Introduction
Though people vary from black, white, or whichever, it is worthy noting that their lives are almost the same, regardless of these variations. Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Innarritu, Babel is a movie, written ahead of its time and meant to prove this fact. It is a piece of work set to address the diverse issues occurring in the U.S.A, Morocco, Japan, and Mexico. As the movie unfolds, these turn out to be four interlacing stories, owing to the one gun that links them as the film nears the end.
According to Innarritu, human life is almost the same across nations and even though people may undergo different situations in life, the bottom line is that, human life is full of suffering and struggles. This movie highlights the widespread social issues like family life, weddings, child abuse, rejection and isolation, and miscommunication, as expounded below.
Analysis
Of the many issues brought forward in this movie, the subject of family life is outstanding. Richard and Susan are in Morocco to reconcile their lives after many days of a strained marriage. Richard accuses Susan of running away after their youngest son died from a sexually transmitted disease. They are blaming each other. In fact, in the hotel where they are seated, an argument is evident concerning the father’s decision of escaping following the death of their son.
They do not seem to understand each other and Susan says she want to leave the café. At this point, we understand that, Richard and Susan took this vacation to Morocco to reconcile their strained marriage. Susan starts to cry and this continues as they board a tour bus. Suddenly, a bullet comes through the window and injures Susan critically at the shoulder. Another issue clearly addressed is the issue of wedding.
Wedding comes into the scene as Amelia travels to Mexico to attend her son’s wedding. This highlights how important wedding is in our society today. No one would love to miss such an occasion. In the wedding, everything is set just to make sure that the event goes on as planned.
One of the cherished dreams in any young person’s life is wedding. It such an important social issue that many are not even patient enough to wait for the right time. Whether it is marriage or the wedding that delights people, we cannot tell; however, the fact remains that, wedding is very important in lives of nearly all people. Child abuse is another common social issue addressed in the movie.
The issue of responsibility in childcare also stands out. Amelia decides to take Richard’s children to Mexico without letter of consent from the parents, a factor that brings her problem at the Mexican border. She later abandons the children in the desert before being arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol. Innarritu succeeds in this subject because he clears addresses the most common problems and scenarios encountered in any family. These range from marriage conflicts, through child abuse, to weddings as exposited above.
He shows that marriage, not only that of Richard and Susan is full of pulls back and forth and that until the couple come into terms through reconciliations, with each assuming his/her responsibility in the marriage, the problem may be permanent. In addition, child abandonment is more than a general story in virtually all families. Rejection and isolation also stands out as major collective issue in the movie, as explained in the next paragraph.
Rejection and isolation is the other social issue addressed here. Chieko is rejected after her mother commits suicide. She cannot stand her father together with her age mate boys.
Sexual immorality then sets in; Chieko tries to seduce a dentist into sexual relationship; unfortunately, the dentist turns her away. From frustration, Chieko brings her panties down in front of an attractive young man before striping naked before a police officer. The issue of security speaks volumes. Illegal guns are finding their way into the wrong hands. Susan is shot as a result.
Innarritu aims at highlighting some major consequences of rejection and isolation. For instance, he points out that the isolated can end up contracting some lethal diseases like STDs like Richard’s son. They can also be shot like Susan’s scenario, which the United States of America thinks this is a terrorist attack following the wrong reports from media houses. The movie, through this incident brings out the other social issue of miscommunication as discussed below.
Communication barrier is a very distinguished social issue in this movie. There is a possibility that Alejandro Gonzalez Innarritu uses the title Babel as a symbol of the Tower of Babel in the bible where God brought down language confusion so that the people may not finish their work in constructing the shoot up of Babel. There is lack of responsibility in informing the citizens with authentic information. Richard and Susan cannot communicate effectively with Moroccan natives.
Chieko on the other side cannot speak at all. The movie is full of miscommunication. Starting from family level to international level, there is lack of proper communication. Communication between Susan and Richard has broken down leading to strained relationship. America and Morocco has strained relationship after the shooting incidence and this is due to miscommunication.
Conclusion
This movie is an epitome of what happens after proper communication fails starting from family, friends, state, and the world at large. This is a must-watch movie for it informs a lot about different issues that are taking place in the contemporary society. It is such an interesting and informative piece of work.