Wim Wenders’ “The End of Violence” is dreamlike and quirky, it almost defies description.
Undoubtedly, the film’s elliptical quality affected its reception at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, as well as the fact that it barely got a US premiere a few months later. Despite the overwhelming response from critics and audiences, there is much to cherish in this breath-taking strangeness from Wenders, one of the most charismatic and poetic filmmakers working today. .
We meet Bill Pullman’s Mike Max, the so-called “famous Hollywood producer,” the kind of filmmaker who, like Francis Ford Coppola, has made movies and runs his life behind the screen. Max is strong but feels vulnerable, which befits the seaside expanse of his luxurious and unguarded home.
Max stares at his computer screen while his wife looks out the window, reflecting her husband in the distance. An accident happened on the set of Max’s new movie, titled “Seeds of Violence,” leaving an injured stuntman, played by Traci Lin, hospitalized.
Meanwhile, Ray, a tight-lipped man, played by Gabriel Byrne, works in a secret bunker inside the Griffith Observatory, where he observes the world below and tests dangerous technology which he was assigned to run.
Ray’s boss assures him that, if this Big Brother-like weapon works, it could mean “the end of violence.”
Written by Wenders and Nicolas Klein, it is a companion to Wenders’ 1991 masterpiece “Until the Apocalypse,” which also explores how humanity is surrounded and immersed in the omniscience of technology.
“The End of Violence” is also interesting because of its presence in Hollywood history, coming after the shock of the ’92 LA riots – a pivotal scene about two men about to kill one is seen. seen from surveillance footage and whether intentional or not, is a visual reminiscence of the Rodney King movie scene.
Other topics covered were the relentless accusations that Hollywood films are becoming more and more violent all the time, the intrusive presence of surveillance as a means of protection, and traumatic accidents. focus on the set (this comes after the terrible accident on the set of “The Crow” and, sadly, feels predictable due to the recent “Rust” appearance).
Perhaps Wenders’ best-known, best-known work are his German films, with his sullen, glitzy Wings of Aspiration (1987) perhaps being the most beloved.
His movies are a long list of things to experience, but I consider his American films, starting with “American Friend” (1977) and “Paris, Texas” (1984) are equally necessary.
This may not be the case here nor is it for those unfamiliar with his works, but for all the accolades it deserves for the Wenders Road Trilogy (1974- 76), his 1990s work is among the most underrated and misunderstood.
“The End of Violence” is worth rediscovering, as is “Far, So Near!” (1993) and “The Million Dollar Hotel” (2000) – all three are attributed to the soundtrack, not the film, which is unfair.
Byrne’s character resembles one of Wenders’ Berlin-centric angels in Wings of Desire, as he can observe other people’s intimate lives but cannot participate. Exploring how comprehensive surveillance and weaponization can harm or enhance the human experience, like a foreshadowing of both the Patriot Act and drone weapons.
The main characters in “The End of Violence” are slaves to technology, as it provides the only door through which they experience life. Byrne’s Ray says, “I try to avoid modern technology as much as possible,” although he’s almost always surrounded by screens and incoming data. His walks to Griffith Observatory for work are the only escape into nature he has.
Ry Cooder’s great score sneaks up on you, shrinks the guitar, and holds it. The central theme pops up frequently and I’m always excited for its return.
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Pullman’s narration has the same eerie, light-hearted immersion as Harrison Ford’s sinister voiceover in “Blade Runner”. At one point, Pullman’s character refers to an alien invasion, a nice nod to his role the year before in the super blockbuster “Independence Day.”
It’s a sign of pullman’s staying power, after “ID4,” he isn’t tracking another box office certainty but sees his sudden career as an opportunity to work with Wenders on this issue and David Lynch in “Lost Highway. ” At one point, Pullman in the narration saying, “paranoia is our number one export…no strangers, just a strange world,” sounds like a line that Lynch would write.
There is a great shot of a surveillance camera looking down at the vast cityscape. In fact, there are very few scenes here that don’t impress, as Pascal Rabaud’s cinematography creates and captures truly astonishing images.
Klein’s lines are witty (I love Max’s assurances that Kat, a stuntman with little experience, can become a movie star, as he asserts in a single word: ” Schwarzenegger.”).
Playing Max’s wife, MacDowell shows her way through her role (perhaps she’s acting out more ideas than just a character) and this is the only example I can think of where Pruitt Taylor Vance did not perform well.
Stylish Daniel Benzali (who rose to the top after a brief buzz while starring in Steven Bochco’s “Murder One”) featured in a few of his scenes. Udo Kier is hilarious in a character named Voltan Tibor. However, the film was again stolen by Traci Lind, who, after a few standout supporting roles, later retired from the cinematic scene.
Lin is amazing here.
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“The End of Violence” is visually stunning, with a famous rendition of Hopper’s “Nighthawks” but with scenes that are difficult to describe but rich in emotion and visual splendor. It’s dreamy and quirky, slow but hypnotic if it catches you, because you don’t have to rush to hit the key moments. The Wenders movie is also one of the best soundtracks in decades.
Although the title and the way that Ray oversees technology is touted as being able to end violence, it is less about violence than how disconnected people can become participants in their own lives. surname.
Not all ideas go together. This is more of a meditation on identity transformation than anything traditional. However, Wenders is more capable of handling American film themes and symbols than most American directors.
There is a wealth of ideas here, as well as a filmmaker exploring the meaning of cinema and violence in ways that defy both definitions. “The End of Violence” isn’t perfect, but it’s fraught with risks and welcomes conversations it’s clearly meant to spark.
And man, isn’t it pretty.
