I love sentimental surrealism. Despite not being something new, it's a genre that's not nearly explored enough. Which is a shame, considering the endless possibilities it provides: no solid rules, no rigid constraints, a total carte blanche for the author's creativity. Such films are hard to categorize and difficult to analyze, which is probably why the critics don't give them much love. Despite that, one of my most favorite movies of all time is Cashback - a pure little gem of surreal sentimentality.
Swiss Army Man seems like a film that decided to follow the same direction. From the first moments on, its main weapon is the bizarre scenes and moments that make no logical sense, yet their sheer creativity and unexpectedness are amusing to say the least. The "jet ski" scene which culminates the film's prologue is probably the most insane cinematic experience I've had in years, and I mean it in a good way. I can only imagine how it was all conceived: Paul Dano is hanging out with his good friend Daniel Radcliffe, both stoned as heck, and then Paul says:
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against making fun of gas passing. But even a freshly made (or should I have said "dealt") fart joke is still a fart joke, and after a while it starts smelling (the pun intended). Swiss Army Man used that natural wonder to propel its pace and make us expect something really amusing. But eventually it becomes apparent that apart from those intestinal tricks this film is more like just a collection of a typical loser's whining, self-pity and wet dreams. Which is probably supposed to be cute and sympathetic, but is more boring and sometimes even annoying instead.
It's quite clear what the authors were trying to achieve with this film. Swiss Army Man is not just a stranded person's journey home. It's a spiritual journey out of that emotional closet which some (maybe even most) of us live their whole lives in. However, just like the protagonist who's incapable of returning back to the world he was cast away from when it's within an arm's reach, the film itself simply fails to cap itself with anything more substantial than some more farting. And that's, basically, the only thing Swiss Army Man will be remembered for.
Swiss Army Man seems like a film that decided to follow the same direction. From the first moments on, its main weapon is the bizarre scenes and moments that make no logical sense, yet their sheer creativity and unexpectedness are amusing to say the least. The "jet ski" scene which culminates the film's prologue is probably the most insane cinematic experience I've had in years, and I mean it in a good way. I can only imagine how it was all conceived: Paul Dano is hanging out with his good friend Daniel Radcliffe, both stoned as heck, and then Paul says:
- Hey Dan, why don't we make a movie together duuuuude!
- That's such a raaaad idea dude! What's the movie gonna be about? Something about oil, like what you did with that other Daniel guy? He's got an Oscar for that one, remember?
- Nah maaaaan, more like gas! Gaaaas, if you know what I mean! (both start giggling moronically)
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against making fun of gas passing. But even a freshly made (or should I have said "dealt") fart joke is still a fart joke, and after a while it starts smelling (the pun intended). Swiss Army Man used that natural wonder to propel its pace and make us expect something really amusing. But eventually it becomes apparent that apart from those intestinal tricks this film is more like just a collection of a typical loser's whining, self-pity and wet dreams. Which is probably supposed to be cute and sympathetic, but is more boring and sometimes even annoying instead.
It's quite clear what the authors were trying to achieve with this film. Swiss Army Man is not just a stranded person's journey home. It's a spiritual journey out of that emotional closet which some (maybe even most) of us live their whole lives in. However, just like the protagonist who's incapable of returning back to the world he was cast away from when it's within an arm's reach, the film itself simply fails to cap itself with anything more substantial than some more farting. And that's, basically, the only thing Swiss Army Man will be remembered for.