Review: Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

With all of the Oscar-buzz surrounding 9 year-old Quvenzhane Wallis, I thought I should review 'Beasts of the Southern Wild.' I took quite a bit of time between viewing the film and writing anything about the film because I had mixed feelings about it and wasn't quite sure how to articulate them. That's why I decided to do a standard review. My personal feelings can be left out and the film's themes and motifs (as interpreted by me) can be at the forefront.

Review

'Beasts of the Southern Wild' was directed by Benh Zeitlin and stars Quvenzhane Wallis and Dwight Henry (who happens to be a baker in his first film role). Set in the bayou of Louisiana, which is referred to as "the Bathtub" by its residents, we see the devastation brought on by Hurricane Katrina through the eyes of Hushpuppy (Wallis) and her father Wink (Henry) as they and other bayou inhabitants try to stay together and survive. The film's central themes are the importance/teaching of strength, bravery and love, which are expressed in ways that many would find unconventional at best. Wink does what he can to ensure that Hushpuppy can survive without him in a way that would have result in most citizens giving a call to social services, but it does not subtract from the love that he expresses in his own manner and the love that he receives from his daughter in return.

With its occasionally non-linear plot and inclusion of imaginary creatures, 'Beasts' is able to relay the motifs of global warming, its effects, and the fact that it is not going anywhere anytime soon though some might miss these points. The world in which they live is revealed as unorthodox, but beautiful within its own right thanks to the work of cinematographer Ben Richardson. Wallis does an amazing job acting, especially for a 6-year-old, and brings life to the character of Hushpuppy. She and Wink are the characters with the most depth, though Wink cannot described as particularly rounded. The audience hears Hushpuppy's thoughts and her emotional discoveries, and though they are those of a child, they are still revelatory. She is the main window into the world that is largely unknown and it is a fresh pair of eyes on something many have probably seen in a magazine, book, or TV special, but never considered in the same manner.

This movie evokes thought and consideration and in that respect it is a film to see. It is strange, it is fantastical and it is interesting. However, there is something about the film that left me unsatisfied and maybe some members of the film's audience would agree and potentially shed light on what it is. Regardless, "the whole universe depends on everything fitting together just right. If one piece busts, even the smallest piece... the entire universe will get busted," says Hushpuppy. We are each a piece of this universe and importance of even the smallest Hushpuppy is more than aptly delivered on screen.