Review: Beyond the Black Rainbow (2012)

For the record, Beyond the Black Rainbow, though listed by many as a horror title, really crosses the bounds between multiple genres and, for the most part, is a dystopian sci-fi film.  Still, it contains enough of a horror element that I felt that it deserved a place on this blog.  For those of you that enjoy films that are unusual and artsy while still retaining a deeper message that is not completely buried in the director’s ego, BtBR is a great one to add to your list.

This is a project by writer/director Panos Cosmatos (whose father is known for films such as First Blood Part II).  It also happens to be his first film project, and it’s quite the debut.  The movie opens with an advert from Doctor Mercurio Arboria, a man who promises that he can improve on the human condition by using modern technology, psychology and pharmacology to make people eternally happy.  Enter Doctor Barry and his patient Elena.  Barry is interviewing her, trying to get at the root of what makes her tick.  Elena happens to possess some sort of psychic abilities.  Barry is not kind in the way he approaches his psychological sessions.

We find out that Elena is basically being held captive and that her mother, once a member of the Arboria Institute, was killed by Barry during a “journey” he was sent on courtesy of Mercurio’s experimental, mind-opening drugs.  She has since lived at the institute, a subject of study.  When not grilling her with questions, they keep her locked away in a room, an old television her only friend.

As the story unfolds, we get a look into some of what made Barry the way he is.  We also meet Mercurio, who is happily addicted to drugs and, essentially, just waiting to die.  Once Mercurio finally falls, Barry loses any semblance of humanity.  Elena turns from study subject to victim.  Luckily for her, she is able to escape, but she must first make a long journey through the compound, facing a number of obstacles and horrors.  The movie wraps up with Barry pursuing Elena through the wilderness of the real world and an eventual final confrontation that ends rather abruptly.

There are a few things about this movie that one should know before watching it.  First, dialogue is minimal.  The actors do an amazing job, however, of conveying the twists and turns of the story (and of their own minds) by using their bodies and facial expressions.  This is one area where the movie truly shines and I was duly impressed that they were able to pull it off so excellently.

Secondly, nearly every scene if very drawn out and very artistically done.  There are strange lighting changes, odd camera angles and bizarre editing cuts.  All of it adds up to a very artsy sort of style, something that is reminiscent of the 70s (as is the John Carpenter-inspired soundtrack).   Many may get bored by the extremely slow pace, but if you’re looking into every detail of the film as a further part of the message it is trying to convey, you may find yourself surprised by how much can be said with so little.  At its heart, Beyond the Black Rainbow is a film about how the marvel's of modern man can sometime become the worst enemy, crushing the spirit in an effort to understand or "heal".

Again, this is not a movie for everyone, as the very meager ratings at Rotten Tomatoes would suggest.  It has been compared in pacing and style to films such as Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, so if that one left you snoring, Beyond the Black Rainbow may not be the best choice of viewing.  If you enjoy the unusual films that have a deeper message about human nature, then it could be the best film ever.  Personally, I loved it, despite the fact that I normally hate these long-winded films.  The atmosphere of the film was engaging and bizarre enough to keep me watching, even at 3am when I knew I should be getting a decent night’s sleep.   If it sounds intriguing to you, definitely give it a watch.  You might find yourself very pleasantly surprised.

Beyond the Black Rainbow courtesy of chud.com