Even though they are radically different movies, I thought of Pan's Labyrinth when I was watching Bedazzled. When I was reviewing Pan's Labyrinth, I came across a few things that pointed out the classic good and evil dichotomy in the movie. They pointed it out as a good thing, usually, but I have a different opinion. I like the portrayal that Bedazzled gives. It may be a somewhat ditsy movie, very light-hearted and humorous and downright sappy. But what's wrong with that? Pan's Labyrinth is intelligent, dark, serious, largely humorless, and yet it still doesn't quite achieve the same level of wisdom to me.
Yet is is far more popular. Ah well.
I found Bedazzled to be a really "Entertaining" movie. It may be composed of a series of short scenes, almost like a "WarioWare" movie, but each scene is a lot of fun. Like The Cat in the Hat, it's mostly a film showcasing one actor's talents. Brendan Frasier is far less obnoxious than Mike Myers when given this opportunity.
If you like to enjoy the movies you watch, but also like some substance, I feel that Bedazzled delivers.
Analysis (with Spoilers):
The wisdom which I value so highly in this movie is the view it has on good and evil. In the end of the movie, the audience is told, point blank, that good and evil really aren't that divided. It is up to you.
In the real world, good and evil are never black and white. There is always a huge swath of grey area. Those who we call "evil" are just our antagonists, but we are our enemies antagonist, so they call us evil as well. I am happy with the lack of wickedness in this movie that other critics have been disappointed in.
Another aspect of this movie that I liked is that he doesn't get "the girl" in the end. He gets "a girl", so it's got its happy ending, but the girl he obsesses over isn't it. Nor does anyone have sex in the movie. Now, it's not because I'm a 'prude' that this makes me happy, its because it's unusual. And it wouldn't have really fit with the rest of the movie.
No comments:
Post a Comment