Babel (2006)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Nicki M

  
  This is one we have had lying around the house since it came out. (husband bought the DVD but never got around to watching it). Actually got a shock when i put it on and realized the little girl was Elle Fanning, who certainly doesn't look that young these days! (I guess that… More
  This is one we have had lying around the house since it came out. (husband bought the DVD but never got around to watching it). Actually got a shock when i put it on and realized the little girl was Elle Fanning, who certainly doesn't look that young these days! (I guess that means we have had this movie for 6 years!). The only reason I bothered now is I recently saw Mammoth, which was unfavorably compared to this. Well this was certainly better. It follows 3 stories which are all linked in some way. All also have some type of tragedy. The Japanese story did not seem to link in as well as the others with only a very slight connection, but I still really liked it. The Morrocan story is good as well, though I have to say it wouldn't be my idea of a relaxing place to go and work on a strained marriage. I did end up feeling sorry for the parents of the two boys, and the other family who got abused over "owning" the gun. Probably the most relatable story was of Amelia the Mexican nanny. I really did feel sorry for her. This is very nicely filmed and cast are all great (though I still can't stand Brad Pitt - one of the things putting me off watching, I think). If I had one complaint, it is that it drags on quite a bit at the end. I think the last half hour could have been trimmed a bit, which would have given all the endings a bit more impact. Overall a good film, but certainly not a feel-good movie, be warned!

• Phil H

  
  Well I started to watch this and at once thought...'oh no what have I done!?, this looks lame', 'I spent how much on this apparent dubbed movie' *weep* It then progressed with the individual stories, each one being a little more intriguing by the minute, until all… More
  Well I started to watch this and at once thought...'oh no what have I done!?, this looks lame', 'I spent how much on this apparent dubbed movie' *weep* It then progressed with the individual stories, each one being a little more intriguing by the minute, until all of a sudden your hooked and really thinking, what's gonna happen here? why? how will it end? how do they connect? The stories are very simple everyday (almost) things that you could relate to (here and there). To be honest I thought it was gonna be boring and I only went because Pitt is a big name and I was enticed by that (the shame), but the movie is really good, really gets you. I wasn't emotionally upset about it but you just wanna see how the story unfolds, it really sucks you in well. The weakest link was the story set in Japan in my opinion, they all link but this section was a little dull compared to the others. I was really surprised with this, not usually my thing but it was good. Pitt was also good and not in an ego trip kinda way, very grounded.

• Albert K

  
  "Babel". Fitting title. The narrative has many different story arcs involving many different characters in many different settings and eventually, these story arcs intersect one another to make a cohesive plotline, ala "Crash" except "Babel" is much more… More
  "Babel". Fitting title. The narrative has many different story arcs involving many different characters in many different settings and eventually, these story arcs intersect one another to make a cohesive plotline, ala "Crash" except "Babel" is much more mature, stylized, and less preachy. Easily, the most interesting story arc is the one involving the deaf and insecure deaf Japanese girl, Chieko. Innovating plot developments and turns are the name of the game. It's what keeps "Babel" fresh throughout and what makes "Babel" a movie to experience.

• Jameson W

  
  I thought this was absolutely incredible! Excellent film making in my opinion. Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu takes another multi-faceted story but this time, he perfects it! Babel is even better than his 21 Grams of 2003. The story is emotional; the characters are fascinating;… More
  I thought this was absolutely incredible! Excellent film making in my opinion. Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu takes another multi-faceted story but this time, he perfects it! Babel is even better than his 21 Grams of 2003. The story is emotional; the characters are fascinating; the music is gripping and the script is wonderful. The acting is outstanding. HowJennifer Hudson won an Oscar over Rinko Kikuchi and Adriana Barraza I don't know, both were absolutely stunning. A great film about people and communication! Nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Babel is one of the best films of the great film year 2006!

• Bethany M

  
  It was as good as Crash.

• Kristijonas F

  
  Very moving and atmospheric work from this able Mexican director - in fact, it's one of those movies that you will hate to watch, yet be glad you went along for the ride.

• Jason R

  
  Complex and heart-wrenching, Babel keeps your stomach tied in knots throughout the entire 2.5 hours. The funny thing is: I'm not crazy about feeling depressed and stressed out for 150 minute periods of time. Babel is complex and deep, as far as the storyline goes, but the… More
  Complex and heart-wrenching, Babel keeps your stomach tied in knots throughout the entire 2.5 hours. The funny thing is: I'm not crazy about feeling depressed and stressed out for 150 minute periods of time. Babel is complex and deep, as far as the storyline goes, but the emotional impact is (by design, from what I can tell) one-dimensional. Really could have benefited from some comic relief or other device to release tension. With that said, the vision and execution of the film is top class, although the underlying message seems to be : "the gringos always come out okay while they ruin everyone else's lives."

• Brad W

  
  What film can show so much of four great cultures and a series of events that will lead to attempted murder

• Jens S

  
  Probably the movie with the best title ever as compared to its point and meaning. The topic of misunderstanding, not being able to communicate and listen is omnipresent. The acting is great, the four storylines are nicely put together. However, the film could have been a little more… More
  Probably the movie with the best title ever as compared to its point and meaning. The topic of misunderstanding, not being able to communicate and listen is omnipresent. The acting is great, the four storylines are nicely put together. However, the film could have been a little more fast-paced sometimes and a few scenes are more vulgar than they'd have to be. The story of the numb Japanese school girl was the saddest one in a way, although the others were way more dramatic. But last year's Crash, a similar movie in many aspects, touched me a lot more somehow. Still, well done, including some outstanding acting and definitely worth seeing.

• Nadira I

  
  Photography is outstanding, probably the best part the director made. However, some scenes are unnecessary long and make you bored. Not easy to watch for some people, really complicated movie. Its central theme is insecurities among the people.The movie taken in various parts of the… More
  Photography is outstanding, probably the best part the director made. However, some scenes are unnecessary long and make you bored. Not easy to watch for some people, really complicated movie. Its central theme is insecurities among the people.The movie taken in various parts of the world, bringing different views on overcoming problems. Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett was wonderful. Very emotional and in some way, disturbing. Interesting movie that are not for everyone.

• Dan S

  
  A gut-wrenching, heart breaking story that is brilliantly intertwined and emotionally walloping. Brad Pitt has never been better, with a standout, Oscar worthy performance coming from the unheard of Rinko Kikuchi. It's an extremely depressing story, but it's a solid look at… More
  A gut-wrenching, heart breaking story that is brilliantly intertwined and emotionally walloping. Brad Pitt has never been better, with a standout, Oscar worthy performance coming from the unheard of Rinko Kikuchi. It's an extremely depressing story, but it's a solid look at all kinds of cultures, and it has some important lessons located amidst all the chaos and sadness. Although its not particularly as memorable as it should be, still a fine film that is competently made.

• Conner R

  
  Alejandro González Iñárritu continues his perfect film-making with this very realistic and emotional story about the effects of guns. However, to say that is almost like simplifying a movie that is so overtly complex and layered. Lik with 21 Grams and Amores Perros, this uses… More
  Alejandro González Iñárritu continues his perfect film-making with this very realistic and emotional story about the effects of guns. However, to say that is almost like simplifying a movie that is so overtly complex and layered. Lik with 21 Grams and Amores Perros, this uses multiple narratives that intertwine and support each other. Pretty much every actor and character fills their need perfectly, which mustâ??ve been hard due to the fact that no one has more than 20 minutes of screen time. This is in many ways Iñárrituâ??s largest scale. Usually he only deals with three major roles, but this really was more about humanity as a whole rather than small character pieces. The cinematography is beautiful and surreal, capturing the best parts of life with it. Even with three very different landscapes, you have a very interesting style going on that really has an impression on the feel of the film. Now unlike 21 Grams and Amores Perros, this is not going to be for everyone. While I deeply enjoyed this movie, it has some very bold choices that most moviegoers wonâ??t understand or be pleased with. The idea that there is no main character or sole protagonist is a little bit scary, but I for one thought it really worked. I felt it was a more accurate depiction of life.

• KJ P

  
  This has got to be one of the dullest movies I have ever seen. However, it is one of those dull movies that you watch, that actually work, and works fantastically. It is so dull though, that I must refrain from giving it a perfect rating, because it is far from perfect, but I love… More
  This has got to be one of the dullest movies I have ever seen. However, it is one of those dull movies that you watch, that actually work, and works fantastically. It is so dull though, that I must refrain from giving it a perfect rating, because it is far from perfect, but I love this movie!

• Anthony L

  
  Alejandro González Iñárritu should stick to photography. He's got a good eye, that much is obvious but he seems to have a real problem with his editing. There are some wonderful compositions here that are skipped over so quickly, and some footage that most directors would have… More
  Alejandro González Iñárritu should stick to photography. He's got a good eye, that much is obvious but he seems to have a real problem with his editing. There are some wonderful compositions here that are skipped over so quickly, and some footage that most directors would have left on the cutting room floor! I hate his Guillermo Arriaga adaptations more and more as he makes them, Tommy Lee Jones made a fucking amazing film, all you need is a couple of good actors and an editor with an attention span over 5 seconds! Pitt and Blanchett had an easy day at the office, only Rinko Kikuchi and the Moroccan cast impressed me. Unlike Guillermo Arriaga's original script (that Alejandro González Iñárritu later fiddled with), the film is a contrived mess of illogical musing failing to convince or even entertain. Stereotype? Karma? Understanding? Unseen and unheard communication? A butterfly flaps its wings and a hurricane starts blowing on the other side of the world...Yeah, a mouse farts and a talentless Mexican makes another bad movie! Go figure. Its all foreplay and no action, and the foreplay ain't that great either! I have a headache now!

• Jake .

  
  Babel completely blew me away. I guess I had expected it to be kind of high-brow and "This Is Arte!" ( i. e. Synecdoche, New York) I had not expected it to be this good. Its beautiful and poetic, emotional and disturbing. Its beautifly filmed and scripted. I really liked the… More
  Babel completely blew me away. I guess I had expected it to be kind of high-brow and "This Is Arte!" ( i. e. Synecdoche, New York) I had not expected it to be this good. Its beautiful and poetic, emotional and disturbing. Its beautifly filmed and scripted. I really liked the entertwined storylines, though the connections could have been a bit more obvious. The acting was very good, as well, but would you expect any less from the likes of Cate Blanchett and Gael Garcia Bernal? I really have no complaints at all. Babel is visual and emotional, tense and compelling; truly a memorable and great film.

• Dean !

  
  A very well made film and interesting idea. I just felt it was a bit too drawn out and didn't have the impact of something like Crash. Good story but might not be for everyone.

• Chris W

  
  Far more engaging, emotionally draining, ballsy, and all around better than Crash. This is what Crash could have been ahd Haggis not had to play ball and make a film accessible to "sensitive" North American audiences. This is also a much fresher take on the themes of racism… More
  Far more engaging, emotionally draining, ballsy, and all around better than Crash. This is what Crash could have been ahd Haggis not had to play ball and make a film accessible to "sensitive" North American audiences. This is also a much fresher take on the themes of racism (far more subtle here) and miscommunication (the main theme). Ok, enough with menitoning Crash. This is a very compelling, gripping, and harrowing look at multiple intertwined stories that take place in multiple placs overthe course of roughly a week or so. It's even more impressive that all the stories are connected by more than just themes as well. What's most impressive is that it's all very believable and the audience really cares what happens- even though there are several scenes that are hard to watch, not because of graphic violence or that kind of thing, but because of how emotionally intense things get. Crash wasn't the only film that came out within the past few years that was an epic film with interconnected stories dealing with global themes. Syriana is another. Both Crash and Syriana have their merits, but both fall short for various reasons, mainly the inability ot engage the audience and keep them engaged and caring. That's where Babel succeeds, and why it is one of the best films of the decade. Other elements of note are the terrific (great understatement) performances by an extremely talented ensemble cast, the haunting, award winning score, the effective uses of sound/silence and the usage of light/dark. One of the most unforgettable elements (alogn with the score) is the camera work. Every scene looks like a painting, and not just the landscape shots either. Had the cinematography not been so well done, the film would have suffered, as it is one of the most important parts of the film that hold is all together. If I haven't stressed it enough yet, I will once again mention that this is a gutsy film, which is what makes it that much more powerful. I feel that this film is required viewing for everyone alive right now, but I will stress that this is a draining and "heavy" film that does start slow, but if one stays with it, they will be greatly rewarded.

• Thomas B

  
  this is such a gritty, brilliant movie. brad pitt is playing his most underplayed role yet and cate blanchett, though in the film for a little while, lights up every scene she takes part in. the interconnecting stories, remeniscent of crash, weave such a tangled web which somehow make… More
  this is such a gritty, brilliant movie. brad pitt is playing his most underplayed role yet and cate blanchett, though in the film for a little while, lights up every scene she takes part in. the interconnecting stories, remeniscent of crash, weave such a tangled web which somehow make sense in the end. the girl playing the deaf-mute japanese girl is brilliant. some of the hardest hitting scenes which will never fail to shock the audiences abound in this film.

• Justin Y

  
  I'll give Alejandro González Iñárritu props for creating a film like this, but unless drama is your cup of tea, this is quite the difficult watch.<p>The story is slow going and the 2 hours and 15 minutes will not come quickly. <i>Babel</i> is purely drama.… More
  I'll give Alejandro González Iñárritu props for creating a film like this, but unless drama is your cup of tea, this is quite the difficult watch.<p>The story is slow going and the 2 hours and 15 minutes will not come quickly. <i>Babel</i> is purely drama. What does help this film is that there are 4 sets of characters to follow. 2 in Morocco, 1 in Mexico, and 1 in Japan. The catch is all are intertwined by a single event that takes place near the beginning. This works in this movie's favor, because watching one set of characters for 2 hours and 15 minutes at this pace would have been quite the task.</p><p>The first half, which is basically over an hour, is a lot of slow buildup to a climax which isn't so climactic. In fact, the second half is more of a slow decline, almost like a fade out. On another note, the stories of the 4 sets of characters are not happening at the exact same time. It is more than a day between a couple of the sets.</p><p>For a drama, the acting is great. All members of the cast put on good performances with what time they are given.</p><p><i>Babel</i> isn't exactly boring, however the slow pace and dramatic storyline is not for everyone.

• Coxxie M

  
  this was really not my idea of a saturday. i had to see japanese bush. JAPANESE BUSH!!! the worst kind!

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