:
   July 22nd, 2007 at 14:01

   I think the Japanese girl was being sexual abused by the her father, because she lied about her mothers death, her father did not cover her up when he saw her on the balcony. He did not react, and just held her naked, thats bizzarre.
   Even if your looking for love and attention, I dont know many who flash there bits at cafes, and who strip naked for strangers, let alone cops. She was one screwed up little girl!!
   

1. Lianne Says:
   July 26th, 2007 at 14:33

   This has to go down as one of the most boring films I have ever seen. What a load of rubbish. Nothing happened. Ok, someone got shot... big deal.
   I want the 2 hours and 10 minutes of my life back!

1. Emma Says:
   September 9th, 2007 at 20:41

   Babel was also about how one seemingly innocent event in one time (the gift of a gun) has world-wide ramifications - in Morroco, Mexico, the US, Japan. It explores innerconnectedness in a gobal society - and racism, communications, bad parenting and the destruction of lives due to fire-arms. It also gloriously demonstrates the relationship of people to their geography - what contrast between the all the settings! This movie is thought-provoking - not necessarily the best I've seen, but I don't expect to see the best every time. I fully appreciate when a motion picture can challenge my assumptions, and enjoy them as much as those that aim merely to titillate the senses.

1. dinsman Says:
   September 19th, 2007 at 13:59

   Time Line of the movie that confused me at the beginning
   
   1st day - The american woman was shot in the bus
   End of 1st day - Angelina was called by Bratt Pitt from the hospital b4 they went to Mexico (after the gun tragedy in morroco)
   2nd day - 2 American white kids missing near borderline
   5th day - Starting of investigation about the gun at Japan involving daughter and her father (Thats why u can see the face of guilty morroco's boy on TV watched by japanese girl)

1. dinsman Says:
   September 19th, 2007 at 13:59

   #4 — November 12, 2006 @ 21:55PM — Review 1 [URL]
   
   I loved this film. I did get somewhat confused as to the outcome with Angelia. Did she get deported? The end shows Brad Pitt speaking to his son from the hospital and Angelina answers the phone. can anyone help me with this aspect.?
   
   
   #5 — November 16, 2006 @ 13:52PM — Review 2 [URL]
   
   The phone conversation first occurs early in the movie, and is simply repeated from Pitts side of the phone at the end of the movie.It also underscores how these traumatic events are going on without the other parties even knowing their import.

1. Kannot Say Says:
   September 23rd, 2007 at 00:52

   You know what makes a successful movie (now, I am not saying a "good" movie), because success is what matters most, ie money.....you all sat through it. It went nowhere, but you all sat there waiting, in anticipation. And controversy. This film is controversial because you don't really know what it is about, but you will argue about it, and talk about it, and maybe watch it again to see something new. Depth is in the eye of the beholder...there may or may not be any to this movie. But what I can see is that it was successful. Now, I came here to see if someone had the answer to this movie, and what I have found is that there isn't an answer. It was just contoversial. Ninety percent of you hated it, but you watched it all, and it made you think anough to log on and see if someone had an answer for you. A film that can provoke thoughts and opinions, and make us all come together to find a greater meaning.....now that is depth

1. Gravity Says:
   September 23rd, 2007 at 17:53

   How could a few different stories assimilate to eachother..? What brings them together..? What was the author's purpose for such strategic way to lay out the scenaries..? jejeje, and I'm sure there are many other questions from different viewers. Anyhow, personally I have not seen the film as of yet but after reading various reviews I've come to see different perspectives and opinions. Some find it boring and depressing as mentioned above by our colleague, yet some found it interesting, while others found it touching. I guess we can elaborate and relate to every point of view according to every individual opinion. I guess I;d be able to post a my own as soon as I watch it. Thank you for the information.

1. charles makombe Says:
   October 7th, 2007 at 14:05

   I have just watched the dvd with my wife, with 10mins of the movie i was dissappointed but fun enough my wife who is not really into movies did enjoy it she had to explian to me but still it made no sense to me. Good ensamble of actors though. for me it was difficult to put all the three different plots together, it might be that the director was trying to tell us that we might have different cultures and languanges but one way or another we face the same problems. i might try to watch it again, but the movie was dissapointing really. My rating of the movie is 0.5 out of ten

1. lorioconnor Says:
   November 8th, 2007 at 22:37

   The title Babel refers to the danger and isolation that a lack of communication can bring to relationships, and how it can touch off tradgedy. The girl can't talk to her father, nor he to her, Brad and Cate's marriage has broken down so completely after the death of their youngest to SIDS that they can barely speak easily to one another about the dangers lurking in a cup of ice, and there is a language barrier with the mexiacn nanny and the rough neck immigration officers... it's not that hard to figure out the themes here if one tries. I loved this film and thought it was deeply, deeply moving. Saw it on dvd last night and it rocked my world.

1. Valery Says:
   November 9th, 2007 at 02:15

   Great review Josh. I loved the individual stories, but all together it meant nothing. I mean, what was it about? The only thematic trail I can take out of it as a whole is what a horrible destructive trail the americans leave in the wake of their own suffering, and how unaware of it they are. And the Mexicans always get the short end of the stick. Depressing.

1. blayduah Says:
   December 1st, 2007 at 00:20

   my ass is so wet right now...

1. Ted Says:
   December 3rd, 2007 at 14:15

   I usually have a pretty hard, fast rule for myself when going
   to a theater to see a motion picture. If, after, say maybe, the half way
   point, I don't like what I'm seeing, I use the theater exit. For those who felt let down and their time wasted, that exit works like a charm every time. I too had a bit of a hard time with the flashing and the masturbation scenes that didn't seem necessary to what was going on. But I let it go.
   Additionally, when I watch a motion picture, I don't need a profound message to be entertained. What I do need is to be pulled in, i.e., unaware that I'm sitting in that theater. If the film doesn't do that after a clip of time, I'm outa there. In spite of the graphic, really upsetting moments of Susan's fight for life, by that time, I was fairly well hooked and didn't immediately consider the exit sign. I thought that every single performance was top flight. I thought it interesting the way three far flung sets of people could have a plot relation. I liked that. Maybe I don't get out to movies enough and the weaving of three plots in this way has been done before unbeknownst to me. Consequently, I thought it fresh and interesting.
   There is one last comment that I have concerning people who
   saw this film. I noticed a fair number of families in the theater with
   their (young) children. If they too felt that their "time was wasted,"
   I'd like to take that idea further and say that their "time" with their children for that film was ill advised and I wish that at least one
   of those knuckle head parents could read this. This one's not for kids, at all.

1. Sallee Says:
   January 2nd, 2008 at 04:22

   As far as we were concerned this film was pretentious, typical American drivel . The best part of the film for me, was when I got so fed up with it, I had a bath and got my poor husband to let me know if anything worthwhile happened - he wasnt very pleased! Once again it looks like my ban on seeing American films was justified (I try and break my own rule every so often to see if anything has changed - not once have I been proved wrong!

1. Simon Says:
   January 11th, 2008 at 13:05

   "If you take anything away from this film it'll probably be that foreigners aren't to be trusted"
   
   Oh my God, how can you be so unbelievably obtuse?
   The film talks about precisely the opposite of the above statement: it's about the arrogance of Americans. In the Morrocan story it's the presumtiousness of the American govt that prevents help from getting to Susan in a timely manner. In the Mexican story the border guard comes across as Facistic.
   
   "there's no deeper theme or overriding idea connecting all these little stories together. "
   
   Perhaps you haven't bothered to think things through?
   The American and Japanese stories are about pain and loss, and people not being able to communicate through their private sorrows. The Mexican and Morrocan stories are about racism, class, oppression. All four stories deal with miscommunication and misunderstanding. All these strands are interwoven together to form a rich fabric . Perhaps you need to view the film again?

1. Paul Humphreys Says:
   February 28th, 2008 at 18:19

   I liked Babel.
   
   It does not matter if unheard voices are spoken in English, Japanese, Mexican, or Moroccan Arabic.
   
   The Japanese girl was the real fulcrum in this film, not the woman shot.
   
   Importantly the Japanese girl was deaf.
   
   The only character, at the end, at the top, to come out best - against our expectation that she had already jumped - was the only character in this exceptionally good film who most wanted to listen.
   
   This is a film with a message well worth hearing over again.
   
   Top marks I say.
   
   
   
   

1. Charlie V Says:
   March 16th, 2008 at 02:10

   Agree with the last post insofar as the movie was significant and that the Japanese girl was the fulcrum.
   
   This movie is about children, not six degrees of separation, not a gun, not people being mean to tourists. Look at the statement at the movie's end. Brad Pitt was great in the movie, but he and his wife merely explained the connection between the four stories. They made what was going on in the children's live's significant in the movie.
   
   The build up is:
   
   American children: supervised (but not by parents), nanny made a big goof compounded by her nephew's incredible bad judgment, end up OK. Father loves them and cries at the sound of the voices on the phone from Morocco. Mother and father are on the verge of splitting over death of their baby. Father realizes how important children are when he nearly loses wife and when children are nearly lost in the deset.
   
   Morrocan children: unsupervised, made a typical child mistake that flew out of control, paid dearly. Father willing to leave everything for them, clearly thinks about grabbing gun and taking the rap. Loses a son. Younger boy's life takes a new path.
   
   Japense girl: unsupervised, troubled, makes atypical child mistakes (due to mother dying, father working all of the time and being a deaf-mute); a figure deserving sympathy and understanding (if you didn't already have it for the other kids in the movie). Girl suffers rejection after rejection--clearly seeking male and parent attention. When she makes the big leap (and is about to make another leap, literally), she realizes and is guided to realize, almost too late, that she is making a mistake because of the extremely kind reaction of a cop. She finally gets attention, but by gathering her senses, not continuing on a troubled path. She is saved.
   
   This is a movie about children and, to a lesser extent, paternal love. On a very superficial level, the movie's title refers to the many languages spoken but, on a deeper level, refers to the misunderstood and ignored cues from the children. Everything else is just the glue that holds this story together.
   
   I would like to know what the note to cop said.
   
   Definitely worth seeing. If you don't get the movie, you weren't paying attention and/or don't have kids.

1. a nun a moose Says:
   March 16th, 2008 at 23:58

   Things that are not so cut and dry will always make one think, which makes for a good movie, imo.
   Some points in the movie that were vague were the real cause of Japanese mother's death, what was really written in the note, why the American parents were away from their kids alot, and what happened to the nanny's nephew.
   Anyone who didn't think the Japanese girl was important to the story should go watch this again. I believe every character was important in the film. Even the tour guide played an important part as he was the only one that cared for the Americans. He would not even take any money from them.
   I would have still liked this film even if the mother had died. I don't think her survival was as important as other characters. We feel sad for the Morrocan family when the punishment was worse than the crime. The one that made the viewer care for most was the nanny. She was so caring and never really ever did anything wrong to anybody, but got a raw deal. We feel that she will be fine though, seeing that she has a great loving family in Mexico. I'm sure her nephew got heavy jail time, but deservingly so. The Japanese girl may have had some sympathy from viewers because she was deaf, lost her mother, and was mentally unstable. We get the idea that she was going to be okay in the end.
   As far as the note, I don't believe that it was ratting on the father because he killed the mother, although that is possible. It's not really too easy to shoot oneself with a rifle for suicide. I think it was possibly an accident, with the same rifle. The father giving it away in Morroco could be for reason of disposing of the bad memories.
   

1. dave.kie Says:
   November 6th, 2008 at 20:24

   i thought this movie was quite interesting, though it could have been better, and i think most of u are missing the point. the word babel was meant to be associated with language but the undertone was that the differences in language lead to misunderstandings of each others ethnic groups. this was represented subtly in the movie not in the major events but just in the simple reactions. the main point was that dividing ourselves from other groups and considering that we are fundementally different leads to fear and confusion. as a result we concentrate first on politics and who is right or wrong, which is pointless. then we deal with important topics. ultimately we get too caught up in BABBLE to realize whats going on .an example from the movie was that since the stereo type of the area this woman was shot in was that there are terrorists there was so much confliction between america and morroco as to the truth of how she was shot that she was forgotten about and saving her life was greatly delayed and not seen as important. i think the different scenes in the movie were just representing how we are all connected to each other as human beings. i do think this could have been made better but josh i think u need to pay more attention to the subtlies in the movie and not the major events

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