The Book of Life (1998)
July 25, 2004
* / ****
With its unfocused shots, colored lens filters, pretentious dialogue, and boring commentary, Hal Hartley’s The Book of Life seems more like an art school final project than an entertaining meditation on religion and the apocalypse. Shot on digital video, Hartley sets the tone for everything forthcoming in the movie’s first few minutes and tirelessly plugs along with his talk-fest for the entire 63 minute running time.
Here’s how it goes: Jesus (Martin Donovan) comes back to earth flanked by his bodyguard Magdalena (P.J. Harvey, doing little more than looking over her shoulder and pouting throughout). The savior is understated and torn between his role as judgmental God and sentimental human. Satan (Thomas Jay Ryan) is here too, of course, chewing scenery and looking to get his hands on The Book of Life before Jesus can fulfill his duty and end humankind as we know it. Two New York City humanoids, a chronic gambler (David Simonds) and his waitress girlfriend (Miho Nikaido) provide the good and evil contrast that is human nature and its physical manifestation. La de da the talking ensues, Jesus is perplexed, Satan is making deals, Magdalena pouts and gets Jesus in trouble, and the humans just, well, act human I guess, but not quite as human as the deities. Go figure. It all adds up to a whole lot of nothing as Jesus sails away from Manhattan on a ferry staring at the skyline (including the twin towers, the movie’s one haunting image) and ruminating about how life will be in another thousand years.
Don’t worry that I spoiled the ending. You’ll certainly want to fast forward there anyway after about ten minutes. Trust me.
Final verdict: Somewhat intriguing premise, crummy execution.