Baraka

I can gaurantee this is unlike any film you've ever seen before. Baraka is not a movie with a plot or words, but it is one massive work of art, a composition with the scenery as the main "characters". This movie will open your eyes to the fact that there is a whole world of different cultures, religions, and rituals out there. It will give you chills, make you smile, make you gasp, and make you appriciate diversity. Baraka is not a film for everyone. If you are ethnocentric, you might not see the point. If you have a passion to learn and become enlightened, you will love it.

Baraka (1992)
Documentary, 96 minutes
Directed by Ron Fricke

There are few films that I think everyone should watch at least once, but Baraka may be one of them. Perhaps it should be shown in schools too? It's arguably the strangest choice on my list.

Baraka is a word in the ancient Sufi language meaning "the thread that weaves life together" and the film contains no dialogue and no explanation. It's a series of images taken from 24 different countries. Some of the images show scenes of animal life or extreme beauty; others show human rituals and the effects of war or poverty. The result provokes a lot of thought if you are open to such things.

Shot on 70mm film, the Blu-ray presentation is among the best live action films the format has to offer. Some of the images are located in places that are not normally accessible to people. An image of an underground cavern springs to mind.

If you follow the film closely, you are likely to be moved. The beauty is breathtaking, but some of the sadder scenes could take your breath away for a different reason. The contrast between good and evil is one of the themes running throughout the documentary. You might also question the path you have chosen in your life when you realize that most humans are continually racing toward something and few stop to appreciate the beauty in their lives.

The special features are informative and almost as interesting as the film itself. If you are curious about where the images came from, the special features answer most of your questions.

Shot entirely without dialogue, Baraka is a stunning film that allows its extraordinary images and sounds to transport the viewer all around the world and tell of the formation and evolution of earth, man’s rise to power, life & death, religion, war and the consequences of technology. The film was shot on 70mm film on six continents in 24 countries.

The movie takes viewers on a journey around the world to explore the busiest streets of the largest cities to the most remote corners of the globe. It’s really easy to lose oneself in the grand voyage that offers many sights and sounds that not only highlight the different plights of man and nature, but also offers a clearer and more vivid picture of planet earth and its inhabitants than ever before.

Baraka was restored with an 8k Ultra Digital HD process and the video and audio presentations are both truly reference quality as a result. The colors are vivid and detail is absolutely breathtaking. Special features include a fascinating making-of documentary (77 min) and a short featurette showcasing the restoration process undertaken for the film (7 min).

The film is a great disc to pop in to showcase to friends and family how stunning the Blu-ray format can be. With reference quality video & audio, a couple truly interesting special features and a film that should be experienced by everyone, Baraka easily earns my highest recommendation. It’s an unforgettable experience.