"The admiration of the present and succeeding ages will be ours, since we have not left our power without witness, but have shown it by mighty proofs."
-Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War
Like Arrival, Villeneuve uses this film to play with concepts of time. The way that linear time is understood as an achor for histories is broken apart by Paul's grasp on the relationship between the future and the past. What's even better is a lot of this is illustrated…
"I am the law"
The terminal agitation of a failing fascistic state has never looked so cool. Neon violence erupts from the human security system in stunning fashion. Man becomes law and law becomes man in a lethal dance.
The whole film has Kowloon walled city vibes and I love it and simply brimming with great action shots and one liners. All of the slow mo sequences are so awesome, especially the one at the end where the blood becomes the Judge X. Truly incredible stuff
"I have run out of time. I have lost it all. So I can't work fast enough to catch up. I can't run fast enough to catch up. And the only thing that catches me up is doing my magic act."
One of the best examples of neo-noir, this film is shot and scored like a dream. The film beautifully demonstrates the finebalance between anxiety and serenity in a life of crime. Also James Caan is so fucking good in this movie it's insane.
