To the Wonder

Banal ideas presented as deep thoughts and bandied about in self-consciously artsy style are at the heart of Terrence Malick's latest cinematic effort. In terms of plot, To the Wonder follows the ups and downs in the relationship between American engineer Neil (Ben Affleck) and French divorcee Marina (Olga Kurylenko), not through dialogue but rather images—Marina gamboling about in streets and fields when the couple are happy, both she and Neil brooding and grimacing as they prowl the halls of their house when they're unhappy. The overarching symbol here is the Norman monastery of Mont Saint-Michel (the titular wonder), which is cut off from the land when the tide comes in; Neil and Marina visit the monastery as the film opens, and the ebb and flow of the sea is obviously meant to reflect the changes in their feelings for one another. The film also features a third major character: a tormented priest (Javier Bardem) who wanders the streets of the Oklahoma city where Neil and Marina settle, reciting lugubrious voiceovers about his lack of connection to God. Malick's admirers will no doubt call this a ruminative and profound film. But while some of the images are certainly arresting, the movie as a whole feels unbearably pretentious—in both subject and style—as well as curiously devoid of emotional content. As an Italian friend of Marina's aptly exclaims at one point, “There's nothing here!” Not a necessary purchase. [DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “making-of” featurette (11 min.), the behind-the-scenes featurettes “The Actors' Experience” (6 min.), “The Ballet” (6 min.), and “Local Flavor” on location (5 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a small extras package for a film that split critics.] (F. Swietek)