Review: Pacifiction

While this is my first experience of seeing an Albert Serra film, I was partly aware of his style.

I heard he likes his films to be immersive and likes to linger on his scenes where a lot of them are seemingly uneventful.

Knowing a style is one thing, experiencing it is something different 

It was honestly a slog to get through. I got that it was portraying political paranoia and the constant threat of dread with the French Polynesia as a backdrop. On paper, that sounds genuinely interesting. But it took almost three hours to say that and it didn't need to do that at all.

There are some decent moments including one extraordinary sequence involving nature that was amazing to watch.

But there plenty of moments that I just couldn't explain its purpose.

They do make the most of the location. So there is some gorgeous imagery and colour to help entice you back in whenever doubt creeps in.

But this was a really bizarre watch. It does have a way of reeling you in as it is great to look at and has a hypnotic vibe. But I don't think it needed 2hrs 45 mins to tell the story it did.

Most will see it as the type of film mainstream audiences hate and critics gush over. I'm more with the former on this one unfortunately.

Rating: 6/10