And here I come again as the voice of reason.

I wanted to like this movie. The reviews I read were glowing: a reaffirmation of the Black family. A tale of wonder. A feisty "dandelion haired" 6 year old Black girl struggling against the destructive power of a consumer power oriented real world. A tale of an unconventional father's love. The story of a "true loving community". What I saw was an attempt to portray abject and total squalor as heroic. A community of total drunks and mental misfits holding out against what?... adequate food, a dry roof, and medical care? The line between real and fantasy is blurred in this movie, but it appears to show the girl and her child friends, eating shrimp and crabs thrown onto the floor as they grovel in the spent shellfish shells. I wanted to cheer for her anti-establishment living arrangment, but opted instead to call DFACS. There are a few poetic scenes- the girl romping through the meadow, the girl holding up to her ear living things to apparently hear what they are saying... I have always been a died in the wool anti-establishment type, and I appreciate the idea of alternative communities...but these people lived like pigs. There is nothing heroic, nor worth protecting about their lifestyle. If you relish the idea of a drunk, mental father, dying of some un-named disease, mentoring his 6 year old daughter to survive alone after his passing, by instilling in her the idea that she is strong and fearless, while living in a tideland, in a hovel made out of scraps of sheet metal, then you will love this movie. Otherwise, you will ask the ticket taker for the telephone number for the nearest child protection agency.… Expand

While there are a few great performances in this movie, I can't help but think of this as a poorly-framed message movie (Poor people have pride! "Normal" people are evil and don't understand!) that threw in "magic" in an effort to express wonder. The story effectively goes nowhere, yet allows those who want to sound erudite to expound greatly on the imagery and triumph of spirit contained within.

What is it about me that makes it impossible for me to walk out on a movie that is boring me to tears? Why is it that I am unable to fall asleep in a movie that makes me nod off for a second? And, why oh why, do I get suckered into seeing movies 3 or 4 times a years that has

There

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The film transports you to a strange world plagued by some very serious problems: extreme poverty, alcoholism, lack of health care, child abuse... and then seemingly tries to convince you that all of that is ok, because it's HOME, you know? I fully expected that Hushpuppy, that poor, naive little girl, will gradually learn that all the adults around her are irresponsible idiots, but nope - they're the wise ones. This is essentially an escape fantasy for unhappy city-dwellers who dream of a simpler, fuller, more "real" life in some magic land where you can be one with nature and realize that every animal has a heartbeat and everything in the universe is connected. The last shot of a tribe of noble savages triumphantly returning to their swamp after escaping the evil clutches of civilization, with its unnatural hygiene and health care, is probably the worst thing I've seen in a film this year.… Expand

It was absolutely the biggest disappointment I have ever experienced when I saw all of the rave reviews made by the critics and when I go to see it, it SUCKS. I couldn't even finish it. It was one of those movies where it tried to be so deep that it wasn't deep at all!!! I hated this movie with a burning passion. It was a movie about stupid people. That's it.

The lead actress is talented, but not nearly as gifted in her performance as say, Kiki in, akilah and the bee. That whole hand held camera effect detracts substantially from what meager enjoyment there is to be had from this film. There is scant explanation as to why any group of people would remain doggedly committed to a life devoid of virtually anything resembling normalicy or a modicum of material pleasure, particularly when it exposes them to catastrophic weather in a predictable manner, repeatedly. Overall, though a noble attempt, it fails because of the gaps, disjointedness, and absurdities that abound. I could detect no overriding theme that conveyed anything of substance in this film.… Expand

Beasts of the Southern Wild has some atrocious dialogue and seem to be slightly better when nobody spoke. Its is a film that doesn't let the powerful moments sink in and make any impact. The one thing it does have going for it is its powerful and excellent music.

This is yet again another art house film that thrives on being completely unique and distinctive from other movies, but lacks any gratifying elements that mainstream movies "sometimes" possess. It was boring and the storyline is unsettling.

It's uncomfortable to watch for two reasons.

1. It's uncomfortable to watch black people acting out a white person's ideas. 2. This movie was one big fruit of a loom commercial.

3. Today it's quite easy to go and pick out some authenticity out of the sale rack at urban outfitters and maybe even american apparel if you're lucky. So try being a cowboy or a race car driver or make a movie about some village in west africa and how they love candy canes or deep in the south, in new orleans where black people are like mythical dolls, white people love playing with mythical dolls.… Expand

The reviewers who characterized this movie as glorifying dunks, squalor, and the like is correct. It's quite depressing with a minimal story line. The acting is minimal as well. You;ll find yourself squirming in your seat as I did. I forced myself to stay for 90 min, then walked out. totally unsatisfied with the intelligence of this movie.

A terrible movie so boring and out of plot.Also clumsy at very best.This movie insulting the black people by indicating them as scavengers. People voted this move above 7 are depressed and sworn lossers.

An underlying unpleasentness pervades this overrated indie film. The praised grimy photography and central performances are also recipients of much praise which eludes me. I hated it!!

what a disappointment. i totally agree w/all the low scored user reviews, esp w/the user who said this was a film where black people acted out a white person's ideas. extremely annoying: the intrusive music. i gave up about 45 min into it. once again suckered by ecstatic reviewers.