onthelot.com Film Review

FILM REVIEW
FILM: Isolation
DIRECTOR: kirkeby
LINK: http://films.thelot.com/films/22495

PROS: Production value can be seen in the sets and wardrobe.
CONS: The film doesn't quite live up to its ambition, acting is stilted.

RATING: 2.5 / 5

COMMENTS:
I appreciate the effort and the ambition that went into this film but it doesn't quite make the grade. It takes itself too seriously by preaching its story philosophically - taking on an almost cliche tone. The beginning and ending narrations are completely unnecessary and beg the question of why the narration is in Chinese and not the rest of the film. Let the dialog and imagery tell the story, not a post production after thought. The cinematography started out interesting but over the course of the film, the repetitiveness revealed a lack of refinement (shaky camera moves and harsh shadowing). The dialog and delivery was very stilted. The seemingly intricate detail of the film looks and feels great but small details like putting a chicken egg in a tree nest (a smaller quail egg might have been more appropriate) just topples the entire reality of the film. I feel like I'm sounding harsh but it's only because I think something better can come of this.