Film Review - EO
Images courtesy of Hi Gloss Entertainment.
EO is the latest masterpiece from veteran Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski, a movie that's part nature documentary, part road film, and all arthouse. Loosely inspired by Robert Bresson’s classic Au Hasard Balthazar (Skolimowsky said he considers that film to be an intellectual journey, whereas his film is an emotional one) EO is a bold and bray-ve exploration of modern Europe through the eyes of a circus donkey who embarks on a long and lonely journey.
EO, which might as well be short for Emotionally Overwhelming, is not your typical animal movie. It’s not cute, cuddly, or sentimental, and the donkey never talks. Instead, it’s raw, surreal, and sometimes brutal. It shows us the good and bad humanity is capable of, the joy and pain of existence, and the beauty and harshness of nature. Just as we impart our own humanity onto the titular donkey - to the point where he really does feel like more of a fleshed-out character than many human protagonists - we're also shown the animalism that still exists in man. To that end, viewers who find animal abuse particularly distressing should be warned. Although Skolimowski makes it incredibly clear during the credits that absolutely no harm came to any of the animals as a result of filming, there are a few implied sequences that I definitely wasn’t expecting.
The film is a feast for the senses, thanks to stunning cinematography from Michał Dymek, who captures the diverse landscapes and cultures of Europe with a mixture of handheld verité and dreamy visual poetry, resulting in possibly the best looking film since Eggers' The Lighthouse. The soundtrack by Paweł Mykietyn is equally impressive, creating a haunting and hypnotic electronic atmosphere that complements and contrasts the images on screen, adding further texture to the already gorgeous visuals. But the real star of the show is Skolimowski's assured yet playful direction, as even though he's nearly 85 years old, he approaches the material with extremely fresh and clear-eyed intentions.
EO himself is played by six different donkeys, though the on-screen performance is seamless and surprisingly touching. Whether he’s braying at a soccer match, finding love with a young woman named Magda (Sandra Drzymalska), or witnessing a murder, we feel every emotion he goes through. One particularly affecting section has him going through his Literally Me arc as he looks on at a pristine flea-bitten grey stallion prancing around and being groomed to perfection, while he's left carting food for the farm. Along the journey, we see his dreams and desires, and find out he’s both down to earth and out of this world; a symbol of innocence and wisdom beyond years.
Slow in its pace yet brimming with the many highs and lows that a lifetime would bring, EO is a film that will stay with you long after it ends. It’s one of the best films of the 2022 year's Oscar contenders, and a rare gem that transcends its genres and delivers a powerful message about life, love, and compassion for all of nature's creatures.
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EO is screening in cinemas from Thursday 6th April. For tickets and more info, click here.