There seems to be two camps when it comes to Terrence Malick’s latest, “Knights of Cups.” Some believe it’s among the auteur’s weaker efforts, to say the least, while others believe it’s just as good as some of his other masterpieces. Scout Tafoya firmly associates himself in the latter category, and he takes this opportunity to defend what he considers to be a misunderstood new classic in the latest edition of “The Unloved,” the RogerEbert.com video essay series that studies wrongfully misjudged films from throughout the past few years.
Tafoya’s defense of both “Knight of Cups” and his previous, equally mixedly-received film, 2013’s “To the Wonder,” comes down to him believing audience members take for granted how Malick needed to let the world know that he was suffering. The autobiographical nature of each film reflect a more intimate, fragile side of the famously reclusive director, and one that the editor believes cannot completely appreciate nor understand the world around him — even when surrounded by almost endless beauty. Both lead characters, played by Ben Affleck and Christian Bale, respectively, play into Malick’s isolation, loneliness and nonconformity and wrestle with his confused feelings on family, religion and love.
To put it bluntly, Tafoya believes audiences who assume the filmmaker who made “The Tree of Life” wants our sympathy is the most pedestrian reading, especially of films he considers to be as rich as these. And backed by Ebert’s own “To the Wonder” review — known famously as the last the great film critic ever wrote — Tafoya thinks both films represent Malick at his most naked and honest. It shows a filmmaker laying all his cards out on the table and letting the pain, melancholy, confusion and beauty that surrounds them speak for themselves — even if it might alienate, puzzle or bore some viewers.
And whether or not you share this reading of Malick’s recent works, this video essay is an appropriately ponderous and thoughtful look at what some might call elusive and aloof for all the wrong reasons. Check out the video above to see if you agree.