Baraka by Ron Fricke (Review)

Visually, this may be one of the most impressive films I’ve ever seen. Shot on 70mm in over 20 countries over the course of 13 months, Baraka is like looking at a slice of life from every corner of the globe. Essentially, it’s a documentary (for lack of a better term) about man’s relation to nature.

The film lacks narration, so it’s left up to the viewer to find their own meaning in the film (if they have enough patience, that is). In this regard, it’s difficult to really write a review, because everyone will have different things to say about it.

Still, one can’t help but feel as if the film loses its focus at times, and the transitions between scenes, locales, and even “themes” can be confusing and disjointed at first. The film comments on many things; the awesomeness of nature, man’s inhumanity to man, man’s destruction of nature, and man’s need to return to a more spiritual, natural way of life.

To be sure, the film’s scope and goals are huge, even celestial (one can’t help but feel insignificant when looking at many of the scenes in this film), and for that, you have to hand it to the filmmakers. This is a film that seems tailor-made for starting discussions. The lack of narrative practically begs it.