Angel's Egg
a review by Peng
a review by Peng
One of the things that makes Angel's Egg so unique is that it doesn't conform to the status quo of film construction. It lacks a 'plot' or 'characters' in the usual sense, but rather uses such elements in conjunction with visuals and sound to produce an expressionistic... something. The 'plot' revolves around a young girl living in a desolate, crumbling world, seemingly alone. She spends her days collecting water in jars and clinging to a large egg before she encounters a mysterious man. The characters are just as enigmatic; barely ten lines of dialogue are exchanged throughout the film's entirety and their actions are fairly limited.
Visually, Angel's Egg presents some of the most haunting and intriguing imagery I've ever encountered. This is really quite high quality stuff, especially considering it was released in 1985 (when Studio DEEN was seeing better days). Everything is harsh, somber and provocative - it evokes intense feeling and emotion, I just can't pinpoint what specifically. And the colours! The landscape is surprisingly dynamic, from clusters of decaying Gothic architecture to large open plains, but everything seems to be constructed from stone, rain and wind. There is nothing else. It's chilling. Background artist Shinji Kimura (Akira) really struts his stuff here. The cumulative effect of all of this is a heightened sense of surrealism. It's chilling. It's awe-inspiring. It's beautiful.
In attempting to interpret this film, acknowledging the vast amounts of symbolism is vital. This isn't particularly difficult as every aspect of the film is symbolic for one thing or another, from the opening shot to the closing one. There is a heavy emphasis on Christian imagery, which really didn't speak much to me given my limited care for the subject. It's heavily esoteric. For some, the film tackles the struggles of maintaining faith; an exploration of religious quasi-existentialism if you will. Apparently, Oshii himself was training to become a priest and may have had difficulties dealing with his own faith before taking up directing, and thus the film is extremely personal. Faith, by many accounts, is a fickle thing. It is a source of immense strength and capable of great growth, but it is also fragile and is frequently tested. This is what comprises Angel's Egg's allegorical core. Still, if all else fails, consider the feelings the film evokes above the thoughts.
Even at only 71 minutes long, the pacing can be slow as not much actually happens and the film is littered with freeze-frames. That said, every moment of this film should be properly considered to gain the most from it, as everything communicates something and has some value behind it.
When watching Angel's Egg, don't expect to be satisfied. Entertainment was probably the last thing on Oshii's mind when constructing this. Think and feel. Retrospectively, the film has a very Eliotian feel to it, both in theme and in design. Ultimately, different people will gain varying amounts from the film. Personally, the religious overtones were a bit overwhelming for my tastes, but others will appreciate it more (and less) than I did. For some, this film will fly completely over their heads and for others it will be immensely more profound. Those with a stronger theological knowledge will perhaps benefit the most from this film. Still, Angel's Egg is undeniably gorgeous. Whether its visual motifs will mean anything to you is one thing, but their haunting presentation is sure to leave an impression.
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