Badlands

Badlands was the first film of Terrence Malick, who, since that debut in 1973 has only made three other films. His fourth is due out this year, and a fifth next year. He seems to want to make up for lost time at an old age. And this every-so-often filmmaking he had been exhibiting was a shame, for, all of his films are of a poetic quality. Badlands is no exception. It begins in a seemingly placid suburban South Dakota where Kit (Martin Sheen) is a charming garbage man who isn't very smart but likes to think he is. Kit begins to court a fifteen year-old named Holly (Sissy Spacek). Even though Kit is a good ten years older than Holly, she is infatuated for she proclaims herself to have no personality and not very pretty. She considers herself lucky to be the polestar of affection for Kit, who she mentions looks like James Dean. Kit and Holly have some wonderful times together, hiding out from the rest of society, who would, without a doubt, frown upon their relationship. This is the theme of Badlands as Kit and Holly stay in their solitary, delusional world away from reality. When they are threatened they attack. Holly's father doesn't like the relationship when he finds out. He doesn't last long, and almost inevitably and out of a fearful and frenzied action, Kit murders him. The duo flee and for some time spend a lyrical life out in the woods, as Holly narrates with beautifully simple and revealing monologue. As they flee from the law, Kit kills more people irrationally and cruelly. Holly never stops him, and thus becomes his accessory. The way that Malick keeps his camera and his directional decisions from condescending or looking down on his characters allows for the film to seep into the delusional world that Kit has created. What is most revealing about the film is the trashiness of its subjects. Their lyricism is submerged into delusion, and what comes out is visceral and absolute--like the shots that ring out of Kit's gun.
Badlands: ★★★★