Don't get me wrong; "Babel" is a grim yet seducing movie, one that is capable of diving deep into the diverse, infrastructural lives of others. But what pulls the pants down for this one is that there is no progress or moral. The movie just.....ends.

What a disappointment. Relentlessly miserable, relentlessly predictable, no engaging characters, portentious, pretentious, cliched. To paraphrase EM Forster 'well said, but not worth saying".

Flashing between Tokyo, Morocco and Baja Mexico, this third entry in Inarritu's triptych (along with Amores Perros and 21 Grams) is an emotionally saturated story about the interconnectedness of joy and pain in our world. While Tolstoy argued that "all happy families are alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way," Inarritu's masterpiece demonstrates the universality of pain and loss in a beautiful tribute to the fragility of the human condition. As Inarritu responded to a question about Tolstoy's famous line (after a screening of Babel at the Telluride Film Festival), "he got it wrong."… Expand

So sad that this is what passes for insight. This film is far too laboured, much like Crash, and offers little in the way of humour, lightness of touch, or even horror, to carry its plodding pace. A shame, as this is clearly an important topic, and we are all seeking art which sheds light on globalisation.

Absolutely horrible. Most boring movie I've seen to date. Anyone who claims artsy, "deep" movies like this are anything but crap has eaten one too many retard sandwiches. The same kind of people that think someone like Jackson Pollack has talent, and created "art." It's all a pantload.

What a boring movie, it might have a background message but to me it seemed a totally UNNECESSARY MOVIE, brings nothing fresh to the viewer and it's nothing that you haven't seen in the news. It's like watching the news but with actors.

Conceptually beautiful and cinematically hideous. I was lulled into seeing Babel by its national acclaim and avid reviews. However, this movie offers a far cry from anything that could represent characterisation or entertainment. A dull, overrated attempt at a masterpiece.

Too drawn out - the length of the movie didn't add to developing the story/stories.

Babel attempts to be the next syriana mixed with city of god, yet fails. The story lines are not nearly connected enough. The story about the girl in Tokyo has nothing to do with the rest of the movie. All the movie did was depress me and make me wonder why I didn't see the departed again instead of wasting my 10 new york dollars.

Too fractured and predictable--seen it before, derivative, morally murky.

AWESOME MOVIE. You will need to pay attention, as this movie is not for the uneducated ones. It is a mind twister....loved it. MUST SEE

A fragmented, frustrating film. The three strands of the film are so loosely tied together that the finished product comes apart at the seams. Yes, I'm aware the overriding messages of global responsibility and the 'butterfly effect' of our actions, and the self-important, self-indulgent nature of these themes shines through nauseatingly.

Since Amores Perros, Mexican cinema has completely changed. Almost 80% of the films made in Mexico now follow this 3-story segments. Babel is a triumph, it's not perfect but the level of acting is the best of the year. The message of it is consistant, penetrating, LISTENING, this film could end up with many many noms for the Oscars.

This is a very complex and touching film. Probably the best film from the trilogy. Great performances great screenplay. The best story was the Japanese girl, very very touching and great performance by Kikuchi. Amazing film, maybe not the best of the year, but still great.

I haven't seen a film that moved me as much and impressed me with its use of the medium to visually tell a story of such epic proportion as to how one single choice, mistake or moment in time can affect the lives of so many people around our world simultaneously. At times, its window on our world - in all of its complexity as well as its simplicity, its frailty and strength, its poverty and wealth, power and hoplessness, brutality and kindness - Was so realistic I almost forgot I was watching a movie. I found myself riveted to the screen, on the edge of my seat, actually praying that each of the many developed characters stories would somehow work out ok. In all of the tragedy it communicates about our liability to communicate, tolerate, accept, allow and embrace each others crises - Which it does masterfully and visually without beating you over the head - And it took me until the actual rolling of the credits and the dedication to children - to realize that the movie was actually much more about hope than despair. I also think that people without children will not relate even remotely as powerfully to this film as those with. I haven't left a theatre in a long time considering how much my own choices can affect so many. A powerful, masterful and visually stunning piece of film as art.… Expand

This movie could have been a lot better and I'm sorry I can't compare it to "Crash". That movie was great. I don't see the relevance in showing a young boy pleasing himself and a young girl showing us her vagina and her naked body. The movie didn't need that to make its point. It was kinda gross and unneeded. I'm not sure how many normal adults wanted to see children in that matter. They should have left that out and kept to the storyline.… Expand

Brilliant film that selects 4 story-threads, playing them out to demonstrate truths about communication, time and the human condition.

The majority of the film is simply uninteresting. The storyline set in Tokyo is the most impressive mostly because of amazing cinematography but the others just seem to lack fundamental excitement.

Has some flaws, but does so much right that it gets the high score for intentions and for delivering some of the most stirring acting and beautiful cinematography to be seen in what has been a bad movie year. Two of the other best movies of the year (regardless of the Oscars) Pan's Labyrinth and Children of Men also emanated out of Mexico and it's an extraordinary burst that should be treasured.… Expand

Their is no point. It tried to be Crash and Traffic but it was neither. Nobody changes. Nobody grows. Just stupid decisions and sorrow. Painful to sit through. Thank god I didn't pay to see it.

If you want to see Brad Pitt, go see another of his movies, because his role in this one, while excellently portrayed, is little more than a cameo appearance. The movie ending was an interesting segment, in a film of segments, but was baffling, and less than satisfying. The acting in all parts was beautiful to watch; I am not sure the director really had a unifying vision. I suspect the name Babel is supposed to explain and excuse a lot of this disjointed and empty feelings away.… Expand

Ambtious but very tedious.

One of the finest achievements in the world of cinema since the turn of the century. This film was breathtaking, tragic, intense, gripping, everything. A solid, unquestionable masterpiece.

Engaging, phenomenal acting and script writing. If I have to fault it, the story doesn't hang together as it might, and there are various political statements with no development, like the housekeeper's deportation back to MX.

I thought the movie was very effective in portraying American attitudes towards immigrants even when traveling abroad. Having traveled quite a bit in Africa, India and the Middle East I can vouch for the authenticity: People with barely a pot to pee in extending hospitality rarely seen in this country.

This was one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Extremely unintelligent with overt attempts to be dark and mysterious. Flawed plot lines abound. Don't waste your money on this garbage. This is yet another example of how terrible the filmmaking industry has become. The only thing I can say positive about this movie is that it is not another ex-saturday night live actor pumping out another potboiler film. Iit sucked... badly!… Expand

One of the most intelligent movies to recently come out of Hollywood, but it deliberately confounds the viewer in the early going. Nothing can be gained from doing so. The best movies are entertainment that flows effortlessly, not a test of one's attention span and interrelational skills.

This is indeed a well made film. However, the film they decided to make is a pretentious piece of political-statement garbage. If you are stupid enough to not realize that people are interconnected in small, ultimately meaningless ways, check this movie out and realize it at last...at the same time you can contemplate suicide as you witness an incredibly pessimistic outlook on life.

What do some of these reviewers want, THE definitive story that links all mankind and explains all of human life that ever was? This is a great film - but only a film. If the connections betweens its story strands are tenuous, so what? As each story progresses - full of intelligence and heart - that story in front of you's all you need, and each of them succeeds dramatically. Don9;t forget - this is entertainment, albeit serious, and it delivers visceral thrills throughout via a strong script, incendiary, cutting edge film- making, and compelling performances.… Expand

This was brilliant. Intelligent and emotional, subtle and powerful, adult and humane. Ten out of ten.

Ok so I just watched Babel. Maybe it's me but basically it was a good story...that centered a crochity old white woman getting shot in the neck and the police force from the middle east, japan, and the united states frantically tried to save her. I mean come on! If this country hasn't learned or doesn't know by now that the white woman is the reason and subsequently the downfall of this country then maybe they should watch this movie. Everybody who came in contact with these parasites was either killed, beaten, or arrested. Sure the Eastern kids shouldn't have been playing with a gun but what the fuck was a tourist bus doing out in the middle of the desert? Why do white people travel where they aren't wanted? I thought it was funny the passagers on the bus began to freak out because they were subject to loosing control, subject to not being mystified as white gods. Money doesn't by you safety, police anywhere can only beat to death so many people before the oppressed get tired of it. Here's this white supremacist feminine patriarch, who, as I've experienced women like her, pretend to have balls until they're someone comes along with bigger ones that is, hunched in a fetal position helpless while the world is literally in chaos. And don't forget the white kids. No maybe it was a bad choice for the housekeeper or nanny to take them to Mexico City with her...I would have just left the devil spawn and gone to my son's wedding. I can always get another job. Then she could have stayed over and if the same relative was going to drive her home the least he would have had was a hang over. I think this movie illustrated the problem with creating a social structure that caters to skin and bullies, if they can't kill you with kindness, or by you off, the rest of the world to follow along with their childish schemes.… Expand

Good story and pace with beleivable characters. I really enjoyed this movie.

i enjoyed this movie. it isnt the best movie ever, but its unique, memorable, and an overall entertaining story. the plot unfortunately can be slow at times, but if you are interested in babel you should check it out.

Wonderfully done, but the ending is very vauge.

This noble failure was one of the more overrated films of 2006. Its slow pace, often pretentious cinematography and occasional incoherence make me wonder what some of the fuss was all about. Easily the highlight of this misbegotten effort was the performance of Adriana Barazza as the Mexican nanny. (Incidentally, who is Brad Pitt talking to in his last scene if she is being detained by immigration authorities?)… Expand

Very overrated. The acting is very good but this movie is so long and boring! The exact same structure is used in 21 grams but that movie was fantastic. Babel is just disappointing.

Too long and too boring!

This film was amateurish. If the makers of it bother to read user reviews (which I seriously doubt, based on their self-indulgent attitude, evident from the film), let me explain something to you. For a story to work, character behavior must be BELIEVABLE to the audience, which means the characters must be PROPERLY MOTIVATED. You can't make characters do things just because it's "cool" or would make a good scene. [***SPOILER***] For example, two little boys raised in a strict Muslim family do not suddenly decide to shoot a rifle at a passing tourist bus. Shy, deaf teenage girls do not suddenly decide to take off their panties and shoot beavers at the guys making fun of them in the school cafeteria. Nor do they take off all their clothes and throw themselves at police detectives, who also do not hang around with naked underage girls in the middle of the night at the girl's rich father's swanky apartment, when the father might come home (and does so) at any second...not to mention that when a father comes home and finds his teenage daugther standing out on the balcony completely nude walk out and embrace the girl--he says "Put on some clothes and come inside." Mexican women who've been illegally living in the USA for 16 years do not suddenly decide to go back to Mexico for her son's wedding with no idea how to get back inside the States. I could go on, but it would take pages to do so. If the badly motivated, unbelievable character actions weren't bad enough, we're supposed to believe that the Bradd Pitt character just happens to be the unluckiest bastard ever born on earth. Not only does his wife get randomly shot while on vacation, his idiot housekeeper decides to illlegally take his two little children out of the country! Do you think we, too, as viewers and ticket purchasers, are idiots? On top of all this, the film consists of three stories that might have been good in their own right had they been developed more. But instead of doing that (that would be too hard--you would have to THINK), you do a superficial job on all three and then toss them together hoping that the final result will somehow improve things. It doesn't, it makes it worse. For example, we, as viewers, wonder what the hell the third story about the cute Japanese schoolgirl who so enjoys shooting beavers and getting naked had to do with the price of eggs in New Delhi. I suspect that the filmmakers get off on cute Japanese schoolgirls who so enjoy shooting beavers and getting naked--that is the only explanation for the inclusion of this story into the film. [***END SPOILER***] Next time you make a movie and expect intelligent moviegoers to pay for a ticket, please show us a little respect. And show yourself some respect. Now, having said all that, I would like to compliment the director of photography--you are the only one of the group who knows what you are doing.… Expand

Fantastic flick. Go see it.

The recurring theme I found in this film is the difficulty of communication between us humans--whether due to language barriers, prejudices, and personal agendas. The main characters in each of the three storylines ultimately suffer due to the inability to make one's intentions and purposes understood by others. They are all victims of particular circumstances but the circumstances are in a way universal. The title of the film is itself a nod to this theme...after all 'Babel' was the biblical event in which God confounded the universal language so that mankind could no longer work together constructing a ziggurat that would reach the heavens...the film Babel offers no opinion as to the truth of that biblical tale, but rather a meditation on a state of affairs where it takes a crisis for people to truly listen to one another, and even then at times tragically fail to get the message.… Expand

I give this a movie a 2 becuase it did seem well filmed However what it was filming is still a mystery how this movie was ever made. It made me feel like i was in a round about for 2 hours the scenery may change but it all seemed the same and you never felt like you went anywhere. Where was the Brad pitt I know and appreciate havent seen him since 7 now that was a good film

Breathtaking cinematography. Claustrophobic. Makes you want to scream 'just shut up and listen'.

This movie was awesome. i am definitely getting this on dvd. to maria, who says the themes are "illegal immigration, disablities, racial hatred, awakening sexuality, Americans & the rest of the world, parents & children just to mention a few" no, you're wrong. you are not looking at the big picture. this film is about communication and lack thereof, spanning all social levels. really really freakin good movie. this movie is different than 21 grams and amores perros, and i loved every second of all 3, tho 21 grams was the least ambitious in my opinion.… Expand

People must really like the exploitation of the young girl. That is exactly what that part of the movie is meant to be. And the proof is in the way not many people see it for what it is. Because we are so used to it and so enamored of sexual provocation that we grovel in it.

A handful of unconvincing plotlines interconnected in the most contrived manner. Breath-takingly undeveloped characters suffer various traumas as a result of idiotic judgment on their part, poor psychology on the part of the screenwriter, or his overuse of deus ex machina (you might call it 'chance' or 'accident', but dramturgically, the principle remains the same). Exactly what do the director and his screenwriter have to say on the subject of globalization, intercultural (mis)communication, tradition vs. modernity or whatever else they happen to stumble upon in this broadly, too broadly, conceived project? For all the lavish/frantic cinematography, I could not understand what one of these people were put on screen for, yet I could smell the semen spilt over the editing console. Highly missable.… Expand

Challenging, slow to unfold, yet ultimately rewarding. Logistically, the film-making process had to be a nightmare, which makes the end result more astounding. The acting was terrific and fearless, especially Rinko Kikuchi, and the sound was as much a charcter of the film as any of the credited cast.

I think this movie sucks...just kidding. This movie is beyond words. Mesmerizing and unsettling. The only thing I hope for now is that Brad gets that Oscar to put next to Angelina's. And not to make his ex-wife feel bad but simply because this was his best performance ever.

Who knew Brad Pitt could act? This movie is a high point for him, as well as for director Alejandro González Iñárritu. Babel far surpasses Amores Perros. I never thought he'd be able to do that.

Multiple plot lines only work when they are interrelated. just because a gun is involved in all if them doesn not bring a feeling of connectedness.

The connections that link the characters are terribly selected, and send the wrong message, the long drawn out scenes and blatantly manipulative score were key markers to the hollowness of the entire work, totally devoid of substance, and definitely lacking subtlety, yet over saturated with pompous pretentiousness, this movie is wrong on so many levels.

Gonzalez Inarritu needs to understand that the format is not a style. The third movie that breaks three stories into pieces and starts with the ending (and I know it

The only plausible reason why anyone would give this piece of nonsense, this succession of non sequitur after non sequitur, more than 0 points would be if they worked for the film maker, the studio and the actor's agents. An irritation without compare from the first minute to last, or at the very least up to the moment the border guard asks the Mexican nanny, who has just emerged utterly exhausted from the desert, to put her hands behind her back so he can handcuff her. This was when I finally walked out.… Expand

Haunting and in some ways profound. I found its somber tone and deliberate pace refreshing.

I agree that the acting was good, the scenery, locations and photography fantastic. Nevertheless after the final scene one feels empty, hopeless and tired of the suffering and pain shown. A very negative and pessimistic movie.

Babel maybe the most predictable movie to win a golden globe, Alejandro González Iñárritu idea that we are all connected in some way no matter how small

Child sexploitation and abuse, racsim and stereortyping, malady-drama, unnecessary length and structure for an unpleasant experience--THIS MOVIE HAS EVERYTHING! The problem for the name star leads was that there was no character, they had to play situations. Impressive cinema for folk who haven't been to those countries or had much life experience.

Best picture? This iS a movie that can be used as a classroom example of story telling gone wrong. If one watched the nightly news as opposed to seeing the picture, one would find more clarity of events than the amatuerish writing that dooms this movie. The performances are good and the cineamatography is fair, but again the story is truly pathetic. Reading professional reviews, makes me wonder if the cast and the melodrama led the critics astray. It's a pointless exercise that really never draws us in to care very much about the characters. It's too bewildering and slow to give much credence to anything that happens in it. A story needs to be more than merely a slice of life, it has to have a distinct purpose. The movie Crash, for instance showed how we tend to judge each other based on our prejudices. This movie doesn't come close to telling a story with meaning.… Expand

This was a criminal waste of talent. I absolutely hated this movie. It was beautiful, had great performances, was well directed and still was just awful. It was like watching Bobby Flay make a mud pie. I "got it" (who didn't, it was hardly subtle) and still hated it. I found it pretentious and really poorly written with lots of writing decisions made purely to make the story happen. It felt very forced and every few minutes I was assaulted by something grotesque and gratuitous (teenage bush, masturbating kids, my God!) Neary every other seen was based on improbable decisions or inserted for "gritty" shock value. I have a hard time believing this was written as a single piece, it feels like leftovers pushed togther and called a meal.… Expand

Don't try to "figure it out" as you watch, if you do, you will miss the whole meaning of the movie. Just go with it, the actual connections between the different groups of people and countries really doesn't matter anyway. Babel is the best movie I've seen in a years.

I don't want to be dragged into a Babel beat-down, but why not? With all the enthusiasm being dumped on it, the film can withstand a kick to the crotch, particularly since, as far as I can tell, it has no balls. A good friend of mine once wrote that movies should never be good for you. And that is what nags me about Babel. Unlike anything in David Lynch's Inland Empire or Melville's Army of Shadows or whoever else you would accuse of pretentiously aestheticizing anomie or pleasurelessness, Iñárritu seems to want his movies to be good for you on those same terms. Babel demands to be taken as more than a mere movie, as more than an entertainment. It's a big vitamin you can get at Whole Foods, near the yoga mats. At some point on their getaway from their parental misery (who escapes from the blues to that part of Morocco, anyway?), Cate Blanchett asks Brad Pitt why they're here. And all you can think is, you poor Hollywood actress, you're in Babel where you and some other less famous people will be written into one massive implausibility after the next. But you'll all suffer for a worthy cause: the audience's enlightenment. Cue the harps. This is a movie that people leave under the impression that something amazing has happened, that they've seen a high cinematic work, when all they've gotten is a flu shot. Last year, there were many more emotionally chilling manipulations that pull their strings without all the noise and blubbering and trashy entrapment of its characters. I mean, really, having the maid, good as Adriana Barraza is in the movie, doing all that grotesque desert drifting? The movie is shameless. The Mexican maid is devoted to her employers and their children at the expense of every ounce of her common sense. She has to be stupid and suffer so we can see/feel/know the full extent of how terribly illegal immigrants are treated. Barraza dragged to every station of the sociopolitical cross. Unclean! These are the medicine movies people are going for… Expand

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga (Amores Perros and 21 Grams, their best film) reunite again for this exceedingly well-made but punishing tower of human misery, misunderstanding and the consequences of making mind-roastingly terrible mistakes that, like Vittorio DeSica's neorealist classic The Bicycle Thief, is a film I'm glad I saw once...and ONLY once. Two Moroccan kids use a gun recently received as a gift in the worst possible way; parties directly or indirectly involved in the fallout include a U.S. couple (Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett) suddenly stranded in unfamiliar surroundings as they fight for life, a domestic (Adrianna Barraza) working here who hits an immigration wall when she decides to attend a wedding, and--most obscurely--a Japanese businessman and his deaf, seriously sexually disturbed teen daughter. Like their other films (and Paul Haggis' Crash) this deals heavily with the capriciousness of both fate and human error; while reaching the perhaps inevitable conclusion that fortune often favors those who are already quite well-off (and American), it commendably doesn't try to score easy points with facile U.S.-bashing. Equally notable is that, in keeping with its theme of people of many nations inextricably connected to one another by human experience but tragically separated by their inability to understand each other (which is actually an inversion of the Biblical account of the Tower of Babel, in which God punishes the nations of the world for attempting to form a common language and government, leaving Him out in the proceedings) Babel doesn't create any real villains. There are no Iagos, Medeas or Stanley Kowalskis here acting out of pure evil, cruelty or psychopathic self-interest; at worst, there are just people in authority doing their jobs the best they can. I hope the Motion Picture academy of Arts and Sciences sees fit to look beyond the usual corral of science fiction/ action epics that usual fill the editing and sound effects categories and honor this film there: Inarritu's work with sound, especially in a sequence where the deaf girl enters a disco, is truly phenomenal. However, despite all of Babel's excellences, its worldview is so unrelentingly bleak, and most of its stories play out that way, that I left the theater wanting as desperately to watch a musical or romantic comedy to cleanse the old palate as I'm beginning to think that Inarritu and Arriaga truly need to make one. Unfortunately, given their output at this point, I'm also beginning to suspect that I'M more capable of making one than they'll ever be!… Expand

Tense and unforgettable movie. Brilliant in all aspects except the too neat ending(s).

[***SPOILERS***] Ok first ill list the limited amounts of quality in the movie. the camera work is clever and occasionally there is a bit that will be great,the acting is constant and is one of the few areas the movie can't be highly flawed. I really hated how we saw a masterbating morocan muslim, firstly even if these muslims were not strict this would still be a huge violation it seems a very unusual thing to happen.The killing also seems very far fetched as two children start sooting at a bus, now the thing with movies like these is they always seem to have some thing showing racism but infact make racist events happen quiet a bit.think about it why would any child shoot a bus secondly why would any seemingly happy child shoot a bus-the movie seems to try and make us think that because they are morocan they are fools well ive been in moroco and thats not the case. In fact one of the things you would knotice in moroco is there remarkable respect and love of children. buses leaving a person whos been shot-why because someone is dehydrated.And guess what its the fat english guy who turns out to be a prick and wants them to leave.Now I find that highly stereotypical and im irish.Ireland a country that does have a grudge against britain and i think that is unfair. the bus leaves without the dehydrated man getting water from the village which should havewater with that kind of population of healty people.the town has opium i think they would have some water available for the rich tourists.That goes with the gas problem. the bus doesnt have enough fuel to make it to the next hospital yet we have seen alot of cars driving around this village surely someone here as petrol to be bought. the mexican story is pertty horrible too with a house maid who can not find one person in the area who can look after the children for a day. the children witness a beheading and minutes later are full of joy-ok???? then see get in the car with a drunk with too kids she seems to want to protect. she knows he is drunk too,then we come across some asshole police at the border where it is very clear she is there nanny and the police dont let them explain furthermore the police have nothing on them but precist why i cant tell. i was actualy so depressed watching this movie after hearing all its great reviews and when I think people will have seen this horrific story intead of a great film like princess mononoke.… Expand

This is a film about isolation and trusting when it is not easy to trust, it is about feeling alone and transparent but with an overwhelming determination to survive. Being an alien in a foreign land. being a prisoner in your own body. This film raises social questions, they are not supposed to be easliy answered, maybe some of us have failed to answer them in the past maybe thats why we get offended, maybe we would prefer to not have to deal with the issues raised in this movie, as for watching half of it and walking out before giving the movie a chance to explain itself, then having the audacity to criticise, I dont agree. Ill finish by saying I'm not interested in bandwagoning or kissing ass I just thought it was one of the better Films I've seen.… Expand

Saw an eight year old boy whacking off. Turned the movie off.

A very rich and rewarding movie. It was much like Crash, with the conjoined stories. Babel also gives us characters, who at first seem selfish in their own ways, but that we can feel sorry for and empathize for, as the movie goes on. It was especially heart-wrenching to step into the world of Chieko, the Japanese deaf-mute. There are lots of scenes of thought and quiet reflection, so if you prefer car chase scenes and loud explosions, you may not enjoy this movie so much. But I found Babel to be one of the greats of the 2006/2007 season, along with Blood Diamond, The Departed, Little Miss Sunshine, Last King of Scotland, Pan's Labyrinth, and Casino Royale.… Expand

Insipid, pretentious, twee, banal, and fundamentally trite. This film kept me interested for less than 4 minutes before the sheer brutality with which the director forces his audience turned me off entirely. The film then got worse - with idiotic plot developments hinched upon sheer character stupidity rather than any semblance of genuine humanity. This film is awful.

I went to see this with a slight sense of trepidation. I'd recentely seen '21 Grams' which seemed, at best, a kind of pretentious, well-filmed soap-opera. I've always been suspicious of these portmanteau plots that play with time, if only because so many people think that if a movie confuses them, it must be good (oh, say... Pulp Fiction, for one...). However, my fears were quickly allayed. 'Babel' has little of '21 Grams' pretension or melodrama, showing convincing characters too wrapped up in their own problems to listen to each other. The plots link well and Inarritu avoids teasing his audience with obscure connections between them. The only thing which holds back a higher rating is that I have a sneaking suspicion that movies are supposed to be enjoyable, and while there was a certain pleasure to be derived from this, it's rather akin to the pleasure derived from punching a brick wall... repeatedly... for two and a half hours... A great film - one to see once, but not buy, and one that will actually make you glad to get back to the real, less painful, world.… Expand

Babel reveals interconnectedness of the one. Like a pebble thrown into water. This film shows that what we do in life reflects and connects us all.

Eh. This is a decent film but nothing earth shattering. I didn't feel very invested in any of the characters. The Japanese deaf/mute girl story was the most interesting and visually pleasing. The movie is long and it feels long. I'm not sure how this got nominated for best picture other than the Brad Pitt sphere of influence.

The direction by Inarritu is at times brilliant and the performances by Pitt, Kikuchi and Barraza are all fantastic. But the problem here is Arriaga who's so set on getting his message across that he's willing to manipulate his characters through ridiculous decisions and extremely coincidental situations just to make his point.

The funny thing about reading everyone's comments is that this movie is polemical. Isn't that the point? Everyone agrees on the quality of the cinematography and the acting, but are divided on the message. Common complaints: 1) racism 2) offense to social mores 3) raw portrayal of human stupity The emotional impact of the film left everyone in the same state. Vacant and depressed. Perhaps the points is not that we are all connected but that we are all disconnected? It might be a movie not about the characters but about ourselves. In this sense, polemiscism is the point. One review, which captured this sense, described the following: "As a mexican, I´m supposed to be real glad this movie is up for the Oscars. I'm not. While others find it touching and human, I think it's incredibly racist and elitist. No one seems to notice that, although all these characters live through tragedy, the tragedies of the rich struck because of a bad twist of fate and turn out Ok in the end. Meanwhile, the poor live tragedies as a punishment for their stupid decisions: giving a rifle to children, taking your baby sitting charges across the border, getting drunk and getting into trouble with the border patrol. The poor people get screwed and the rich get off and live a happy ending? Doesn't that sound like real life?… Expand

What a huge disappointment!! A terrible story line. More a travel film with some wonderful scenes. The two big stars are hardly in the film. It needed some critical editing -- far too long for so little indepth story. Pure political crap from the Liberal film establishment and the nutty Liberal film critics that so hyped the film. The biggest theme: people are stupid all over the globe. Big message: white Americans end up doing well.… Expand

A difficult film - but full of meaningful interconnections. I feel a lot of major media critics view the film with left brain consciousness, often replacing one's innocence/openness with the cynicism of growing old with importance . It's also interesting how the Europe generally view Inarritu's work (and cinema). European consciousness seems to have a different set of ';glasses' when viewing the word. Externally and culturally. They often see the art and not just the technical cleverness. Poetry - is that understood in today's world. Close to a masterpiece.… Expand

The movie was a poor "crash" of languages and left too many loose ends. Horrible movie, I truely think this film is not worth your time watching for any reason.

I was struck by the lesser actors and actresses by the immense human performances. Amelia and the Moroccan families. People have so much good in them that we seldom see. It all came together in a beautiful cinematic prose.

What was the purpose of showing the Arab boy masturbating? How does that advance the story? And for that matter, how does his voyerism matter? Are eight year olds who are developing sexual interests likely to shoot at tourist buses? What is th meaning of the deaf mute Japanese girl"s naked embrace with her father? Are we implying that an incestual relationship was involved in the suicide of the mother? And, women don't usually commit suicide by gun, especially in Japan. What was in the letter to the police detective? Would that have enlightened this totally murky ending? I did not like this movie, not because it was dreary and full of impending doom, but because it was confusing for no good reason and full of gratuitous sexual innuendo. My rating is for the exception alphotography.… Expand

Racist Racist Racist. Was I the only one that noticed the only perps in this movie were of color and the only victims were the white family? Not only was it bad people from one county or ethnicity but they seemed to have made it a point to show these negative stereotypes accross the world. I'm sad they missed out on ripping into black people and native americans because then we would have had a full circle. How anybody got an anti-American message out of this is beyond me. The only two instances in this movie that didn't portray non whites as bad people were the guy that helped Brad and his wife the whole time and the scene with the nanny getting deported. This movie was overwhelmingly racist and it makes me sick to my stomach that it was in the mainstream and no one seems to have noticed… Expand

I never bother to comment on stuff like this but Babel was such a disappointment I have to say something. If you're looking for something vaguely original, thought provoking or meaningful then you're watching the wrong film. The contrived nature of each interlinking sub plot comes off as a mere a gimmick, which cannot be rescued by this film

The musical score was used too, in The Informer; It´s a great photo, in terms of reality; but in cinematographic terms, as an "ouvre", lacks absolutely of the "poesis" that has to run through its veins...There is a Sting song, that was taken too, as a plot line: I hung my Head, from mercury falling....And in terms of PR and Lobby around the film, Iñarritu claims to love Mexico with his "humanitarian/empathetic/mexican-folklor flag" yet he portraits a buncho of drunken, mindless "bato" lossers, as always.… Expand

Riveting, fascinating, but very sad.

Could have imagined more terrible things that could have happened to the children - like getting bit by AIDS infested rattle snakes. The children grow up to have 2 AIDS babies who get hit by cars. One loses its arms and the other its legs. Together they learn to survive, only to be trapped in a landslide etc etc etc... like this movie.

Director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu and screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga have collaborated on three movies, although one may argue that they

POOR! I rarely rate films on the internet but this just had to be done. Throughout the film we feel like we are waiting. Waiting for that Sixth Sense or Usual Suspects moment. As the 2hr mark approaches it becomes more apparent that this moment is not going to arrive. I think this film had potential but the stories just didnt tie in enough for me. It almost seemed like there was no point to it. Very dissapointed.… Collapse

I'm still wondering why there were any favorable reviews on this movie. I still don't understand why any nudity or sexual situations were necessary in the overall theme of this movie. The fact that this movie was awarded "Best Picutre" is very disturbing if you realize the enormity of the issues they portray in such a "fairytale" kind of way. Illegals crossing into this country are not all nice sweet nannies, nor are the terrorists little kids playing with guns.....and Japan was brought into this because a Japanese man gave his gun away??… Expand

The sum adds up to less than the parts. There is enough here for two or three films and it probably would have worked out best that way. There is a feeling that the stories are all incomplete.

Can someone please explain the japanese link to me? I get the whole gun connection(weak if you ask me)What is the meaning of the girl lying about her mom's death and the note she gave the detective. Can someone explain what that whole part is about cause I certainly don't get it and it is really annoying me.

This was a let down. huge fan of Inarritu and writer arriaga, but there is just too much being hammered on scene after scene. not to say its a bad effort. gorgeous looking film and some solid acting: while jenifer hudson sang in dreamgirls rinko kikuchi played a deaf and mute to get feelings across (brilliant actn). pitt and the rest are strong as well but the movie just lags. where prev two movies felt a little looser, this felt more contrived. i cannot help but draw comparison to crash, but this is still way better than that. the movie is def worth checking for the rikus story(some real powerful moments there), even though everything connects has been beaten to death. 5 without Rinko.… Expand

Disappointing. I was so looking forward to seeing this movie. While the acting was ok, and it even grabbed you at the beginning, in the end it was just a poor storyline, not believable, not in the least inspirational, but instead contrived and depressing. I'm glad we rented it, and didn't spend money to see it at the theater.

Terrible movie. Mr Pitt's worst movie ever. Hollywood propaganda agendas.

First off, insulting people who "don't get it" as Carl F. did is so ironic it's almost pitiful. Carl F. sounds terribly upset over something that has nothing to do with a movie called "Babel". I don't think this movie was horrible --however I did think it was so overtly contrived I couldn't rate it past a five. I "get" what the director did and I don't think it worked that well . Certain performances really shone through the horribly didactic 'plot'--the japanese deaf-mute especially, as well as a key scene between Pitt and Blanchette. The director of photography and the person who did the score were first rate--probably the most successful things about "Babel". however, rest assured, if you liked Babel, I will not insult you or think you an idiot.… Expand

This movie tried too hard and didn't deliver. I found it overly pretentious and self-conscious. The tone of "I'm about important things, events and people" was a theme it couldn't live up to. I never cared about the Pitt or Blanchet characters. Who were they and why, exactly, were they in Morocco? I really didn't know or care. The nanny character was sympathetic and rather tragic, in the end. The ignorance of a Moroccan father giving a gun to children was, unfortunately, just a stupid thing to do. The story with the Asian girl went on much too long and her acting out became more and more annoying. All I could ask, when the movie was over, was "What was the point?" The fact that there was a connection between the characters did not give it significance, just coincidence. This movie was endless and as painful as a bullet in the neck.… Expand

People giving 0's are being irrational. Although, they aren't too far off base. Amores Perrros was a masterpiece, not only because this various storylines but all somehow conncected was still fresh back then, but also because the stories were the strongest. 21 Grams was a failure, not only because Sean Penn is an overracting hack (see I Am Sam and All The King's Men for further evidence), but because there was no depth or real honesty to the story. Here we have three again, and only one is truly fascinating-the one set in Japan. Pitt and Blanchett's part is just kind of boring, (not to mention Pitt is only here to try and get back some credibility) and the Bernal one is just merely okay (and it only manages to achieve that level thanks to Bernal). Let's be honest here: Rinko Kikuchi was robbed. Her performance here was clearly the best supporting turn of the year. Kikuchi has more acting chops in her oft-flashed vagina than Jennifer Hudson has in her whole, fat body. The Japan segment is tragic, mysterious, strange and beautiful all at once. It could be the best storyline in any of Inarritu's films yet. It would have been great if he had set aside the whole mulitple-storyline obsession for once and just focused on this utterly unique segment. Shame. If he had, he might have the oscar he was so obviously wanting.… Expand

You have to be stupid to not see the amazingness of this movie. Sure it was depressing but its was well made, the acting performances were great, it showed how all these people are connected to each other even though they are worlds apart. I thought that this was a great movie because of how realistic it was. If you gave this movie below a 6 you have no right to speak.

Such plodding rubbish, apart from cinematography and performance of deaf-mute Japanese character, nothing to like about this film. What a con, worldview made for the Fox generation.

I see the thread that linked each character to the other but seriously I was bored whilst watching the movie - waiting for it to start only to have it end almost where it began and feeling a huge sense of frustration that THIS was a best picture nominee. To be honest I felt cheated. Acting was believeable - scenery shots wonderful - capturing Morocco very realistic....the story simply sucked.

This was almost a great film. The ending, however, just ruined it. I got the feeling that that the American mother and the Japanese girl should have died, but the studio pressured the filmmakers to let them live in order to please American audiences.

Two and a half hours of obtuse obsurity, held together by only the thinest of story lines. Gratuitously sad and dull, goes nowhere. Pointless.