Here Review: Robert Zemeckis’ Latest Sees The Excitement Of Its Ambitiousness Wear Out Too Soon

Here Review: Robert Zemeckis' Latest Sees The Excitement Of Its Ambitiousness Wear Out Too Soon

As a lifelong film enthusiast who has seen my fair share of cinematic masterpieces and duds alike, I must say that Robert Zemeckis‘ latest offering, “Here,” is an intriguing experiment that falls short of its lofty ambitions. Having been captivated by the director’s groundbreaking work in the past, I eagerly anticipated this film, only to be left somewhat underwhelmed.


Robert Zemeckis’ impact in the movie world is marked by his relentless drive to innovate and tackle concepts that others rarely consider, let alone pursue. His work ranges from the unique fusion of live-action and animation in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” to the dual production style in “Cast Away,” and delves deeply into the realm of performance capture with films like “The Polar Express,” “Beowulf,” and “A Christmas Carol.” Instead of sticking to conventional storytelling, he consistently strives to offer moviegoers an unparalleled cinematic experience by presenting them with visual spectacles they’ve never witnessed before.

Here

Here Review: Robert Zemeckis' Latest Sees The Excitement Of Its Ambitiousness Wear Out Too Soon

Launch Date: November 1, 2024

That will never go underappreciated, as that kind of creativity will forever be necessary in the art form, and his latest, Here, is very much part of that tradition. It’s a non-linear narrative that takes place across eons and makes heavy use of de-aging/aging effects, but most significantly, the film unfolds from a fixed perspective, with one angle capturing events that take place in a single spot across thousands of years. Adapting the visual style of the graphic novel of the same name by writer/artist Richard McGuire, the film is undeniably a standout filmmaking effort and a work made with great skill – but the hook proves to not have the staying power necessary for a 104 minute runtime. The commitment to the aesthetic is by itself awesome, but what’s actually unfolding in front of the static camera lacks the same kind of impressiveness, and it takes a major toll on the overall experience.

This story, penned by Robert Zemeckis and Eric Roth – who previously worked together to create 1994’s Forrest Gump – employs a time-jumping narrative style. It weaves tales from before the establishment of America, the Revolutionary War era, as well as the early 20th and 21st centuries. However, its main emphasis is on the Young family who settle in the house depicted in the movie following World War II.

In this household, Paul Bettany’s character Al and Rose Young, portrayed by Kelly Reilly, nurture their family, which includes their eldest child Richard (Tom Hanks). Later on, young Richard encounters Margaret (Robin Wright), the girl who becomes his soulmate. Subsequently, they take ownership of the property and establish a new family together.

On a technical level, Here is an impressive achievement.

To begin with, this film stands out as a unique cinematic exploration, and there’s a compelling case for its effectiveness, primarily due to its consistency: the narrative frequently jumps between different time periods, and visual elements such as on-screen boxes provide glimpses into the past or future. Despite these complexities, Zemeckis, renowned as one of today’s top directors, skillfully avoids creating a confusing jumble. As you progress through the early scenes, you gradually get accustomed to its rhythm, making it easier to grasp where and when events are occurring, as well as the broader context of the time period.

The transformation of the characters’ ages presents a varied outcome. At times, it’s astonishing to see Tom Hanks and Robin Wright resemble their younger counterparts; however, at other instances, it becomes a hindrance, much like director Robert Zemeckis’ struggles with the uncanny valley in his motion capture films. Generally speaking, though, it is more convincing than the aging of Al and Rose. Despite powerful performances by Paul Bettany and Kelly Reilly, the lack of convincing physicality detracts from the overall effect.

Here operates as though its aesthetics make up for its generic story… but they don’t.

In this piece, I’ve tried to convey my thoughts as clearly as possible: Zemeckis’ enthusiasm for the project Here is commendable, but unfortunately, it’s marred by a significant issue in its structure. Though it’s admirable that the director ventures into something so difficult, it doesn’t make up for the unremarkable narrative about an average American family. The movie presents challenges, such as Richard giving up his artistic dreams to support his family and Margaret’s wish for them to move into their own home, but these conflicts lack originality or strong appeal, and are weakened by the film’s brisk tempo. The Young family might be the focus of the story, but they fail to stir genuine emotional involvement from viewers because there’s nothing truly captivating about them.

The irony lies in the fact that the movie contains more engaging subplots but focuses less on them, such as:

Instead of primarily concentrating on the aspects portrayed in these films, all these tales surpass them. Consequently, there’s an unusual cinematic sensation of feeling let down whenever Tom Hanks and Robin Wright reappear on screen.

This film by Robert Zemeckis, titled Here, leans more towards style over substance. While it’s not entirely devoid of emotional depth, its emotional range is quite general. The movie doesn’t particularly linger in your mind after watching it. However, it does showcase some impressive cinematic techniques, and appreciating the craftsmanship behind it makes it a film worth experiencing at least once. Yet, the thought of rewatching it soon after viewing seems unnecessary.

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2024-11-01 08:07