Stalker
A Journey of Self-Realization and Self-Actualization
The longest and most painful watch. The pacing of the film is unbelievably slow and scenes where I really didn't know what was going on. And yet, here I am giving the film a 5.
Hooked on the synopsis, I immediately put this film on. But never did I know that this film would be extremely slow paced and also 2 hours and 43 minutes long. Nevertheless, the whole film was so thought provoking. The interplay of the scenes - inside vs outside the zone was shot brilliantly. The camerawork is insane! But what I weirdly appreciated was the slow pacing since it seems to have you enjoy, or even live in, the scene in "real time". Many scenes are beautifully shot, and a lot of it are focus shots of nature or the background in true Tarkovsky fashion.
The cherry on top was the final act of the film. It had me perplexed because I did not see it coming. This isn't some insane The Sixth Sense plot twist, but more of something that really invites the viewer to reflect on the essence of the film through its ambiguous ending. I loved that everything is up to interpretation and you are given the chance to go through the zone together with the different perspectives of the Stalker, Writer, and Professor.
Not really getting into the specifics of the movie, but the realization of the film stuck with me. The whole film is basically a philosophical mind-fuck. It really showed me that there are things that are also meant to be not known. And in some cases, things that we are afraid to know about ourselves. Never expected the ending, but now I wouldn't have it any other way. That really rattled and perplexed my brain.
Ultimately, this is a film that is either loved or hated. It was such an awful watch, but I found it so beautiful and nothing like the other films I typically enjoy. It’s the kind of movie that brought me to the end, but it seemed like the beginning of the film once again. The film isn't for everyone. But to those that didn't enjoy it, maybe an invitation to the zone can help you enjoy the wonders of this film ;)