One thing I love doing in reviewing films now is adventuring into director's filmography. It allows me to better understand the director's goals and accomplishments. Jean-Jacques has previously directed "The Name of the Rose" starring Sean Connery and "The Bear", a no-dialog, nature adventure film. Post "Seven Years in Tibet" he directed "Enemy At The Gates" which was a mediocre at best, addition to the WWII genre, in which ended a streak only some would call 'impacting'.
What I learned from Jean-Jacques in this and the rest of his filmography... the word mediocrity.
This film had been on my list "to See" for some time, and it was among the more dreaded to see. Once I got about halfway into the film I began to gain more and more interest. Not nearly enough to put me on the edge of my seat, but more of a desire to finish something I started. I enjoyed it more than I thought, but that doesn't or shouldn't imply it excited me much.
Brad Pitt has a few moments of mediocrity, but the rest is just classic Pitt. Everyone else in the film followed his grade of mediocrity. The film does adventure off into places I have not really thought of, and in situations which have never entered my brain, but I do think there is a reason some of these things never entered. The movie feels like 3 hours of fast-forwarded film. Everything flies by, with moments you want to push play, but realize that was all the bite its going to give you.
I think the concept, the ideas inside this film were bigger than the film wishes it could have been. When I come across films like this, I wonder why Brad Pitt ever was.
I also am never convinced of any single character's nature in the film. Everything feels a bit fake, a bit divided from what I am used to seeing in the world. Characters are too... too much of... everything they are. I cannot think of a defense for any of the characters in the film and how they were written.
Perhaps I thought I was going to be able to push play, and in 5 minutes know if I was going to hit the power button and save 2+ hours... but it deceived me, every minute... till the end.
I think the one place just about anyone could seriously enjoy the film is in some way related to watching the film while waiting... waiting for your plane to land... waiting in the lobby of a dental office... because its either waiting homicidally bored or waiting suicidally bored.
"Seven Years in Tibet"
5.5 / 10
