Sometimes, a movie is just a movie. There are other times, however, when a movie transcends entertainment and becomes something more: a piece of art, a social commentary, a platform for a political cause, or just plain entertainment. For me, it was the latter. Seeing as how this was my first trip to a movie theater in years, and how bad the last Batman movie was, I wanted something more than just entertainment. I wanted to be able to discuss what I saw with my son, who is also a fan of Robert Pattinson. So I went to see The Lighthouse, the new sci-fi/adventure movie by director Robert Pattinson. Now, I have to say, I wasn’t sure what to expect. After all, the marketing for this movie was pretty epic, with posters, billboards, and even a music video. The fact that it was written by the Twilight scribe, William Paul Young, was also enough for me to know that this was going to be something special. Finally, when the movie started, everything fell into place. It was great to see something that I could share with my son, who is still young enough to enjoy science fiction, yet old enough to know what is going on. In the end, I think we both enjoyed it, and I am sure that we will both be seeing more of Robert Pattinson’s work in the near future.
What Is It About?
If you’re reading this, you probably already know what it’s about. The movie is set in the near future, where artificial intelligence has advanced to the point where humans and robots can live in harmony. There is still, however, a small group of humans who chose to be apart of this new world, and they live on an island that juts out into the ocean. They have built a lighthouse, and the keeper, Robert Pattinson’s character, is devoted to them and their wellbeing. The only other human on the island is a woman named, Abbie (Saoirse Ronan), who also works at the lighthouse and is in a complicated relationship with the keeper. Things are relatively peaceful on the island until a huge storm hits, causing massive damage and loss of life. The story then turns into a battle of wits and wills, as the two main characters try to figure out how to save each other and their home.
Does It Work?
I love a good story, especially when it comes to children’s movies or movies about animals. For me, this was a combination of the two. My son enjoyed it as well, though he is more of the comic book type. He thought the CGI was a little overdone, and the movie could have used more funny one-liners. Still, he thought it was entertaining and had some great special effects. My wife and I both loved how relevant it was, especially towards the end, when we figured out that our votes actually did matter. The story, while fictional, is certainly something to think about in terms of our own world. This is someone’s attempt at writing a story about a group of people whose only fault was that they wanted to live their own lives and be left alone. We can learn a lot from this, even if it’s only in the sense that we should try and live our lives as thoughtfully as possible and not destroy the Earth because we can’t accept that we might not be the center of the universe.
The Pros.
I think the reviews for this movie are mostly positive, which is great news for those of you who are considering seeing it. There is a lot to like about this movie. The acting is superb, especially from Robert Pattinson and Saoirse Ronan. The script is witty and full of clever one-liners. If you’re looking for a movie to watch with your kids, this probably isn’t the one you want to see. They’re not quite sure what is going on half the time, and every now and then, they’ll ask a question that leaves you confused. Still, for the most part, it’s a fun movie and worth a watch, at least once.
The Cons.
As I stated above, I think the reviews for this movie are mostly positive, and for the most part, I agree. There are, however, some things you need to watch out for. For one, the pacing is kind of slow. It took us a while to figure out what was going on, and even then, I didn’t really understand why Abbie was being so nice to the robotic creature that walked like a man and acted like a robot. I get that she felt sorry for it because it couldn’t talk back, but still. She didn’t have to help it. The second issue is the movie’s length. It’s two hours and ten minutes long, and it seems like an eternity. They could have cut a few moments here and there, added some funny one-liners, and made it a little bit shorter. The other con is more a nitpick than anything else: the CGI is a little overdone. It almost seems like they tried to make an effect that was too amazing, and it ended up looking like a child’s drawing. Not that it’s a terrible thing, but still. I think if you’re going to do CGI, do it on a smaller scale, or not at all.
Overall,
Taking everything into consideration, I give this movie a 7.5/10. This is a great, fun movie to see with your kids, but it also has a lot going for it. If you’re looking for a dark, gloomy movie, you might want to watch something else. If, however, you want to see something that is both entertaining and thought-provoking, then I think you’ll enjoy The Lighthouse. I also think that it will open up lots of interesting discussions with your kids about the world we live in today and where we’re headed. So, if you’re curious about what your kids think about the world, why not watch something that will leave them with some thoughtful comments?