Its title may sound eccentric but Birdman has been receiving praise as one of the most beautiful films of all time
Apparently, Birdman was made by superpowers.
No, not the superhero – everyone knows that most superheroes are formed by superpowers (or super-lethal radiation). The movie Birdman was crafted from a magical concoction of direction, acting and “Chemical X” – brilliant cinematography.
Many movie-goers are going wild over this promising dark horse film by director Alejandro González Iñárritu, who directed several award-winning films like Babel and 21 Palms. Already, Birdman is in the running for three Golden Globe Awards.
Faded Hero
This black comedy follows washed-up Hollywood actor Riggan Thomson – played by Michael Keaton of Batman Returns (1992) and Multiplicity (1996) – decades after his blockbuster role as Birdman.
He struggles to refresh his career, starting with a Broadway play produced by his best friend Jake (Zach Galifianakis) and starring Riggan’s girlfriend Laura (Andrea Riseborough). Riggan’s daughter Sam – played by the lovely Emma Stone of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) – helps out as his assistant.
However, Riggan begins to be haunted by the voice of Birdman and imagines himself performing telekinesis and levitation.
We’re detecting shadows of earlier dark drama Fight Club but, unlike its predecessor, Birdman is rubbing most critics the right way.
Outstanding Performances
Birdman’s imminent success is in part hinged upon its cinematographer, Emmanuel Lubazki, who also directed the cinematography for blockbuster Gravity (2014) and the atmospheric Tree of Life (2011).
Birdman has been praised for its powerful visuals, which reflect the fluctuating state of the protagonist, Riggan. Also, Keaton’s performance reveals the actor’s talent for absurdist comedy and graceful acuity, yet without making a big, gaudy show of it. Bravo!
Director Iñárritu has also done a fantastic job of living up to the genre of black comedy, peppering the story with cult jokes and going meta with references to Hollywood’s favourite superheroes. For example, Birdman’s deep, raspy voice – supplied by Keaton as well – is conspicuously similar to that of Christian Bale’s Batman.
One also can’t help wondering what transpires in Keaton’s head as he portrays this role, having been the star in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) and Batman Returns.
A Parody of the Present
With the waves of superhero movies coursing endlessly into our cinemas, there’s no better time to watch this film. Birdman has been received as a realistic satire of the entertainment industry. If you’ve ever wanted to go behind the scenes of, say, The Avengers crew, then this is it. It’s certainly an eye-opening look into showbiz.
There’s no glamour here; only expired contracts pestering for renewal. (But we think Robert Downey Jr should have no problems there.)
Balancing both comedy and misfortune, Birdman is a brilliant work of art to watch. I’m not sure whether to laugh or to cry. Maybe I’ll do both.
By Pamela Chow
Birdman [M18]
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Starring: Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Emma Stone & Andrea Riseborough
Genre: Black Comedy
Run Length: 119 min
Release: 15 Jan
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