The major weakness in Sunrise is storytelling

In my opinion, the cinematography in "Sunrise" is slightly overrated, but the weaknesses of "Sunrise" are in its storytelling.

Murnau’s “Sunrise” (1927) is often praised for its innovative and influential cinematography. For me, the cinematography is very good but not great (8 or 9 but not 10 out of 10), and it is not clear that the film is especially groundbreaking in its cinematography, or that the film, in and of itself, had a major stand-alone influence. Many of the filmmaking techniques in “Sunrise” were used in by Murnau in his earlier German film, “The Last Laugh”(1924) – specifically, techniques of camera movement. “Sunrise” does use some techniques not used in “The Last Laugh” (and vice versa!), but these techniques are not unlike various accomplishments in cinematic symbolism and stagecraft achieved by previous and contemporaneous expressionist films (eg, Murnau's "Faust" (1926)), surrealist films (eg, "Entr'acte" (1924)), and other styles of filmmaking, including, eg, the films of D.W. Griffith. Murnau’s “Faust” ranks among the masterpieces of visual symbolism and complex stagecraft in this era. No doubt, “Sunrise” has stunning sequences: particularly the couple’s walk across the street. In my opinion, however, “The Last Laugh” is a more innovative, experimental, and impressive work of cinematography than “Sunrise.” Again, looking at “Sunrise” in context – but not in relation to any other specific films in particular – its cinematography is good but not great, in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I'm still talking about 8 or 9 out of 10 for cinematography.

However, what really diminishes the film the most for me is the screenplay, plot, and storytelling: 5 or 6 out of 10. I believe “Sunrise: A song of Two Humans” weaves symbolism and realism together in an unfortunately awkward manner. The story is a parable that uses both symbolism and realism. However, it employs symbolism in ways that undercut the credibility of its realism, and it employs realism in ways that similarly render the film’s symbolism not symbolic enough. As a parable, the story is fittingly simple, but in its discordant use of symbolism and realism, the story verges on becoming, but does not quite become, a sequence of forced melodramatic clichés. I don't see a couple going from potentially murderous collapse to a rediscovery and rekindling of their love for one another: I see the pretense of change in hasty melodramatic storytelling. In the realm of parable and fable, Murnau’s “Faust” is in my opinion a much greater film than “Sunrise.” Again, looking at “Sunrise” on its own, the film’s parable plot uses symbolism in an awkward and poorly-executed relationship to its use of realism, or vice versa.

Update -- For the most relevant follow-up comments regarding the second paragraph see this post in the thread:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0018455/board/thread/210380031?d=214303145 &p=2#214303145