Film Critique

Kyle D. Joson

Professor Bomboy

Modern Culture and Arts

November 6, 2015

Critique of Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Films are a unique way of seeing someone's style of writing and visual imagery. They are a perfect synthesis of storytelling, music, and cinematography. This form of media entertains us and makes us think and feel. I decided to analyze the 2014 black comedy Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). Birdman was directed and co-written by Alejandro González Iñárritu, who won awards for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Director at the 87th Academy Awards. Emmanuel "Chivo" Lubezki won for Best Cinematography (Oscar). I will discuss Lubezki's cinematography in depth, including why his work plays a major role in Birdman and why it was so innovative compared to many other films. But first, why was the movie called Birdman?

Don't let the title or movie cover fool you into thinking that Birdman is a superhero movie. The story is about an ex-Hollywood actor named Riggan Thomson (Micheal Keaton) who decides to move away from blockbuster movies and become part of New York's Broadway scene to prove that he is a true artist, not just the guy behind a fictional superhero character called Birdman. But his excessive egoistic manner and his obsession with self-relevance are causing his life to fade away. Did I mention that Riggan talks to Birdman inside his head and has the same superpower as Birdman? Crazy and weird, right? Trust me, Birdman is not an entertainment superhero movie. Alejandro Iñárritu made Birdman to open our eyes to human nature, and the differences between art and entertainment. Throughout my many years watching films, Birdman is the first movie I've seen that deals with the personal ego and realism of Hollywood life. What makes Emmanuel Lubezki's cinematography important in Birdman?

There are different kinds of shots and lighting that are great for conveying the characters' emotions and atmosphere; such as when Sam Thomson (Emma Stone) is feeling intensely agitated at her father, the camera moves near to her face, which is known as the close shot. Another example is the key and fill lighting that occurs when Riggan goes front and back stage, but if he's no longer on the stage, Emmanuel Lubezki uses natural light. The camera movement and kinds of shots were carefully planned to coordinate with the actors' movements and the soundtrack. For instance, when Riggan was upset with Mike Shiner (Edward Norton) for talking behind his back to the theater critics, the camera followed Riggan at a fast pace since he was walking quickly toward Mike and there was fast upbeat soundtrack playing. The craziest and most unique part of the cinematography is there is only one continuous handheld shot in almost the entire film. When I first watched Birdman, I expected there to be cuts or montages since almost all films do this kind of editing. I asked myself, "How in the world did the cinematographer do this kind of stunt?" It is like watching a magic show performed by Emmanuel Lubezki. The one continuous handheld shot was originally traced back to Alexander Sokurov's Russian Ark (2002), but it was edited too seamlessly if there was no interruption like Alfred Hitchcock's Rope (1948). But why did Alejandro Iñárritu want to use one shot in Birdman? I theorized three things: One is it crosses the barrier between film and theatre; two, the movie conveys Riggan's reality; and three, it defines its own style. When it comes to theatre, the actors/actresses have to do their jobs flawlessly since it is live performance. The actors and actresses in Birdman have to stay in the right places and not make a single error while Lubezki is taking a long shot. The plot of the movie is about this form of fine art, and Iñárritu wanted the movie itself to be an artistic genre. One handheld shot follows Riggan since the film is about ego, relationships, and life. However, it could be Birdman's first-person point of view that is following Riggan's reality. The reason Alejandro González Iñárritu won Best Picture and Best Director is that he tried to impress the audience and critics. Birdman has its own style and voice. The one shot perfectly fit with the writing and soundtrack. 

Alejandro González Iñárritu truly expressed his view, and he has an original voice regarding American film trends. Regarding superhero films, Iñárritu told Deadline, "They [movie goers] have been poison, this cultural genocide, because the audience is so overexposed to plot and explosions and shit that doesn't mean nothing about the experience of being human" (Fleming Jr.). As time goes on, I feel that the majority of blockbuster films are becoming less interesting due to the overuse of cliches and fewer stories with deep meaning. Hollywood has been known to entertain audiences instead of exploring human emotion in depth, and it does not see cinema as an art form. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is purely original and unique in every aspect: the soundtrack, story, acting, cinematography, and even the opening and end credits. After watching this film five or six times, I cannot point out any small errors. My jaw dropped when the movie ended; I realized that this could be a film masterpiece. Birdman is not only a cinematic experience but also a life journey.

Works Cited

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). Dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu. Perf. Micheal Keaton, Emma Stone and Edward Norton. Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2014. Film.

Fleming, Mike, Jr. "Alejandro G. Iñárritu And 'Birdman' Scribes On Hollywood's Superhero Fix ation: 'Poison, Cultural Genocide'" Deadline. Penske Business Media, 15 Oct. 2014. Web. 02 Dec. 2015. <http://deadline.com/2014/10/birdman-director-alejandro-gonzalez-inar ritu-writers-interview-852206/>.

"Oscar Winners 2015: The Complete List - 86th Academy Awards." Oscar. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2015. <http://oscar.go.com/nominees>.