1979 / 162m - Soviet Union
Sci-fi, Mystery
3.5*/5.0*
Stalker poster

Plot: A guide takes a professor and a writer into The Zone. The Zone is a mysterious area, which few people return from. Nobody knows what created this place, but there's a mysterious room at the center that can materialize people's wishes. The problem is that The Zone plays tricks on all those who dare to enter.

Watches

August 03, 2024

3.5*/5.0*

Tarkovsky's best, but not quite as good as I remembered it to be. I do love the sepia scenes (Avalon, my absolute number one, took a lot of inspiration from this film), but I was less enthusiastic about the color photography and the pacing. I know Tarkovksy likes slow cinema, but there are scenes here that lasted too long.

The setup of The Zone is mysterious and the trip within is intriguing, the characters, their forced conversations, and the performances less so. The cinematography is good, and the soundtrack is solid too, but there are a few too many scenes that overstay their welcome, leaving me a little disappointed. The presentation is great, but not great enough to warrant 160 minutes of snail-paced cinema.

October 26, 2004

4.0*/5.0*

[review pending]