You walk into the theater, take a seat, and prepare to watch a romantic tale about the glory days of old Hollywood. Instead, you’re staggered by an elephant pooping all over the camera, a ten-minute shot of a tumultuous party; cocaine, orgies, dancing, alcohol, nudity, and utter chaos. And this is just the first 15 minutes…

As odd as it may sound, the unfiltered visions in “Babylon” & the repetition of elements work together to create a cinematic masterpiece that is shocking, rampant, ambitious, and at times extreme and bizarre. Through this insanity, the movie invites viewers to contemplate the implications of fame, with all of its highs and lows. It does so by putting us in the shoes of bright Hollywood stars who managed to touch the sky & who taught us that in life, everything that goes up, eventually comes crashing down.

Babylon, released on December 23, 2022, delves from Hollywood’s fancy and luxurious beginnings in silent films, to the grotesque side of the industry & its transition to talkies. It does so in a vibrant mix of crude dark humor and over-the-top drama accompanied by a phenomenal soundtrack by Justin Hurwitz. This is one of the very few films where there is only black or white. Either you love it or you hate it. It all depends on what weighs more in your balance; whether that be your love of cinema or the excessive contents of messes and gore.

The story takes place in Bel Air, California in 1926, and follows dynamic and remarkable characters on their ascent to fame. Amongst the characters; Manny Torres; a Mexican-American immigrant who aspires to work in the film industry, Jack Conrad, a silent film star whose career fades and turns into vices, and the most remarkable performance yet; Margot Robbie, who plays an aspiring actress, Nellie LaRoy. Robbie plays Nellie with such vigor, passion, and enthusiasm that it’s difficult to picture anyone else in the role. She truly embraced the role and made it her own.

The same can be said for the entire cast who completely embodied the characters they played, making the audience feel as if they were one with them. Each character’s storyline is distinct, but they all flow together seamlessly to demonstrate Hollywood’s reality. Chazelle allows us to examine each character in the film and how they handle their choices and deeds in the harsh, ruthless, and unforgiving world of Hollywood.

Each character & scene is ideally placed with powerful music. The soundtrack is incomparably outstanding, oscar-worthy, and powerfully evocative. Justin Hurwitz, who won an Oscar for scoring La La Land, and also scored First man & Whiplash, composed the music for the movie.

He defies all expectations by fusing disparate genres and historical eras, building a link between the past & present. He does so by fusing elements of big band music and African-American jazz with contemporary hip-hop and EDM. The display of original jazz, trumpets, shrieking saxophones, and thundering drums, gives a wild, chaotic, aggressive, and unhinged energy to the film. This effectively adds emotional depth and value, as the music keeps the audience on the edge of their seats, and allows them to feel a range of emotions; stress, hopelessness & awe. Fans of La La Land may hear some brief similarities between the two scores as there were certain cues of a bittersweet feeling or a melancholy.

Chazelle outdid himself with the film, he proves his versatility through its music, shots, costumes, and the emotions that he is capable of imprinting on the screen to capture the essence of Hollywood and the ups & downs of stardom. He is capable of blending the individual storylines of each character while carving out the plot of the movie. We can see Challes’s love for film but we’re also mindful of how he’s aware that the film industry was built on exploitation and greed without discarding its magic and dreams. He explores how ambition and fame can lead to self-destruction and he isn’t the very least afraid to go too far, to break the mold & leave the audience with a bittersweet feeling.

Babylon has sparked debate, and people have strong feelings about it. Some people couldn’t stand it, while others think it was the best movie ever. Despite numerous nominations for the most prestigious awards, most of its rankings are through the floor. The first 30 minutes set the stage for the insanity that follows and I believe that is the reason why the film can be very intense, full of sex, drugs, excessive parties, waste, classism, racism, and so on, and why many people disliked it; however, it is a portrayal of Hollywood without the rose-tinted glasses; it reflects the insanity and setbacks that one had to endure in order to make it in Hollywood, particularly those who were marginalized. 

The final shot is possibly the most memorable part of the film. We see Manny in awe of a Singing in the Rain screening followed by a montage of clips from the early days of cinema to today, including films like Jurassic Park, The Matrix, and many other ‘iconic’ movies. The montage asks the question “Was it worth it?” By displaying the best of Hollywood after the worst and creating a gut-wrenching ending that leaves the audience stunned. This film is a wonderful tribute to the filmmaking industry, and the irony is that in years to come, people will see all of the films and think of the “beauty of cinema,” but not without remembering all of the pain and suffering of those who made it through.