When Terence Malick's latest film, KNIGHT OF CUPS, premiered it's trailer in December, reaction was pretty positive to the film that seemed to blend the ethereal nature of the filmmaker's works along with a more coherent plot. Well, throw all that out the window as the new plot synopsis has done nothing but muddle the details of what exactly KNIGHT OF CUPS is all about.
Preparing for the upcoming premiere of the film at the Berlin Film Festival, the producers have released a new synopsis and the running time for the movie. Let's start with the synopsis.
Rick is a slave to the Hollywood system. He is addicted to success but simultaneously despairs at the emptiness of his life. He is at home in a world of illusions but seeks real life. Like the tarot card of the title, Rick is easily bored and needs outside stimulation. But the Knight of Cups is also an artist, a romantic and an adventurer.
Crazy huh? Oh, wait, that doesn't seem so out there for a synopsis? Well, try the second paragraph.
In Terrence Malick’s seventh film a gliding camera once again accompanies a tormented hero on his search for meaning. Once again a voiceover is laid over images which also seek their own authenticity. And once again Malick seems to put the world out of joint. His symphonic flow of images contrasts cold, functional architecture with the ageless beauty of nature. Rick’s internal monologue coalesces with the voices of the women who cross his path, women who represent different principles in life: while one lives in the real world, the other embodies beauty and sensuality. Which path will Rick choose? In the city of angels and the desert that surrounds it, will he find his own way?
There you go. Leave it to Terence Malick to give us a synopsis that doesn't summarize anything about the movie. As for the running time, KNIGHT OF CUPS clocks in at 118 minutes. For comparison, Malick's first two films BADLANDS and DAYS OF HEAVEN came in at just over 90 minutes while movies like THE NEW WORLD, THE THIN RED LINE, and THE TREE OF LIFE were over two hours long. The divisive TO THE WONDER was 113 minutes. What does this help us understand about KNIGHT OF CUPS? Not a damn thing.
KNIGHT OF CUPS has yet to announce a theatrical release date, but I am sure we will learn more about the film after it premieres in Berlin the week of February 8th.
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