Cirque du Soleil's Journey of Man at the IMAX

Short...But Sweet
Cirque du Soleil's Journey of Man at the IMAX

By Brian E. Phillips

Can you define a work of literature, a story, a piece of music or a poem in terms of its length? Perhaps. Heaven knows artistic expression is boxed and queued enough other ways. However it is very rare that you enter a library or a music store and find books shelved by pages or word count or CDs filed by minutes or in some cases hours. However categories such as the short stories, Haiku, novellas and CD singles are all defined in terms of length.

So too, in part and parcel Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man, one of the newest additions to the IMAX repertoire currently showing at The Whitaker Center of Science and the Arts, is defined by its length: 38 minutes.

As anyone who has spent any time reading ancient Japanese Poetry or reveling in the stories of Alice Munro can testify, length is indicative of nothing. In fact, in most cases, brevity is a tool that, if used properly, can be a vehicle more powerful than all the words in “War and Peace.” An incomplete story line, a carefully chosen action, a word in a line of verse that explodes with meaning, these are the tools of an artist who chooses to create short works. Simplicity is never easy, and the handful that can do it, do it very well; whereas, those who can not, simply leave reader’s empty. So, too, in music and film, simplicity and brevity, are difficult.

Journey of Man featuring Cirque du Soleil is an exploration of Man’s journey through life. Perhaps this “Everyman” tale, which chronicles the passage of a man from infancy to adulthood, lacks in substance. The story itself is bare-boned. Creation, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. The archetypical story line is filled with large gaps of time and importance. And the whole point of the film is all but missed. Granted, the film itself does not set out to be a literary creation it is created as a show piece for the performers of Cirque du Soleil; however, to create beautiful dance, sophisticated synchronized swimming, and amazing vaults, within a flimsy frame work is like placing a Renoir on the wall in a dilapidated old shack. The beauty is and always will be there, but the setting just doesn’t seem quite right.

Fortunately what Journey… lacks in substance it more than makes up for in spectacle and complexity. The importance of this film is not found in its profoundness, but instead it is found in the beauty of scene and the magic of movement. Filmed around the world, each scene and in turn every locale carefully represents the emotional stage of development that the action on the screen is trying to represent. The waters of the Bahamas play perfectly for a birth re-enactment; the Redwoods forests of Basin State Park in California creates the ideal place for a young boy to explore all of the wilds and wonderment of the world. The desert in Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada is suitable for the passage of a young boy from innocence into adulthood. The big sky and sweeping shots, which read beautifully on the large IMAX screen, serve as a visual opposite to the confines of the Green World. This setting serves as the perfect visual backdrop for the revelation that the boy is about to witness. It is in the desert that the boy will see the magic and mystery of the world thus propelling him into the second half of his journey. Adulthood.

Though scene is important and creates a great backdrop for the action, the real highlight of the film is the performers of the Cirque du Soleil. The troupe’s performances are varied and complex, and they add the desired texture that the story line of the film lacks. Though most stories of child birthing have nothing in common with the beauty and elegance of the synchronized swimming scene that opens Journey…, the remaining segments, especially the “Statue Act” scene, which is truly a work of art, are precise and to the point. In the “Statue Act” scene the main character is drawn to a statue of a man and woman floating on a pad in the middle of a very large reflecting pond. As the young man watches the two marble figures come alive and perform an incredible pas de deux of grace and beauty that is nothing short of spectacular. He is so enthralled by the beauty of love and art between man and woman that he must somehow have it. And the power of this dance of movement makes it obvious why.

Up until this scene, the film is carefully planned and well done, but after this scene, the movie starts to fall apart. The birth and the voyage into adulthood are masterful; however, the journey of adulthood into maturity and enlightenment are overly simplistic and rushed. If you blink your eyes or take even a moment to wow over the 3D effects, you may miss the entire conflict upon which the point of the remaining ten minutes and the whole movie are based. It happens too quickly and the remaining scenes come off a little empty.

During the last ten minutes of the film, the viewer witnesses a series of amazing acrobatics that coupled with the presence of a poor young girl attempt to leads viewers to understand Man must not lose the power of youth, and the keys to living life are Dreams, Faith and Love. The movement was truly phenomenal, but the climax of the film came so quickly and wrapped up in such a way that after the film ended the chorus of “it was way too short” droned over the closing music.
It is not a disappointing movie. To see the beautiful locales, to enjoy the spectacle of 3D technology, and especially to witness the strength and grace of the Cirque du Soleil performers makes this film enjoyable. But the film is a lot like cotton candy. Short and Sweet. It is very good and extremely colorful, but it’s gone too soon and lacking in substance.

For information about show times and ticket prices contact the Whitaker Center at 214-ARTS or for further information on Cirque du Soleil and Journey of Man log on at cirquedusoleiljourney.com