I liked Constant Gardener a lot, too, but the end seemed arbitrary.
I am not...I am not the damsel in distress. I am not some case. I have to work this. I've lived in a cave for 5 years in a world where they killed my kind like cattle. I am not going to be cut down by some monster flu. I am better than that. What a wonder...how very scared I am.
Fred ,'A Hole in the World'
Buffista Movies 5: Development Hell
A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.
Hayden - Jul 21, 2006 6:35:34 am PDT #3063 of 10001
aka "The artist formerly known as Corwood Industries."
Polter-Cow - Jul 21, 2006 7:11:56 am PDT #3064 of 10001
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
I liked The Constant Gardener, but I was very tired and got lost during the last third or so. I think I fell asleep and missed important things and I didn't understand the ending at all.
Hayden - Jul 21, 2006 7:30:11 am PDT #3065 of 10001
aka "The artist formerly known as Corwood Industries."
I was awake the whole time and didn't understand the necessity or logic behind the end.
§ ita § - Jul 21, 2006 7:31:46 am PDT #3066 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
Which part of the ending? It was somewhat different from the book, and I'm blurring them both. I read the book just before the movie came out, and kept checking with the casting. As a result, I can't always tell what imagery I created in my head, and what was onscreen.
Polter-Cow - Jul 21, 2006 7:37:33 am PDT #3067 of 10001
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
I couldn't tell exactly what was happening at the very end, ita, but Ralph Fiennes was at some place holding a gun, and he weirdly sounded like he was going to kill himself, and then some natives or evil conspiracy people were coming after him, and fade to credits.
sarameg - Jul 21, 2006 7:39:56 am PDT #3068 of 10001
IIRC, and I may not, the movie provided more repercussions for the villains, but still kept a lot of the futility. I was pleasantly surprised (er...) they stayed true to the book in killing him off because I was sure they wouldn't and it was key. I found the book was much bleaker, in any case.
§ ita § - Jul 21, 2006 7:42:50 am PDT #3069 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
I'm with sarameg--bleak CITY.
Ralph's character knows he's committing suicide by doing what he's doing, whether or not he pulls the trigger himself.
sarameg - Jul 21, 2006 7:43:34 am PDT #3070 of 10001
PC, in the book, he's killed by the same force (and maybe even person, I'm fuzzy) who killed his wife. He knows it's coming.
sarameg - Jul 21, 2006 7:44:59 am PDT #3071 of 10001
I'm with sarameg--bleak CITY.
And yet I love both the book and the movie.
§ ita § - Jul 21, 2006 7:49:58 am PDT #3072 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
I read the book on holiday in Kenya. I kept pausing to read bits out to my sister, just to share Le Carre's turns of phrase. It was really good. I almost said enjoyable, but not so much.