What would you do if you knew for sure that the world was about to end?
Writer and director Lars von Trier explored that idea in his 2011 sci-fi drama Melancholia, a film that was perhaps a little too grim to ever be a box office hit.
And yet Melancholia stays with you like few films do, and the science fiction aspect of it is less important than the feelings and emotions of its characters.
That’s why Watch With Us is sharing three reasons to watch Melancholia before it leaves Netflix later this week.
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The Premise Is Haunting and Unique
Sci-fi movies have conditioned audiences to expect a miracle cure that saves the Earth before everyone on the planet dies. Melancholia isn’t that kind of movie. This story isn’t about averting the end of the world — it’s about the way the characters face that end when there is no other option. The Earth is doomed, and there’s nothing that can change that.
In the film, Melancholia is the name given to a rogue planet that comes dangerously close to Earth. Once the two planets collide, everyone on Earth will die in an instant. That’s the kind of bad news most of the population simply can’t take. The film’s focus comes down to a few individuals, most notably Kirsten Dunst‘s Justine.
Kirsten Dunst Gives the Performance of a Lifetime
The first part of the movie functions as a straight drama, as Justine’s wedding to Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) brings her world crashing down around her even before anyone knows about their impending doom. The sheer despair that Dunst conveys in Justine’s every movement and gesture is amazing. She doesn’t have to vocalize what she’s feeling when it’s written on her face.
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When the end of the world is near, Justine is more than a little unhinged. But so is everyone else around her. The interesting thing about Justine and her sister, Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), is the way they face the end. There’s a certainty to Justine’s response that Claire just doesn’t have. Claire’s husband, John (Kiefer Sutherland), reacts as if this crisis can be survived. The sisters know otherwise, and that’s what makes them so compelling.
The Movie’s Ending Is Unforgettable
It would be a mistake to spoil the ending of Melancholia ahead of time, even though the film never pretends it’s going to have a happy ending. So while we won’t recap the specific details, it’s enough to know that Justine and Claire face the end together. There’s something beautiful and tragic about the way that the sisters only have each other, and even that isn’t enough.
This isn’t the kind of movie that fills viewers with hope, but it is thought-provoking and memorable in ways that few films ever achieve. Having said that, you may want to avoid Melancholia if you’re feeling depressed. This movie will only amplify those emotions.
Melancholia is streaming on Netflix until August 24.
