Unlike you guys, I could only view this once, on video, and I fast-forwarded thru the 45 minutes or so that was nothing but above-ground and under-water scenery. I just didn't understand why those scenes/minutes were in there at all, even taking into account Malick's penchant for making long and eccentric/strange movies. I still don't know what it added to the film. Felt more like in the olden days when they used to have intermissions in the theaters. Just went right over my head. Of course, if it had starred Heath, I'd have gladly watched the exact same film the dozens of times that it would require for me to finally understand it. Brad just didn't justify my time. I did very much enjoy Jessica Chastain's performance as the wife. She is a very chameleonlike actress, who I think and hope will continue to do great things in her acting career.
I have to say--hmmm. Maybe
video isn't the best medium/environment/whatever to really get the full impact?
I went to see it at MoMA--an OK-but-not-great theater (believe it or not), but I think a theater is required, and the bigger the screen, the better.
I think that when you are in the right environment, you get past the "gee, what does it really mean?" thing, and then you get past the "but, where is it really
going ", suddenly you just, well, let
go--
It's so beautiful, you just stop thinking.
It's wonderful.