CARMEN – A Review by Cynthia Flores
In the film, we are told that the name Carmen means poem. And that this young woman is her mother’s poem to the world. Suppose you don’t like films about female sexuality and the power of dance used as the language of dreams. In that case, this brilliant feature film debut from Director Benjamin Millepied is not for you.
The French director, who is world-renowned as a choreographer, has said in interviews that he has loved the opera of Carmen since childhood. As an adult, he wanted to reinvent Carmen and breathe new life into her story with a fresh and contemporary perspective. Millepied is quoted as saying-
“This movie is not a re-telling or adaptation of Carmen, but an entirely new and unique artistic endeavor. On stage, dance, music, lights, and costumes all come together as a single experience, where none of the elements should conflict with one another but rather coexist as a coherent work of art. I approached this complete re-imagining of Carmen in the same way as I approach dance.” He said, “I wanted to make a movie that is an immersive experience, one that demanded I experiment with movement, music, and dance in a way that I had never known.”
The new story of Carmen the film follows a young, fiercely independent woman who, after the brutal murder of her mother, Zilah (Marina Tamayo), outside their home in the Mexican desert by the Cartels, must choose to flee her homeland. Carmen (Melissa Barrera) survives a terrifying and dangerous illegal border crossing trek into the US, only to cross paths at the finish line with Mike (Benedict Hardie). He is a lawless volunteer border guard who cold-bloodedly murders two other immigrants in her group. When his patrol partner, a Marine with PTSD, Aidan (Paul Mescal), objects, they end up in a deadly standoff.
Carmen and Aidan are forced to escape together. They go north towards Los Angeles in search of Zilah’s best friend. Masilda (Rossy da Palma). She is the flamboyant owner of La Sombra nightclub. It’s a sanctuary of music and dance for Carmen and Aidan. Both find solace in their unwavering love for each other in the safety of Masilda’s magical refuge.
Here, Carmen comes into her own, learning how to channel her female power through her talent for singing and dancing. But time is running out as the police hunt for Aidan closes in.
Carmen, the film is a fever dream of stunning visuals and haunting music. The instrumental score has a choir integrated into it, singing in French. The lyrics they are singing are from the libretto for Carmen, the opera written in 1875 by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. The film’s composer and songwriter, Oscar nominated Nicholas Britell, considered it a sort of mystical counterpoint between the opera and the movie.
The leads of the film, Mexican actress Melissa Barrera and Irish actor Paul Mescal are both experienced singers, but neither are classically trained dancers. You would never know it because they both trained with Millepied for weeks to prepare for their roles. These two actors have a chemistry that sizzles on the screen.
Also, the cinematography of Jörg Widmer is fantastic in this film. He uses a Steadicam instead of a handheld camera during the dance sequences. Giving the audience a chance to be immersed in the scene and feel like they’re dancing with the dancers. Visually, from the first few moments of the opening, where Marina Tamayo as Zilah, who is an actual famed flamenco dance artist, opens the film with a powerful performance in the desert outside their home to the last moments of the lovers embraced in dance, the film is a visual feast for the senses.
I give Carmen 5 stars. It’s a haunting journey of passion that feels like a fevered dream. I hope the film will be remembered come awards season.
Directed by: Benjamin Millepied
Written by: Loïc Barrere, Alexander Dinelaris, Lisa Loomer, Prosper Mérimée
Rated: R
Selig Rating: 5 Stars
Running Time: 1h 56 min
Drama / Musical
Limited Release: May 5th Exclusively at Angelika Film Center & Café Dallas
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Paul Mescal, Elsa Pataky
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.
