2007 Athens Film Festival
'Inland Empire' maze of intrigue, confusion
By Rachel Hanes, Staff Writer
April 30, 2007 | 6:42 p.m.
It is not often that a feature film is more of a work of art than a storytelling machine. "Inland Empire" is an example of the former, and is bound to be one of the most intriguing, though utterly confusing, films of the Athens Film Festival.
"Inland Empire" is yet another original piece to come from the hands of renowned director David Lynch ("Mulholland Dr.") and is his first film in five years. With a comeback like "Empire," Lynch has made his presence known.
The film stars Laura Dern ("Jurassic Park," "October Sky") as Nikki Grace, an actress who is to star in a remake of “On High Blue Tomorrows.” The film is directed by Kingsley Stewart (Jeremy Irons, "Reversal of Fortune") and co-stars Devon Berk (Justin Theroux, "American Psycho," "Mulholland Dr."). All characters involved are excited about filming, however it is later revealed that the first making of the film in Poland was never finished; both leads of the original were murdered and production was rumored to be cursed. It is not long after this discovery that strange happenings follow Nikki, leading to changes in time, movies-within-movies and the most mystifying nightmare one can imagine.
Confusion and complexity are Lynch’s talent, and they are not left out of "Empire." From the moment Nikki begins to slip away from reality, all rules of film and storytelling go out the window. This can become frustrating for viewers of the movie, which goes on for nearly three hours. Some characters are nameless, serve unnecessary purposes and make the film even more entangled.
Another talent of Lynch’s, however, is the ability to craft films that are visually stunning and groundbreaking. Countless scenes, though confounding, are eye-catching and do not allow viewers to look away -- even for an instant. This is a film that is clearly a piece of artwork.
The storyline that "Inland Empire" attempts to tell is winding and would take large amounts of time to fully describe, but this does not make it a film worth missing. David Lynch grabs viewers and shows them things they have most likely never seen in a film before. While it may be impossible for some to understand, "Empire" is the finished product of a master of creative and innovative fiction.
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Speakeasy Rating: B
Running time: 2 hours, 52 minutes
MPAA Rating: R for language, some violence and sexuality/nudity.
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Go here to view the movie's main Web site.
To see showtimes for this and other films featured in the Athens International Film and Video Festival, click here.