Sometimes I'll watch a movie that makes me feel like an idiot. It'll be one of those movies that has an underlying message, a point it's trying to make, but I can't figure it out. "Solaris" is one of those movies. The surface story is interesting, so I did enjoy the movie, but other than a few sporadic things, I can't say I figured out the big picture of what the movie is trying to say. I know there were religious elements that were touched upon, as well as the exploration of how one person exists in the mind of another person, but I'm gonna have to see this one a few more times to figure it all out. Hopefully when the DVD is released, it'll have director commentary that will spoon feed everything so idiots like me can understand it.
"Solaris" may be a surprise to most people who go see it. I think most will expect a science-fiction movie, but that's not what it is. At least, it's not the kinda science-fiction most are used to. If I could compare it to anything, I'd say it has slight similarities to "2001: A Space Odyssey," but that has more to do with style than story. Realistically, this isn't a science-fiction movie at all. Science-fiction only provides the setting, the story is more of a love story, although it's a very cerebral one.
"Solaris" is the latest film from Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh, the great director of "Ocean's Eleven," "Traffic," "Erin Brockovich," "The Limey," and "Out of Sight," among others. He also wrote the screenplay, which he sometimes, though not often, does for the movies he makes. He did it for "Sex, Lies, and Videotape," a movie he wrote and directed that won him the Palme d'Or (equivalent of Best Picture) at the Cannes Film Festival in 1989. I consider Steven Soderbergh to be one of the best directors in the world, but sometimes, he gets a little too artsy-fartsy for me. "Solaris" teeters that line without ever really crossing it. I still didn't get it, though.
Steven Soderbergh is a bit of a control freak, I think. He wrote the movie, as well as directed it, but not only that, he was the director of photography and even edited the movie. He uses pseudonyms, though, so if you see different names in the credits, don't E-Mail me telling me I'm wrong. At one point, James Cameron ("The Terminator," "Terminator 2," "True Lies," "Titanic") was gonna direct this movie, but he decided to produce instead. I'm not sure what this movie woulda been like if James Cameron directed it, but knowing his reputation, it probably woulda cost more to make.
For those of you who don't know, this movie is a remake, though from what I hear, this one is more accessible than the original. Scary thought. The original was made in Russia in 1972, and it was directed by Andrei Tarkovsky. It was based on the novel "Solaris" by Stanislaw Lem.
For the third time, George Clooney stars in a Steven Soderbergh film (he also worked with Soderbergh in "Out of Sight" and "Ocean's Eleven"... at this point, he's totally redeemed himself for starring in that horrible movie "Batman and Robin"). Unlike his two previous films with Soderbergh, George Clooney doesn't play the cooler than cool smooth talker. In this film, he plays a wounded man looking for happiness, and he does it well. I like George Clooney as an actor, and he's done a good job of picking good roles (this started after "Batman and Robin," of course). Natascha McElhone (she was Jim Carrey's love interest in "The Truman Show," and she was in "Ronin") plays his wife in the movie, and she's great. It was a very tough role to play, because there's a lot going on emotionally with that character, and those emotions work on several different levels. Still, she pulled it off brilliantly. I really liked her in this movie. Jeremy Davies (he was the wuss interpreter in "Saving Private Ryan," and he was recently in "Secretary") is also in the movie, and though I usually find him annoying, he's a welcome addition. His character may have been a little too weird, but it seemed to fit here. Finally there's Viola Davis, who's also very good. She was in a couple of other Steven Soderbergh movies ("Traffic" and "Out of Sight"), so I guess he likes her. It's obvious why. She has a powerful presence, and she can come across as tough and vulnerable at the same time.
I'm sure that if I were to watch this movie again, I'd like it more, but after just one viewing, I feel as though I didn't get as much outta the film as the director intended. "Solaris" is a very well-made movie, and I enjoyed it, but there's more there than what's on the surface. Hopefully you'll be one of those who get it on the first try.
Scale of 1-10: 7