Film Review — Voyage of Time: An IMAX Documentary (2016)
★★★★☆
A chronicle of our universe, from its violent genesis, to its presupposed collapse.
The culmination of a 40-year dream, Voyage of Time is exactly what you would expect from a craftsperson of Terrence Malick’s ilk. Clocking in at just over 45 mins — there’s another, Cate Blanchett-narrated 35mm version that runs for 90 — the film makes grand use of the IMAX format with a crisp and gorgeous whistle-stop meditation on the miracle of our impermanent existence.
20 billion years covered in less than an hour seems like an impossible task, but Malick pulls it off with aplomb, using a combination of special effects overseen by the late, great Douglas Trumbull (2001: A Space Odyssey, Silent Running) as well as real footage to register the key events and milestones of life on Earth.
Brad Pitt’s calm narration links the visuals together, providing some interesting thought-starting ideas. It’s very Malickian, and I can see why some found it distracting, but I didn’t mind its inclusion.
Voyage of Time is an exquisite ode to existence and a potent reminder of our place in the cosmos. An inspiring palette cleanser that has me ready to tackle whatever 2023 has in store. I couldn’t have picked a better film to see in the new year.
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