Babylon - 💥💥

Director: Damien Chazelle 

Writer: Damien Chazelle

Release Date: 20th January 2023 

Hot Rating: 💥💥

Synopsis: Damien Chazelle's Babylon tells the story of the rise and fall of Hollywood's silent film era. 

The film follows the stories of several characters, including a rising starlet (Margot Robbie), a fading silent film star (Brad Pitt), and a studio executive (Diego Calva). 

Review: Babylon is an American epic period black comedy-drama film which rides high on its ensemble cast. The film is visually stunning, with lavish sets and costumes that transport you back to a bygone era of cinema. Performances are mostly strong, too, with Pitt and Robbie giving particularly good turns as actors at overlapping stages of their career. Less enjoyable is Babylon’s overlong runtime and meandering plot. The film clocks in at a lengthy 189 minutes, and it feels every minute of it. Our narrative doesn’t progress so much as it meanders from one character to the next, and it's often difficult to keep track or, indeed care, about everyone’s story. The film also suffers from a lack of focus, with Chazelle aiming to concurrently capture the death of silent cinema through multiple characters. Revelling in the crass and crudity of its era, of its era, Babylon fades into a mirage of cliches and confusement.

Image: YouTube