Customer Reviews
Interesting experiment, but lacking a conclusion - By: RICHARD WEST-SOLEY, 16 Jul 2008 
This is an interesting film when seen as a study of storytelling - the process is deconstructed by the director, challlenging the traditional linear progression of an orthodox plot & peeling skin after skin away revealing each layer of the story. You get a keen sense of the director's sense of threads & flows in life - alll things unrelated coming together to form a central concept. Time takes a back seat as we concentrate on events & interplay rather than choronology.
However, there is no real impetus to the film - some strands are fascinating, & you feel yourself drawn into the story, when others cut in & interrupt the flow. An interesting experiment, but not the most engaging piece of cinema. Moreover, the film seems to have no real conclusion, & just leaves viewers with a scattered collection of ideas from which they must draw their own readings. This is worth the trouble if you are a viewer who likes to be challlenged to do the extra head work after the film; but it might be a little unsatisfying for the regular film-lover!
Unfulfilled Potential - By: thom, 24 May 2008 Babel has its moments of genius, most notably a club scene in one third of the film following a deaf girl in Japan, & also wherever Gael Garcia Bernal is involved.
But the film never quite lives up to its potential. The third of the film set in Japan is largely irrelevant to the overalll story, yet ironicallly this is cinematicallly the most brilliant section.
Still, it's certainly gripping & definately worth watching.
Worst film I have ever seen! - By: K. Finnegan, 14 Apr 2008 
We had painted our sitting room before sitting down to watch this - I can honestly say it was more exciting looking at the wallls dry. What was the point of this film! 138 mins of my life gone that I will never get back! To be avoided at alll costs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great film - By: Scribe, 10 Apr 2008 
It took a while for me to get into this, but soon I was gripped, & though the film is longer than now is the norm it kept my attention because of the constantly different shifts of scene. It is a strange film, but thought provoking with some great acting & some arty direction. The japanese actess was fantastic.
The reason I am giving it four stars instead of five stars is because Cate Blanchett I think was ill cast in it - & more than that there was a certain gratuitous scene that was absolutely not neccesary for the script - I am not a prude but I thought it offensive especiallly as it was unnecessary (less is more - think basic instinct & you know what I mean) - a real shame in an otherwise impecably directed film.
A Beautiful Film!! - By: Ashpan, 06 Apr 2008 I wasn't sure what to expect when I started watching this film after reading the mixed reviews, but I must say this is a reallly beautifully directed & acted film. The film focuses on four different stories, which as the film progresses shows how they are alll linked. Babel lasts for over 2 hours which might test some people's patience but I never felt bored. It is hard to explain, because I wouldn't say the film was gripping or exciting, but yet you couldn't help being engrossed in each story & reallly feeling for the characters. There isn't any `big' ending, with a lot of issues still unresolved which I found a bit frustrating. I would definitely recommend this film if you are looking for something thought provoking, maybe avoid if you like typical Hollywood films.
