I watched this, partially on the plane and partially after arriving, and my first thoughts were ‘they sure don’t make movies like this anymore’ and ‘music is very overused in modern movies’.
This was a very slow, quiet, and subtle movie. There were lots of long, silent shots of scenery, and of characters looking at things. The first 45 minutes of the movie are mostly the main character looking at a pond and some trees. (not even exaggerating)
But it builds tension, and ambiance, and it sets the tone without forcing you into the mood with music. There is barely any music in the entire movie, and when it is there, it’s used very strategically, which makes it much more impactful.
I wonder what I would have thought of this had I not read the novel first. I probably would have been more impressed. Because despite the positive things I’ve been saying, this movie was very slow and not a lot happened. Looking at it from a story perspective, rather than style, the story doesn’t even really start until nearly 1/3 into the movie. The novel starts right at the action, but the movie decidedly does not.
I’m not sure I’d recommend this to anyone other than film buffs or huge sci fi fans. It probably does not provide what people expect from a movie these days. That being said, I enjoyed it, and I think the absence of music in it will really hold a magnifying glass on music use in movies I watch in the future.
Jonas David 