Knight of Cups (Terrance Malick, 2015): USA

Reviewed by Jessie Su. Viewed at Arlington Theater, Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2016.

I read the bad reviews and was a bit hesitant to see the film at first. However, as a Christian Bale and Natalie Portman fan, they did not deter me. And, I’m actually glad with my choice. Initially I was baffled by this new, unique approach for film I had encountered. Yet, after an hour of reminiscing after the movie I started to identify with the characters and relate to them. I believe that there were many hidden meanings and symbolism. Director of the film Knight of Cups, Terrance Malick, is a unique cat that probably doesn’t give two cents about what the general public thinks. This wasn’t one of those Hollywood film cows; this was meant to be art/film.

I viewed the Knight of Cups at the Arlington Theater as the Centerpiece film at the 2016 Santa Barbara International Film Festival. There isn’t much of a plot or story. It is mostly a repetition of scenes with a gradual development. It achieves a chilling and haunting effect at the end, where most will think “what just happened?”

Rick, played by Christian Bale, is a Hollywood screenwriter trying to find some sense and purpose to his life. He indulges in luxury, women and parties, but is still lost. There are a lot of naked women in this movie. He is haunted by the death of his one brother and weary of the other brother Barry (Wes Bentley), who has an anger problem, lives close to him and looks to him as a role model. The father Joseph (Brian Dennehy) is portrayed as a rich, bitter and blind old man. We often see him muttering and shouting to himself. His idea is that he knew he was not a great father, but he did what he thought was right. Even from all the craziness, Rick still looks up and seeks guidance from him.

His ex-wife, Nancy (Cate Blanchett), is a physician. Initially, they were very happy together, but then she found Rick shutting her out. After the end of their marriage, Rick begins having many affairs with beautiful women he meets mostly at parties. There are numerous underwater scenes that possibly symbolizes how Rick feels like he’s drowning in life. Natalie Portman plays a married woman, Elizabeth, whom Rick impregnates.

The cinematography, film style, sound effects and framing would be perfect for a nature show where predators are leaping in and out towards their prey. Perhaps if Malick and The Dark Side of the Ocean director Rick Rosenthal collaborated with each other, they would make one heck of an outstanding film. The movie was really a roller coaster of vivid imagery with abrupt scenes with sparse dialogue and a story that leads one to focus intensely at the screen. The ending is surprising because finally a character that didn’t speak the whole time says something, making it a pivotal point. Through the vagueness, I sense a history of child abuse and domestic violence. Even though Rick is a well-to-do screenwriter, he must deal with his haunting past. Knight of Cups is a beautiful film that is told in the third person. It lacks story, engagement and dialogue. The audience is more like a bystander. However with patience and an open mind, if one delves deep enough they can find some truth and beauty to it.