MovieChat Forums > Ararat (2002) Discussion > Did I watch a movie about a bad movie

Did I watch a movie about a bad movie

posted 16 years ago by chairvaincre
8 replies | jump to latest

or did I just watch a bad movie?

First, the dialog is awful. In the parts with Alpay (what, Egoyan couldn't get Frodo to do it?) and Plummer especially, I felt like I was watching a late-night infomercial ('What plan?' 'The plan for genocide!' 'Whoa, you lost me.' 'Millions - that's right - millions, of Armenians!!'...).

The 'meta' aspect here comes across as a mere contrivance. Yeah, yeah, we get the whole we-can't-transcend-our-own-subjectivities-but-it's-the-effort/narrative-that-counts thing, but while Egoyan has parlayed this idea much better before (Calendar, TSH, Exotica), here it simply becomes its own blunt, in-your-face cliche, as if the filmmaker is flashing a big 'Warning' message at the outset of the movie: 'The views expressed here do not reflect those of the author...' It's disingenuous. This film lacks a certain integrity, behind its facade of ethics.

None of the characters are well drawn, the back-story is flimsy, and much of the symbolism is over the top.

Egoyan really went downhill after TSH. He needs to push his own boundaries more if he wants to avoid simply becoming a schtick figure.

[–] TigranTheGreat 16 years ago

So you deny the Armenian Genocide.

[–] tieman64 15 years ago

I think it's pretty clear that the "esteemed" director within the film was making a self important piece of crap. The historical fudging, the false heroics, the misreading of the painting and photograph, are all digs at film-makers. I think Egoyan wants the audience to allign themselves with the smuggled home-footage at the end. This sort of humble meditation and historical probing appeals to him.

"Rape is no laughing matter. Unless you're raping a clown."

[–] UberZoldat 15 years ago

I'm an Armenian and I found the movie to be a true letdown as well. It's as if the genocide was placed in the background and that we were constantly having to shift our focus from one character to the next. Egoyan had the potential to make this a movie about the defense of the city of Van but he crammed too much contrasting material into a span of 2 hours.

Perhaps another director.

I pretend to work because the Soviet government pretends to pay me.

[–] KaRa308 13 years ago

Uber, I agree. I'm not Armenian, but I felt that this movie should have focused more on the genocide. There should be many more movies out there about the Armenian Genocide and sadly there aren't. It did feel like it was pushed to the background.

[–] Ilovespoilers 13 years ago

me too! I mean God! isn't there any good movie about the armenian genocide? don't they deserve just one big movie?

[–] trixietrx 11 years ago

For those of you who feel let down, I stayed up well past bedtime to watch the whole movie. The characters did hold my interest for the most part, although the story was fragmented.

However, I have spent all day today reading up on Gorky, and the genocide, etc. So whether or not the film was true to anything (I agree, too much in too little time, yet interesting subject matter), hopefully it will raise awareness.

The thing is, I had Armenian friends when I was a kid, but never knew of this, actually didn't really get it until reading "We Need to Talk About Kevin" which I actually watched just prior to this movie (Seen Kevin at least 3 times and have read the book - just forgot that I never researched the genocide because that was a side story).

[–] maxmode 11 years ago

Baaaad Baaaad movie, if one denies the genocide after watching this shouldn't be blamed! sorry.

[–] ogonenc 11 years ago

I think Egoyan felt he had to pay homage to his heritage as an Armenian, but as an artist, he felt obliged to create a meaningful film in contrast to producing a poignant epic for propaganda. this film turns out to be wooden and flat, because Egoyan, though a good director, tried to maintain a cool, intellectual perspective which was quite unnecessary for this film.