Valley of the Gods (2019)

Directed by: Lech Majewski | 126 minutes | adventure, drama | Actors: Josh Hartnett, John Malkovich, Bérénice Marlohe, Keir Dullea, Joseph Runningfox, Steven Skyler, John A. Lorenz, Owee Rae, Saginaw Grant, John Rhys-Davies, Jaime Ray Newman

Lech Majewski is already not known as a maker of accessible films, but with ‘Valley of the Gods’ he does a number of good things. The striking thing is that with the casting he seems to have bowed to a wider audience: John Malkovich, Josh Hartnett, Bérénice Marlohe (‘Skyfall’) and Keir Dullea (‘2001: A Space Odyssey’) are well-known names who undoubtedly will draw attention to this unconventional film. A warning is in order: ‘Valley of the Gods’ is an orgy of visual and aural beauty, a succession of sumptuous scenes that you will remember for days to come. But anyone expecting a completed narrative or some guidelines for what the Polish filmmaker actually wants to say will be disappointed.

‘Valley of the Gods’ loosely connects three stories; three people or groups who already have some connection with each other before the film starts. Josh Hartnett plays John, a copywriter in an unhappy marriage. He works for Tauros, a company that wants to mine uranium ore in the area where the Navajo Indians live. Tauros is owned by Wes Tauros (John Malkovich), the richest man in the world, who lives in a castle that really looks like no one could afford it. After a personal tragedy, Wes hires John to write his biography. Meanwhile, we also follow the community of the Navajo Indians.

Fantasy, dreams and surrealism go hand in hand in this insane mix of opposites; poverty versus wealth, fight versus flight. The search for love and overcoming fears are also themes that touch Majewski. In the only scene with John Rhys-Davis (“The Lord of the Rings”), John is advised to confront his fears by doing the absurd. Walking backwards on the street blindfolded then still seems the most normal thing he does.

Majewski divides his story into 10 chapters, each with an apt title. The fact that the chapter titles are so appropriate and yet provide the film with a certain structure may have been the most common choice. Majewski throws the viewer from one surprise to another; there is no human being on earth who can predict the course of this film. But what is pleasure for one person will be extremely frustrating for another: to go along with this maze of enigmatic, fantastic, often contextless, actions and rituals. ‘Valley of the Gods’ will no doubt divide the audience; either you appreciate the bold, idiosyncratic work, or you think it’s a waste of time. Understandable. For those who still need a little push: think of the work of David Lynch, Andrej Tarkovsky, Terrence Malick and Richard Kelly. One thing is certain: you will no longer get these images from your retina. More of this, please!