Film: Babel

There must be a name for this kind of film. You know, the type that consists of many simultaneous and intertwined story arcs? Whatever it is, Babel is one of those.

I usually like this type of film, but Babel seems to think that just providing multiple story streams makes a good film. It doesn't. The individual stories are uninteresting and overly long. They are also tenuously linked, and I couldn't help but feel that the connection was thrown in as an afterthought.

But still, Babel has some merit. It's well acted, and you have to rate the film makers for traversing the globe to make the respective stories. Most of all, however, is how it makes its point: that many problems we face as people living on this Earth are caused by us just not taking the time to listen to each other. More than just misunderstandings, this film is about being misunderstood, sometimes intentionally. It's a powerful theme, so it's even more disappointing how Babel presents it.

At well over two hours, you should only really watch this if you know what to expect. Personally, I think there are other films out at the moment more worth your time.