BARDO, FALSE CHRONICLE OF A HANDFUL OF TRUTHS - Review

Alejandro González Iñárritu’s latest film is an immersive experience that blends both dreams and reality for his most surreal and personal work yet. Even if some of its sequences can feel tedious and drag for repeating what's been established. The manner in which Iñárritu explores themes of identity, self-discovery, and aging with unbelievable flowing camerawork and imaginative situations and sets. This has created hilarious and haunting imagery that's been burned into my memory along with Daniel Giménez Cacho's captivating lead performance grounding the unusual visuals as a filmmaker contemplating his place in the world.

Still Courtesy - Netflix

Silverio Gama (portrayed by Daniel Giménez Cacho) is a renowned Mexican journalist/documentarian who's also a United States immigrant with his family. However, when returning to Mexico to promote his new documentary and receive a lifetime achievement award. He ends up going through an unearthly journey through different points in time as he confronts and questions his identity and what he's truly seeking at this point in his career and life.

At the beginning of 2022, if someone asked me what was my most anticipated film of the year, my immediate answer would easily be the latest film by Iñárritu. Someone who makes films like no one else where after deservedly winning back-to-back Academy Awards for Best Director for his mind-blowing work in Birdman (2014) and The Revenant (2015). It was exciting to see how he would follow up on some of the most stunning and ambitiously made films of the 21st century and when it would come out. Well, since his directorial debut Amores Perros (2000), Iñárritu chose to go back and make a film entirely in Mexico. Not only that, but making Bardo (2022) in a way feels like his therapy based on how much of his personal feelings and struggles are reflected on the main character.

From its breathtaking opening scene set on a dryland as Silverio runs, jumps, and levitates in the sky where the camera faces his shadow from his perspective. That was just a glimpse for the rest of the immaculate flowing camerawork from Darius Khondji that makes it very easy to be immersed to what's shown on screen. Using wide tracking shots is obviously a reminiscent style to what Iñárritu did with Birdman (2014) and The Revenant (2015). But it also serves this film so well based on the surrealist approach in which the story progresses. As a result, it's the kind of film that will frustrate those looking for concrete and one-sided meanings as to what everything is supposed to mean. Instead, the film's non-linear structure and bizarre imagery are there for Iñárritu to truly put viewers inside the mind of this man and in a way, himself as well.

To someone closer to the end of his life than the beginning where upon returning to Mexico, he starts being treated differently. This ends up starting his identity crisis whether he considers himself more American or Mexican that further gets developed through the various interactions he has. This includes being humiliated on a talk show, a conversation with his son where they compare Mexican immigrants of different classes, and dreamlike encounters with his parents regarding his life before becoming an immigrant. It ends up getting very dense with its themes while trying to tackle many of them. However, there comes a point where much of it can feel tiresome for some sequences lacking purpose to the overall experience while making statements to what’s already been communicated. Especially during a scene in the National Palace of Mexico City. Despite the lingering shots and creative designs in this scene being consistently amazing. The film’s pacing and runtime would be less apparent if moments like those were trimmed down or removed.

Ironically, the film’s runtime was already cut down to being 22 minutes shorter compared to the original cut that first premiered at the Venice Film Festival. So a few more minutes being altered or cut from Bardo (2022) could have really turned it into another crowning achievement from Iñárritu. Even though a similar style and themes can be found in Bardo (2022) and Iñárritu’s other films (especially Birdman (2014) where both protagonists work in the film industry and are conflicted about how people perceive them compared to how they want to be perceived). Bardo (2022) stands out for taking the eye-catching scenery of The Revenant (2015) and having Iñárritu make his most abstract work yet where his emotions feel fully realized. Also featuring an amazing score with a great blend of rousing brass instruments and supernatural-sounding strings and synthesizers. It’ll perplex some and fully move others where hilarious scenes like the ones involving a baby delivery and preclearance show how Iñárritu at least has crafted the kind of film that’s rarely seen today.

Verdict

8/10

Still Courtesy - Netflix