Monday, April 21, 2008

Solaris Movie Review

One of the things I enjoy nowadays is watching movies I have missed during those busy days in school. I truly appreciate the luxury of time because it gives me the chance to savor this instance without hurriedness.

One of the movies I recently watched and fell in love with is Solaris directed by Steven Soderbergh. George Clooney and Natascha McElhone starred in what was considered as the Most Romantic Sci- film of year 2002.


The movie depicts the paradoxical convolutions of beliefs about God, death, resurrection, Cosmos and depth of love.

It was a whirlwind romance for Rheya (Natascha) and Chris (George). However, differences in belief about the existence of God and other perplexing matters later on disintegrates their relationship. Chris callously left his wife who in turn committed suicide. Her suicide note includes the lines of a poem written by Dylan Thomas quoted to her by Chris the first time they met…

Though they go mad they shall be sane,
Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;
Though lovers be lost love shall not;
And death shall have no dominion.

The mystery of their love inhabits in the line of a poem itself, “death shall have no dominion.” 

When Chris was called by a friend to investigate the unusual behaviors of scientists studying the planet Solaris, he found himself battling with the same demons that haunt him since the death of his wife. Guilt and remorse threw him ill-equipped for what awaits him in the space station, Prometheus.

Could it be his insurmountable love or Rheya’s undying devotion to their relationship that resurrected his dead wife? Or maybe it is the unseen force of Solaris itself? For whatever reasons, it seems that they were about to have a second chance.

When Rheya materialized out of Chris’s memoir of her, and he asked, “How did you get here?” her answer was so simple, “What’s wrong? I love you so much”.

It was the absolute explanation itself of the mystery that surrounds her manifestation in the space station. Love is enough to conquer everything…no skies so high and no oceans so deep…death shall have no dominion.

Part of being human is to have this unquenchable thirst to seek an explanation of everything- especially about God. But when we come face to face with an answer we suddenly recoil and still we can not come to terms with what we searched for. Even though Chris came up with evidences about the mystery that surrounds Solaris which his wife suggested, “almost like God?” still he won’t simply believe.

In the first part of the movie, Chris read a book that tries to “demonstrate that the most advanced theories and victories of mathematics represent nothing more than a stumbling, one step or two-step progression from our rude, prehistoric understanding of the Universe around us.”

However, Gibarian, his friend who committed suicide in the station after having mysterious visitors said… “You ask questions at the end of your life, the sort of questions people who are content don't ask. Maybe life just can't be solved.”

The enigma of love was clearly portrayed by Rheya, death for her husband and revivification in the name of their love.

The climax scene which showed a young boy offering his hand to Chris seemed a clear portrayal of his coming to terms with himself and everything he believed into.

The element that comprises life was magnificently shown especially at the latter part of the movie then the color green which represents new life. It was the time Chris found himself back on earth and staring at his dead wife who mysteriously appeared again and uttered, “Everything is forgiven.”

Solaris exemplifies more than a Sci-film but an in depth portrayal of love and belief…truly magnificent and it captivated my heart. 

11 comments:

  1. You really, really look familiar.
    Where did you go to school?

    ReplyDelete
  2. University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City. I finished my degree year 2002. Did you finish Law degree there?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love can do wonders. People risk their life because of love.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love your review. Solaris just happens to be my favorite sc-fi film and you have the best written review I've read.

    Even though I've seen the movie several times, tears form just thinking about it now. It's deeply haunting.

    This is a great movie - certainly the most romantic sci-fi films ever made. It infects you with Chris' conflicts about Rheya and the complexity of love.

    Did you notice the colors of the pills Chris took? The first pills were red and the second pills were blue - perhaps allegories to the pills in Alice in Wonderland and the Matrix.

    I believe the pills probably symbolized Chris' subconscious struggles with Rheya - the blue pills to block her from his mind and then the red pills to hold on to her forever and never let her go.

    Anyway, thanks for writing about Solaris. It's a pleasure to read a such an intelligent and well-written review. -DR

    ReplyDelete
  5. To: Zunnur

    Yes, I can't agree more. Don't you think that love itself is a risk?

    Falling in love might mean getting hurt at the end but who knows for sure if you won't gamble, right?

    At the end it won't matter. What is important is that love prevails.

    ReplyDelete
  6. To: DR

    Thanks a lot for such very meaningful comment. What you said is very moving and accentuate what I’ve felt when I saw the movie. I did watch it many times also and the effect never lessened, perhaps it just became more intense.

    The movie was presented in many allegories just like what you mentioned about the color of pills.

    I think the way it was made was so brilliant. Every moment has a deeper meaning than what was literally shown. One should open his heart in order to empathize with the characters.

    It was indeed a very remarkable movie. The type where you end up with deep sighs hoping the kind of love of Chris and Rheya does exist in real life.

    Thanks again...:)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you for the prayers Nina.
    God Bless!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Solaris seem to be an interesting movie.You did a great review Nina. I will look it up, I am sure my husband will be interested too.

    By the way, I have a tag for you, grab it when you can and when you feel like,
    http://www.pinayjade.com/2008/04/got-tagged-again.html

    Have a great weekend Nina!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks Nhea. Jade, I'll check on it later. Have a great weekend too and thanks a lot.

    :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Now, I know why you look so familiar. I graduated from UNC too. I took up accountancy and then later on, Law.
    I graduated in 2001 and 2006. I think I have seen you there.

    :)

    I am going to check out Solaris too. It sounds interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yes, that could be. I took up some units in Masters degree also after my graduation so I was still always in UNC.

    Small world, right?

    Thanks for the visit again.:)

    ReplyDelete

Comment here!

Translate

Click to Subscribe to My YouTube Channel

Click to Subscribe to My YouTube Channel
Free English tutorial videos.

Free Worksheets, Flashcards, and Other Educational Materials

Free Worksheets, Flashcards, and Other Educational Materials
Visit my educational website and download English worksheets, lesson plans, spelling flashcards, writing prompts and others.