Blindness (Fernando Meirelles, 2008): Canada | Brazil | Japan

Reviewed by Keith Chancey. Viewed at the Riviera Theater for the Santa Barbara Cinema Society.

Set in an unspecified time and place, Blindness is the story of a world without sight. The film begins with a random case of sudden blindness effecting one individual person. For the first act of the film, the story follows the trail of the blind man as he unintentionally spreads the unexplained loss of sight to every person he comes in contact with. The ‘infected’–as they are referred to in the film–are quarantined to some sort of asylum (maybe prison) to try and stop the spreading of the infection. Basically they are left to die with little food and water. Among the quarantined blind is a nameless lady (Julianne Moore), who has become immune to the plague. Unknown to all the other prisoners, except her husband, she has become the only witness to the inhuman warzone unfolding and is the only hope of survival for many.

Blindness is quick to illustrate the nature and vulnerability of our civilization and lifestyle. Keeping every aspect of the film as vague as possible, not one character is given a proper name and not once is the audience given a chance to identify the city of origin, leaving much to our imagination and causing that much more need for alarm. Even the cause of the blindness is not identified or hinted at, again leaving a wide-open metaphor for all to read as we may. Luckily however, the film does not directly preach out loud and the film is just as easily received as purely fictional.

Blindness is an incredibly dark film. But as dark as it may be, almost every scene was intentionally overexposed. The reason for this is relevant to the unique side effect of the disease; once infected, the loss of sight is commonly described as “swimming in a sea of milk”; instead of “turning the lights off” it seems more as though “somebody has turned all of the lights on all at once.” The extreme contrast of dark and overexposed is a lot to get use to at first, but surprisingly well done and balanced throughout the duration of the film.

Comparing this film to others would be odious; it is simply one for the senses, but at the same time much more than that. Blindness is a philosophical film that asks its viewers to panic, and at the same time enjoy a masterpiece in cinematic achievement. I would not be surprised if the film is given at least one Oscar award.

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Published:
09.19.08 / 11pm
Category:
Cinema Society, Films