Director: Terrence Malick
Badlands is one of those independent 70s films that rests on the performances of the actors. These films rely heavily on acting because they're scripted in the way that people tend to talk and think - if we (as normal people) had the perfect words for every moment, we'd likely be Hollywood screenwriters. We don't, and so what we can't quite express has to come out in gestures and glances. Spacek and Sheen are perfect at this, and it makes the movie believable. We don't always understand what we do, and sometimes we can't even find the words to rationalize what we've done.
Note: Spoilers Ahead
I thought at first that the film was too similar to Bonnie and Clyde, but the film avoids the histrionics and generational commentary pitfall that that movie fell into. It's not a celebration of violence, nor is Martin Sheen's character necessarily violent. It's hard to know what to make of him by the end - Malick certainly doesn't tell us, nor does he plant a bunch of giant symbols that point the way.
One negative was the voice-over, which seemed necessary but was a touch overused. All in all, I think I'd like this film more if I saw it again.
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