Movie Review: "The Wolfpack"

It's been argued often that the Batman depicted in the Christopher Nolan films isn't, himself, deserving of much admiration. A wealthy playboy who beats on people of unfortunate circumstance doesn't sit well with those who dwell. Maintaining the very status quo his fans think he's against. This problem has been addressed in other comic book movies like Dredd (and beautifully so), but not so much in The Dark Knight Trilogy. This most recent incarnation of Batman wasn't really hung up on flaws in his character, but rather larger scale moral questions of right and wrong, answers to which leaned toward ambiguous and conservative.

What I'm getting at is, when you think about it, this version of the Caped Crusader isn't quite as inspirational as we like to think or would want. He's a bit more complicated and "epic" than that. But, for a group of siblings stuck in a run down New York housing project... his movie will do. And, for one of them, will undo.
The brothers who make up The Wolfpack love movies, though they didn't really have much of a choice. DVD's were all they were given to watch. Their immigrant father held the family in a small, dingy apartment for years without seeing or experiencing the outside world. This is not quite as disturbing as what happened with the Fritzl's, as this father was really just super over protective, though bordering on paranoia and dictatorial dominance. No other abuse, just cramped space and stunted mental and social growth. And control over where in the apartment you could go and when.

Other than all of that, nothing weird.

The kind of imagination his kids had to create to triumph over tragedy is amazing. In their home movies - which are sometimes photographed like serial killer diaries, possibly due to depression and fear - they celebrate holidays in an almost ritualistic manner, dancing around a small contained fire in costumes made from scrap. When they watch DVD's together, it's a cathartic viewing experience. They jot down lines of dialogue with glee, and repurpose for reenactments in the living room. We take escapism for granted. For these kids, it's hope.

Eventually, curiosity came, and one of the brothers decided to make a move. He put on a Michael Myers mask, wished for luck, and left by himself. I assume no other mask was available, though maybe he really found strength in such a scary character. Scary to us, source of comfort for him. This Wolfpack, through their trials, formed an amazing appreciation and consensus on popular cinema. With Myers from the John Carpenter movie Halloween, they see something kindred, something true to themselves. A loner? A misunderstood soul?

When they finally go to the movie theater for the first time, it's a suit and tie affair. We're thinking prom at first, but no, they're catching The Fighter, and are happy to be giving ticket money to David O Russell. The Wolfpack endears us to these kids so much, not in their initially perceived naïveté, but in their overwhelming love for one another, mind blowingly extensive creativity and pure love for and perspective on film. It's a documentary about the celebration of movies, both as mechanisms of joy and maturity. It's a documentary about fear of the unknown and fear of leaving behind all that was known. It's also the best film I've seen thus far this year, with an ending so well shot and captured it brought me to applause.

The Wolfpack doesn't make clear why The Dark Knight inspired rebellion in one of the brothers, but I'm starting to suspect it was some sort of connection or found clarity with The Joker. Or perhaps it was the relationship and contrast with Batman that did it. It's amazing when people are able to recognize the flip side of their own coin, and understand their potential for good or bad, for better or worse. Eventually, what you're staring at starts to stare back at you.

5 / 5 *s

The Wolfpack plays in Baton Rouge at The Manship on July 9th, and will be coming to The Prytania in New Olreans starting July 10th for Arts Week. For information on a 24/7 "Arts Week", visit The Zeitgeist.

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