This movie was far ahead of its time, so far in fact that the flaws of the film are what couldn't really be done during the filming of this project. We don't get too much insight on the "Zone" or of the mysteries within the film, instead we are shown through the means of great suspense, that the threats are real. The dialogue in the film leads to often interesting conversations which causes much thought. This is a very unique example of science fiction. Today's sci-fi shows us a couple ideas about a monster or alien, and then they take us to them, there is a fight, maybe a woman needing rescue, then the hero wins. In this films' take on sci-fi, like so many of the greats, questions are posed, and few answered, leaving much to be discussed and debated afterwards. There are successful films which operate on a level that don't ask questions, but the more intriguing ones do. If you dig deep enough into most films you can force ideas out of them, but the ones that ride on their ideas are the ones that last. This one will last. Unfortunately this will probably either get a remake or just get ripped off of later down the road, while the writers won't have a full idea about what Tarkovsky was thinking.
The cinematography was superb, the landscapes, costumes, set designs, acting, it was all great. This film receives so much credit for originality that it surpasses modern greats, because most modern greats are only great because of what came before them. No shark movie can be great after 'Jaws'.
This film does however come with warning. It is long. When I say long, I mean, stretched, lasts forever, lengthly, never ending, drags on and on, often boring, sometimes a nuisance, even painful, the end feels so distant, drawn out... elongated, faraway, lingering, prolonged... This is probably the slowest movie I will ever see, but for sure is the slowest movie I have ever seen.
The film revolves around a character who is a "stalker", one who escorts in and out of a place called the "zone", a mysterious place that is capable of granting the innermost desire... but this place isn't an easily bearable place.
The movie is trying to figure out the meaning of life, but it is definitely both boring, and amazing. It feels like a 500 mile log ride with only one free-fall... but the free-fall is the best free-fall ever. So its up to you whether or not you want to wait for the fall, or keep trying the shorter, less meaningful, quick fixes, or go for the big bang.
This is one of the easiest reviews one can do, boring, long, awesome.
'Stalker'
9 / 10
