Babel (Blu-ray)

BABEL is a complex, multi-layer drama from Director ARMORES PERROS who brought us the acclaimed 21 GRAMS, and tells the story of how one simple action - in this case the sale of a rifle - can lead to dire consequences on an international stage.

In the bleak landscape of Morocco, a goat herder purchases a gun from a local so his two young sons can protect the livestock from predators. They soon decide to practice their aim and when rocks no longer prove a suitable challenge, instead opt upon a moving target.

This sets in motion a series of events involving four different families from around the globe whose lives will become interwoven and their destinies changes forever.

Holidaying in Morocco are Richard (BRAD PITT) and Susan Jones (KATE BLANCHETT), a troubled couple whose tour of the countryside is about to take an unexpected - and somewhat deadly - turn for the worse.

Meanwhile in America their children Mike and Debbie are in the care of a Mexican… more »

BABEL is a complex, multi-layer drama from Director ARMORES PERROS who brought us the acclaimed 21 GRAMS, and tells the story of how one simple action - in this case the sale of a rifle - can lead to dire consequences on an international stage.

In the bleak landscape of Morocco, a goat herder purchases a gun from a local so his two young sons can protect the livestock from predators. They soon decide to practice their aim and when rocks no longer prove a suitable challenge, instead opt upon a moving target.

This sets in motion a series of events involving four different families from around the globe whose lives will become interwoven and their destinies changes forever.

Holidaying in Morocco are Richard (BRAD PITT) and Susan Jones (KATE BLANCHETT), a troubled couple whose tour of the countryside is about to take an unexpected - and somewhat deadly - turn for the worse.

Meanwhile in America their children Mike and Debbie are in the care of a Mexican housekeeper named Amelia (ADRIANA BARRAZA), who is desperate to attend the wedding of her son despite not being able to find anyone to take the youngsters off her hands for the day. With the arrival of the wayward Santiago (GAEL GARCIA BERNAL), Amelia decides to go anyway with the children in tow.

Sequences set in Japan involve a widower, Yosujiro (KOJI YAKUSO) and his young deaf and mute daughter Chieko (a brilliant RINKO KIKUCHI). At first these seem at odds with the rest of the story until the full nature of their involvement is revealed.

PERROS skilfully brings everything together nicely. Some thought is required here for several of the scenes are purposely out of sequence. Plenty of reading is necessary, too, for all the foreign segments are subtitled and these include a large portion of the viewing time. Yet ideal pacing, a good script, and great international ensemble cast simply make this a highly enjoyable film to watch.

Sadly, as is sometimes the case on the DVD and Blu-Ray medium, Special Features are at a minimum. We have only the Original Theatrical Trailer and a small Blu-Ray Preview Trailer on offer here, which, for a film of this quality, is simply shocking and certainly deserves much more than this.