Melancholia is a
special film, to say the least. It is a difficult film to review, primarily due
to its story structure, because the generally accepted and unspoken rule that
the reviewer may not spoil anything that happens after the 1st act
cannot apply to such a film. Luckily, I’m writing this review almost a full
year after its release, so I can simply follow the method of the reviewers
before me.
The film opens
with a sequence of extremely slo-mo shots depicting the end of the world, and
the film (don’t worry, not a spoiler), through the collision of two planets.
There are around 16 shots altogether, and they are all some of the most
beautiful images I have ever seen in my life. They really are. The only quarrel
I have is that one or two of them lean slightly too much towards photography,
rather than cinematography. They just don’t really have enough movement to be
considered actual cinematography. But this really the most minor of minor
complaints.
