In defense of 'REDBELT' (on the comments board of IMDB)

I love it when I read a comment of a movie that I really enjoyed that starts with "worst movie ever" or "made no sense". Well...I don't actually "love" it, but I understand (eventually).

It's ok if it didn't make sense to you. Don't feel slighted or compromised by the confusion. Just don't dismiss. If mankind dismissed everything we found perplexing or impenetrable, we'd still be studying tea leaves or chicken bones for answers. We'd be burning hethens at the stake because our elders told us to. We'd be nothing more than a collection of wandering, fear-based tribes drawing imaginary property lines in the sand.

A movie can be just that...a movie. A series of carefully constructed images. Just as a poem can be a series of carefully strung together words. It's what you bring to it that turns it into a dream. It's what you bring away from it that turns it into something that doesn't ever have to be defined. If it doesn't make any sense to you at the time, accept the fact that perhaps you haven't had that particular life experience that would allow you to connect with it. Look forward to uncovering more truths and gathering more empirical knowledge that might allow you to empathize with the filmmaker’s vision. Then, if it still doesn't ring true, move on. There are so many other dreams out there. More than any of us can imagine. Don't slight someone for trying to connect.

Don't get me wrong. There are heaps of bad movies out there with contrived plots and shallow intentions.

'Redbelt' is not one of them.