Spoiler Alert
Perhaps the reason “Death Does Not Exist” in Félix Dufour-Laperrière’s animated film is because Hélène is unsure about what to do next. After a botched attempt to make a statement by attacking a wealthy homestead with friends, she runs away! This gang of activists believe that by targeting a particular family of rich folk, it will send a powerful message throughout the country. Although their reason also includes saving the world from climate change, I feel there are better ways to deal with this crisis.
But when this woman shows a conscience, she flees the scene! Although the gunfight was short, just how many of them died is in question. Soon afterwards, the film looks at her and what she faces while hiding in the nearby woods. A nagging question arises: when will the inevitable manhunt begin? It happens when the authorities arrive and search the grounds. But in the few days Hélène (voiced by Zeneb Blanchet) stays hidden, the only other people she encounters may well be products of her own imagination.
When this protagonist says she feels lost and unsure whether showing her face is best, the big question we have to ask is will the people celebrate her as a hero? The film’s allegorical nature often obscures Hélène’s true feelings. While presented with the simplicity of a fable, the film’s allegorical nature often obscures this character’s true feelings–suggesting the writer and director are delving into a deep psychoanalysis of who Hélène is. Even she admits to feeling very detached from the world. Also, when I heard other reports making comparisons to Studio Ghibli‘s Mononoke Hime, I had to see this movie!
One obvious connection is the appearance of the giant wolves. They are guardians of the natural order. Though she finds herself in their wild territory, the film clarifies that civilization, not nature, is the true perpetrator of wrong. The rich only get richer, and the everyman is struggling. Some flashbacks reveal just how bad the treatment between the two social classes has become. Early in the movie, the attack at the mansion features a potentially blink-and-you’ll-miss-it detail: an old lady (perhaps the matriarch of the house) in a wheelchair. Although the story later details her presence, her initial appearance is subtle, making viewers question when she appeared.
Also, the dialogue doesn’t always explain these rebels’ motives. Clearer themes would make this movie understandable. One recognizable scene concerns this woman being in a garden that resembles Medusa’s lair–the stone garden! It’s a terrific visual moment, where the encroaching foliage is covering the human statues there. As for what that means, not everyone is going to understand the significance. It is a place of isolation and suffering for this legendary monster. And understanding its full significance will require another viewing.
Overall, her hero’s journey is very significant. The descent to the underworld may well signify her challenging Death and defining the terms for finding the meaning of life again. This may connect to how Orpheus reacted when he lost Eurydice, and he travelled to Hades’ realm to negotiate her return. Whether Dufour-Laperrière intended to evoke this legend, and its inherent tragedy, remains for him to say. From my perspective, what I found is a beautiful approach comparable to recreating this world much more than being a study of an animation style, which is similar to anime I’ve seen a lot over the decades, and the presentation is comfortably familiar.
Even though I found this film challenging to understand, the myth lover in me recognized those bits when reality had to be shattered by one literal ground-shaking moment! When an earthquake strikes, the world that gets transformed is as weird as Christopher Nolan’s film, Inception. The only difference is that buildings shake and everyone is unnerved! Nature’s response to this in-fighting is jarring, and it’s supposed to get these sides working together! But they don’t. When Hélène finally reflects on the events that occurred at the mansion—the catalyst for it all—I suspect the film intends for us to gain a deeper understanding with another viewing. The cyclic nature of this movie requires it!
3½ Stars out of 5
Coming to VOD/Digital on Nov 18 Worldwide
