Movie Review

Millions

Millions is a family picture by Danny Boyle, the man who?s responsible for the unforgettable dead baby in Trainspotting (B+). He also directed 28 Days Later (B), which was about blood-sucking zombies taking over London in a state of apocalypse. The thought of him doing a family movie is terrifying, in a couple ways. But here, Boyle doesn?t disappoint by losing his grip with this genre, as even with his limitations and this being a very different feature for him, he has woven an endearing experience out of the awfully offbeat framework.

This is a bizarre tale, and equally bizarre in terms of style. I couldn?t help shake the feeling that perhaps Scott Rudin had a part in this feature being produced. He allowed Wes Anderson to go wild with The Life Aquatic, let Trey Parker and Matt Stone get away with Team America, and permitted David O. Russell to make the unusual I Heart Huckabees. Those were unique concepts that most Hollywood producers would ignore, and Millions is another one up that alley. The film isn?t controversial, but it?s very strange, and definitely isn?t for everyone.

Millions is the tale of two adventurous kids/brothers in the U.K. who come across a bag of money after playing in a fort they have built alongside train tracks. They figure the bag fell off from an oncoming train, and there is even suspicion that it?s loot from a bank robbery. They don?t want anyone else to know about the discovery in fear of losing the money, and they only have a week until the U.K. converts over to euro, which means it must be spent in that time.

The two kids, Damian and Anthony, are perceptive to the economy of their surroundings. They know that various people are poor and that this money could potentially save those individuals? lives. They are also aware that if they keep the money to themselves, they could get anything they ever dreamt of. The story poses the moral questions of what to do in such a scenario.

The premise might sound rather simple, but it?s rather unconventional in the manner it is told. Damian believes that saints of whom he admires are visiting him from the worlds above, to help him do good; we believe they are part of his imagination, but are they? Their spiritual presence for the most part revolves around this fort of theirs beside the train tracks, but some of these figures are not all pleasant; some of them would like to take this stash for their own good.

For a good chunk of its duration I was confused as to what was going on, and yet I was intrigued by the visual presentation. The movie is imaginative almost like a Tim Burton film, except without elaborate sets. A lot of the tricks are in the editing, with speed-up techniques and lightning-fast, colorful CGI montages. And the musical score adds a luminous, magical sensation to the package; it all adds up to being one hell of a marvel to be in the presence of.

While watching Millions I was trying to figure out whether it was merely diverting, or if the experience was more meaningful. As it progressed, I wasn?t that connected to the story, but I was fascinated by its world, and was perhaps a film craftsmanship fan in fantasyland. I?m a big fan when filmmakers combine inspired cinematography with editing tricks and a musical score that puts you in another world, and what Danny Boyle came up with left me drooling.

Movies that are kind of fun but leave you distanced can be merely reasonable, as there needs to be more of a personal experience. And with Millions, the pieces of the puzzle started to add up nearing the third act. It started becoming apparent what this story meant, and even at that point I wasn?t sure whether the premise had worked on me as a whole. One of its themes (revolving around money) is universal and heartfelt, but isn?t delved into enough.

It was definitely an experience, as it wasn?t like many films I had seen before, if any. But there?s also a difference between what is unique versus what is original, as ?unique? can be fun but ultimately forgettable. ?Original? films usually keep your attention due to the unpredictable nature of their framework, and the stories can arouse your emotions, leaving a strong impact ? you remember the films for a long time. I don?t know if I?ll remember Millions years from now, but it was successful in making me think about it on the way home after the screening, which is not a bad accomplishment.

Part of me views it as a solid, well-done film, while part of me views it as simply reasonable. Perhaps this is one of those films that you should dwell on, and maybe even see it again in case your opinion changes (like Stanley Kubrick?s films usually demanded). But I don?t think I will see it again ? at least, not in theaters; there were certain parts that dragged. And while it would be interesting to see what a second viewing would do, knowing what I know now, the film didn?t leave a strong enough mark. I was intrigued, yes, but only to a certain extent. And even though I was in a state of fantasyland during parts of the show, there was still something missing to complete an entire experience.

Lee's Grade: B-
Ranked #30 of 143 between Flightplan (#29) and Saving Face (#31) for 2005 movies.

A	0.4%
B	30.0%
C	61.7%
D	8.0%
F	0.0%