I went into this film expecting a generic thriller, yet another novel to film adaptation executed with half the merit of its source material, only to be be lost in the bottomless pit of mediocrity. Is this what I got? Not exactly.
Let me explain.
The earthquake bird does try to deliver on its unique premise and is somewhat competently made with attention to cinematography and style but still remains quite hollow. Why is this?
This got me thinking, aside from a 'slow burn' progression of plot, which didn't exactly bother me as it might have the majority of viewers. I personally felt the story was appropriately paced, it assisted in creating tension and made me hungry for answers. Heres the thing, the answers ..... once we got them or most of them at least, left me feeling underwhelmed, not by its reveal but how the creators handled it. Which is a real shame, because the underlining theme (Guilt) specifically how it correlates with character and story was really interesting. If only the first two acts alluded to this with a little bit more importance, it had the potential to really hit home and had they developed this (theme) on a deeper level, it would have made for a satisfying conclusion.
In terms of narrative structure it does stumble a bit, its too busy trying to seduce audiences into thinking one thing then teasing us with another. Which can be effective if we were fully engaged in the story and invested in these characters, but the loose thread of events leading up to the twists don't hold much significance until the final act and by then its too late. And all but our protagonist happen to be uninteresting one dimensional characters with no real lasting impression. Especially the archetypical creepy photographer boyfriend who didn't have much contribution to the film as a whole, when the film was purposely leading you to believe he was behind this convoluted mystery. How misleading, quite frustrating in fact.
To balance out my criticism, the film does a lot of things right. First and foremost, the acting was believable, Alicia Vikander played the role for what she was asked of, really well, her commitment to interchanging between languages was refreshing and realistic given the setting of the film. It was clear she knew the character really well and she did give it her best. The authenticity of Japanese culture and setting was well preserved and the technical aspects as a whole was serviceable. Might i note the soundtrack was nostalgic and the music was utilised effectively in regards to reflecting the total emotional effect. The actual point of the film, which might be hidden under the apprehensive build up was actually interesting. I wish they expanded on this and refined certain plot elements to make this all clear. My biggest issue was the delivery, execution and style was present although not fully appreciated. Earthquake bird was an unusually mediocre film, hence my motivation to write this review.
The earthquake bird does try to deliver on its unique premise and is somewhat competently made with attention to cinematography and style but still remains quite hollow. Why is this?
This got me thinking, aside from a 'slow burn' progression of plot, which didn't exactly bother me as it might have the majority of viewers. I personally felt the story was appropriately paced, it assisted in creating tension and made me hungry for answers. Heres the thing, the answers ..... once we got them or most of them at least, left me feeling underwhelmed, not by its reveal but how the creators handled it. Which is a real shame, because the underlining theme (Guilt) specifically how it correlates with character and story was really interesting. If only the first two acts alluded to this with a little bit more importance, it had the potential to really hit home and had they developed this (theme) on a deeper level, it would have made for a satisfying conclusion.
In terms of narrative structure it does stumble a bit, its too busy trying to seduce audiences into thinking one thing then teasing us with another. Which can be effective if we were fully engaged in the story and invested in these characters, but the loose thread of events leading up to the twists don't hold much significance until the final act and by then its too late. And all but our protagonist happen to be uninteresting one dimensional characters with no real lasting impression. Especially the archetypical creepy photographer boyfriend who didn't have much contribution to the film as a whole, when the film was purposely leading you to believe he was behind this convoluted mystery. How misleading, quite frustrating in fact.
To balance out my criticism, the film does a lot of things right. First and foremost, the acting was believable, Alicia Vikander played the role for what she was asked of, really well, her commitment to interchanging between languages was refreshing and realistic given the setting of the film. It was clear she knew the character really well and she did give it her best. The authenticity of Japanese culture and setting was well preserved and the technical aspects as a whole was serviceable. Might i note the soundtrack was nostalgic and the music was utilised effectively in regards to reflecting the total emotional effect. The actual point of the film, which might be hidden under the apprehensive build up was actually interesting. I wish they expanded on this and refined certain plot elements to make this all clear. My biggest issue was the delivery, execution and style was present although not fully appreciated. Earthquake bird was an unusually mediocre film, hence my motivation to write this review.