I usually like Terrence Malick's flicks, but not this one. His story narrations are always aims more on the action (not stunts) than the talkings. Besides, spectacular visuals are highlights and his trademark, and again, not in this film. He really tried, but it was so boring movie in the recent time I have seen one. Pardon me to mock him, but I had to say that the film looks like the one what Willem Dafoe trying to make one in 'Mr. Bean's Holiday'. Except here with me there is no Mr Rowan Atkinson/Bean to make the film an exciting with his genuine editings to add some fun stuffs. Sorry, it goes straight to my 'I should have not watched it' list.

2.5/10

Greetings again from the darkness. Director Terrence Malick makes films that typically fall into the "love it or hate it" genre. He has a very loyal group of fans (of which I am one) who appreciate the unique mental and emotional ride that his projects provide. To say that his films are not accessible is understandable. His objective is to challenge you to access your own beliefs and thoughts, rather than the characters in his movies ... they are simply the tools he uses.

Less than two years ago, I was struggling to put thoughts into words after watching Malick's The Tree of Life. Now, in record time for him, he releases another film that is even more impressionistic ... actually abstract is not too strong a description. The usual Malick elements are present - nature, uncomfortable relationships, minimal dialogue, breathtaking photography, and powerful music. Where The Tree of Life focused on Creation and Family, this latest takes on Love and Faith.

Water imagery is a frequent key as we see the personal relationship mimic the changing of the seasons. Neil (Ben Affleck),an American visiting Paris, meets and falls for Marina (Olga Kurylenko),a free-spirited local filled with light and energy. Their love affair moves to the stunning Mont Saint-Michel before settling in the drab plains of Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

It's not surprising that the relationship suffers as the newness wears thin. The interesting part is how Malick presents it. We mostly witness bits and pieces ... he shows us moments, not events. We easily see that Neil's aloofness and sullen looks don't jibe with Marina's effervescence. When she returns to Paris, Neil easily falls in with an old flame played by Rachel McAdams. When she later accuses him of making what they had "nothing", we all understand what she means ... and why.

While Neil is proving what a lost soul he is, we also meet Father Quintana (Javier Bardem). He has lost the light of his faith and is in full crisis mode, even as he attempts to console and guide Marina. There is no secret that much of this film is autobiographical and that Malick is working through wounds he still carries these many years later. As a movie-goer, there is little to be gained from Alleck's disconnected character or from Kurylenko dancing in the rain. The real prize is awakening the thoughts and feelings many of us probably buried over the years to hide emotional pain. Malick seems to be saying that it's OK to acknowledge your foundation, regardless of your ability to succeed in a socially acceptable manner.

If you prefer not to dig so deep emotionally, this is a beautiful film to look at - thanks to Director of Photograpy Emmanuel Lubezki (a frequent Malick collaborator),and listen to - a blended soundtrack with many notable pieces from various composers. While this will be remembered as Roger Ebert's final movie review (he liked it very much),it will likely have very little appeal to the average movie watcher - and I'm confident that Terrence Malick is fine with that.

Terrence Malick is one of those directors that I appreciate very highly. His previous five films range from very good(The New World),great(Badlands) to outstanding(The Thin Red Line, Days of Heaven and The Tree of Life),but if anybody doesn't like them or Malick I won't hold anything against them as Malick has a very unique style that also isn't widely accessible. After loving The Tree of Life, I was met with disappointment watching To the Wonder(and from being familiar with Malick's style and researching it I did know what to expect),it is my least favourite film of his and the only one that didn't do much for me.

As always with Malick, To the Wonder does look absolutely stunning,- excepting a weirdly edited first few minutes- the cinematography has a very dream-like quality to it, the colours positively leap out at you in an eye-popping way and the scenery has a sweeping beauty. Every single one of Malick's films are among the most beautiful films visually I've seen, with every frame having a breathtakingly naturalistic quality without feeling too orchestrated. The classical-style music gives an audibly rich, overwhelmingly emotional and quite haunting quality to To the Wonder, fitting perfectly with every image on screen.

Rachel McAdams and especially Olga Kurylenko give great performances. McAdams is dignified and radiant, while Kurylenko is very touching in her role, and it helps that her character Marina is the most interesting character in the film. Malick's style is unmistakable, and it is clear that he has put a lot of thought into his directing.

He is not entirely successful though. His directing has a thoughtful and philosophical touch, but I did get the sense that he was trying too hard and that he was focusing too much on some aspects and not enough on others. I know a lot of people felt the same with The Tree of Life, but for me that To the Wonder was the first time I got that feeling. While McAdams and Kurylenko are great, Ben Affleck spends much of the film looking lost and Javier Bardem has a rather over-didactic delivery which doesn't allow the poetry of his voice overs to come through enough. It also doesn't help that his scenes feel as though they're from a different film altogether.

The voice overs are very poetically written, Kurylenko's are really quite touching, but a few are a little preachy and are overwhelmed by the music. I have no problem with slow pacing, Malick's films are deliberately meditative and some of my favourite films are the same. But when the story came across as emotionally empty and disjointed and the themes of love, faith and whatnot not developed enough, To the Wonder did feel dull(and I didn't feel that way with any of his previous films). As for the characters, only Marina resonated with me with the rest- especially Bardem's Father Quintana- coming across as disconnected.

Overall, didn't love it or hate it, though I can definitely understand those that fall into either of those categories. If anything I was mixed on To the Wonder, and while it was visually and audibly stunning with two great performances, what worked for me in Malick's previous five films didn't here. By all means though I will give it a second look, I always got the impression that Malick's films should be seen more than once. It worked to some extent as an experience, but I wasn't engaged or emotionally invested in it enough to consider it working as a mood-piece(both of which Malick's films essentially are).

5/10 Bethany Cox