Usually the disaster movie is a genre saved for summer blockbusters but Von Trier puts his own disturbing spin on it.  He brings a visually stunning, yet ultimately long-winded picture to the screen. Running at 135 minutes I believe this picture is 30 minutes too long. Although the build to the climax of the film is filled with tension the final act does not fully deliver. This is certainly a film to see at the festival but leaves the audience wanting more.

I do like that von Trier finds the humanity in the face of disaster and manages to include laughs along the way. He shows no mercy in his depiction of the upper class in this picture. He portrays Justine’s family and friends as immature, spoiled and selfish people. These moments help the audience recover within this tragic landscape. Lars allows his characters to act as freely as the camera throughout the film, which make his style top notch, but ultimately his film lacks as a whole.

No matter what though, Lars von Trier always delivers something that makes you think.

Chris Murphy