Land of the Blind

Land of the Blind ***

"Land of the Blind" is a political satire that seems like a mix of "Brazil" and "V for Vendetta," yet not nearly as wonderful as either of those films are. However, it still paints a haunting picture, with two terrific preformances by Ralph Fiennes, a favorite of mine, and Donald Sutherland.

It shows an unsaid country, at an unsaid time in life, where of course, life is in turmoil. This place is run by a horrible, dictator, known as The President. Married to the First Lady, played in an odd choice by Lara Flynn Boyle, the pencil, he has odd fetishes, often involving diapers, and his wife dressed up with giant, plastic breasts on her chest. In jail however, there is some hope, in the form of Jim Throne, a playwright who became a terrorist when the world took the turn that it did. He is in jail for thirteen years, where he begins to befriend Joe, one of the guards. After having a couple of heartfelt talks involving freedom, Joe begins to see that maybe he is on the wrong side, and perhaps he should help Thorne get out of jail, and help him take a stand against the awful government which rules them. And so he does, but over time, Thorne begins to be ruined by power, and his claim that democracy is the best form of government begins to disappear, as he becomes the very thing that he set out of destroy.

"Land of the Blind" has many faults, especially in the middle, but in the end it left me satisfied, and slightly haunted. It tries to say some kind of new and profound statement, but it really doesn't come through. Yet, I enjoyed watching this world that writer/director Robert Edwards created. The music fit perfectly as well. I would have liked to see a little more detail as to how Thorne, played by Sutherland, become obsessed with power. Towards the end the time jumps are so frequent and so far into the future that it even becomes a bit confusing. Whatever point Edwards tried to make was lost to me, but it was still alot of fun to watch. It's a very strange film. Doesn't score points for originality, but remember, "if you have to steal, steal from the best," and "Land of the Blind" does.