Breathtaking is the one word that comes to mind when I think of the images captured by Benjamin Millepied in “Carmen.” Unfortunately, the plot is a different story.
Millepied has reimagined the classic opera into an artsy spectacle that is a feast for the eyes. But the only similarity you’ll see is in the name alone. The film barely follows the plot of the famed play, with only a few mirrored points. The story is filled with fated love and loss, told in a bizarre and experimental dreamscape.
The film opens with a gorgeous flamenco dancer performing by herself in the middle of the Mexican desert. After an altercation with a man looking for Carmen (Melissa Barrera), the dancer is shot. We learn Carmen is her daughter, and before she dies, she tells her to find her friend Masilda (Rossy de Palma) in the United States. As Carmen makes her way through the desert, she meets Aiden (Paul Mescal), a veteran who is now working as a border patrol officer. When Aiden saves her from a fellow officer, the two find themselves being hunted and must lean on each other until they reach safety.
The plot is clunky, to say the least. At multiple points, you’re not sure what’s happening and why Carmen is being hunted. In fact, we are never given a reason why she was initially in danger. The dialogue is subpar, and there are times when it is just outright dreadful. The saving grace of this film is its sheer beauty. The cinematography is stunning to look at. Another strength is its beautifully haunting score. The music almost becomes another character driving each scene forward.
This is an abstract film that excelled in some parts and failed in others. It’s lyrical and passionate but is weighed down by horrible dialogue and an awful script. Rossy de Palma is magnificent on screen and is a force of nature. Her performance will completely entrance you. If you’re a fan of artsy films, try this one because even though the script wasn’t the best, it is stunning to look at, and the music is gorgeous, and you will immediately want to download the soundtrack.
Review: Carmen
Score
Review Nation Score
This is an abstract film that excelled in some parts and failed in others. It's lyrical and passionate but is weighed down by horrible dialogue and an awful script.