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The word Baraka means "blessing" in several languages; watchingthis film, the viewer is blessed with a dazzling barrage of images thattranscend language. Filmed in 24 countries and set to an ever-changing global soundtrack, the movie draws somesurprising connections between various peoples and the spaces they inhabit,whether that space is a lonely mountaintop or a crowded cigarette factory. Someof these attempts at connection are more successful than others: for instance,an early sequence segues between the daily devotions of Tibetan monks, OrthodoxJews, and whirling dervishes, finding more similarity among these rituals thanone might expect. And there are other amazing moments, as when sped-up footageof a busy Hong Kong intersection reveals a beautiful symmetry to urban life thatcould only be appreciated from the perspective of film. The lack of context isoccasionally frustrating--not knowing where a section was filmed, or the meaningof the ritual taking place--and some of the transitions are puzzling. However,the DVD includes a short behind-the-scenes featurette in which cinematographerRon Fricke (Koyaanisqatsi) explains that the effect was intentional:"It's not where you are that's important, it's what's there." And what's here,in Baraka, is a whole world summed up in 104 minutes. --Larisa LomackyMoore ... Read more

Reviews (209)

Baraka will evoke joy, pity, fear, anger...and love
Set to the music of ethnic chants and indigenous instruments from around the world, this film will compel you to see the world in a new light. You'll see beautiful vistas of terraced paddy fields, deserts, and city scapes. You'll see the dances of the aboriginees, african tribes, and amazon Indians. You'll see the faithful praying in places of worship that range from the Vatican to the shores of Ganges. In short you'll see how similar we all are beneath our different wardrobes and languages and faiths.

The score to the movie complements the scenes and intensifies the emotions one feels watching the movie. Particularly haunting are the scenes of burning oil fields in Kuwait set to the music of Scottish bagpipes, Tibetan water music, and Japanese drumming.

The movie explores love, faith, joy, war, death, rebirth and circle of life by showing scenes from around the world for each of these topics. Each time I have watched this movie I find myself discovering more of its hidden meanings. I think each viewer will come out with his own feelings and interpretations. But even if one isn't inclined to be philosophical, the music and cinematography alone is worth getting the DVD.

A Cultural Enlightening
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.

Beauty beyond words
Baraka is a visual feast like no other, a film that begs to be seen on the largest screen possible so the viewer can absorb the grandiose feel of the images. This is the type of film that IMAX was made for. Filmed on a 70mm camera in a total of 24 countries, it is a dialogue-free film that takes the viewer around the globe into uncharted lands. The first half of the film shows us the natural beauty of earth as we are shown striking images of mountain ranges, deserts, tropical rain forests, volcanoes, solar temples, exotic animals. The whole thing is done to the tune of a spellbinding soundtrack of ambient music, Gregorian chants, flutes and other exotic sounds by world music artists such as Harmonic Choir and Dead Can Dance.

But Baraka is much more than just National Geographic for the visually inclined. Its purpose is to give us a view of the world good and bad. And as the second half of the film unwinds, the tone of Baraka becomes increasingly dark and pessimistic as we are exposed to some of the harsh realities of the world like homelessness, poverty, slave labour, hunger. Horrifying images of tree-chopping, sweatshops, subway-cramming in Tokyo and scenes in a chicken factory will make many cringe and think twice about eating chicken for a while. But sometimes even within these backdrops of despair can be found things that are beautiful such as the joy and happiness on children's faces despite growing up in poverty-stricken 2nd world countries. These kids grow up with practically no material possessions yet they seem so HAPPY, much happier than kids of first-world countries who grow up with any material object their heart desires.

Baraka is certainly not the kind of film we are used to seeing. I struggled with it for the first 10 minutes or so but then immediately fell under its spell and forgot that I was watching a film with no dialogue. Sometimes it's nice to be able to flick off the brain, not worry about following a story and just let oneself be absorbed by what's on screen, and that's what this film does. The only minor squabbles I had were the absence of writing on the screen to let us know where in the world we are and that the film did peter out a little towards the end. Baraka is a film worth purchasing that will stand well to multiple viewings and might even make some think twice about where their real priorities ought to be.

Save time & shoot yourself in the head
If your interested in seeing what the film claims to be, " a transcendently poetic, world-wide tour of the globe blah blah blah ..speaks directly to the soul" - dont bother, it dosent happen. Instead you will find about 10 minutes of lovely scenery followed by lengthy film of poverty, cruelty and torture, including images of baby chicks having their beaks burnt off, graphic pictures of death camps and over-worked donkeys collapsing and dying (?!). Anyone who finds this "visually stimulating" needs psychiatric help.
Fair enough if the film would actually indicate that your in for a visual experience depicting the apparent desperate state of the world, but there is no indication whatsoever of this pathetic morbidness in filmmaking, in fact it is offensive that the cover would suggest what lies within is even remotely "beautiful". Anyone who insists on watching it plse think twice before scaring your children with it - and if the film does have one worth-while message it is nothing to do with cinematography, its simply this : Think twice where your next KFC wing came from! And is it worth it ?

You'll watch it again and again
Lets not kid ourselves. This is awe inspiring and captivating film. This review tackles all those who haven't rated it 5 stars. Most of these have seen earlier work by Godfrey Reggio and Ron Fricke. The only thing that separates these earlier works is that some people prefer them over this. In truth, the films are very similiar in technique, time-lapse and camera angles with the only differences being editing, music and locations.
In earlier work Philip Glass composed the music which was appropriate and brilliant (although now slightly dated) and in Baraka, Michael Stearn tried to meld the music to the location. Michael Stearn -in my opinion- creating the better atmosphere.
If you've not seen any of these following Chronos, Koyaanisqatsi, & Powaqqatsi. Then see Baraka, as it is the superior film and tends build on methods, techniques and angles visited in the previous films. I'd also like to mention Alton Walpole who doesn't seem to get much say in reviews, but he's also had an active part in all of these films and part of the 3 main people behind these films.
When you see it make sure that it's on the biggest screen possible, with the best sound system possible in a dark room. And let the music and film take you on the journey that is Baraka. ... Read more