Movie review - Inland Empire · Friday July 6, 2007 by colin newell
Ok. I do not actually do movie reviews. But I am making an exception for those so unfortunate as to fall into the World of David Lynch. Here is your warning.
David Lynch’s latest movie (and I most certainly use this term loosely) Inland Empire is an utter mess.
Inland Empire is an amalgam of all the Lynchisms ever cast on celluloid.
And unless you knew this already, Lynch is the ultimate trickster – using obvious visual metaphors and simple stories to create the illusion of complexity and plot.
Inland Empire has no plot. There is no story. It is one manipulative juxtaposition after another – woven like a spider on LSD.
Inland Empire has it all; Dark corridors. Men and Women in rabbit suits. Dark language speaking gypsy freaks. Simple dialog repeated – delivered in circles. More dark corridors. More blood. Bare breasts. Heck, there is even a monkey.
Bottom line – if you are thinking of spending some money to see this movie. Do yourself a favor. Give the money to a stranger or street person. Or visit a bar on the wrong side of town. Walk up to a prostitute and offer her (or him) 50$ to take the night off. Anything. Just don’t see this movie.
David Lynch’s Inland Empire is film-making proof that the man that brought us Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart and heck, even Dune has lost his marbles.
Colin Newell lives in Victoria and writes about pop culture, the arts, politics and Western Living. His only hope is that he is never forced to see a movie this bad… ever again.
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I totally disagree with u. inland empire is a personal, psychiatric, esoteric masterpiece of that shatters the barriers of human stupidity and ignorance and explores psycho-sexual intellectualism that is bound to be prevalent in every street corner in america where all the dumb & blind fall short of true human happiness, yet live in self-indignation…. one surrender to that which is not normal. normalcy is the continuation of illogical chaos brought forth into the mundane light of those who inquisitively find resolution through the psyche & emotional vulnerability. it really makes me sick, no offence, that america is getting dumber & dumber, and so ignorant by the minute becuz most audiences are dumbed down by simple hollywood garbage… thats just how I feel.
— amir Aug 17, 11:55 pm #
Although I do agree with you on principle, I find David Lynch to be a very intelligent manipulator of his audience. Having seen everything he has ever made (save for Eraser-Head) I find there is an obvious trend towards Lynch’s thumbing his nose at the audience – in effect he feels a level of frustration and malevolence towards the very people he directs his message.
Still, good points on your part.
— Colin Aug 22, 09:57 am #
Kewl. thanks for talking me into it. I figure if you don’t like it there must be something off the mainstream here. just stick your Harry Potter special effects garbage and you’ll be happy.
— Paul Rutten Dec 27, 12:53 pm #