When Damien Chazelle’s Babylon hit cinemas in late 2022, the reception was as chaotic and polarizing as the film itself. Critics were divided, audiences unsure, and the box office… let’s just say it didn’t light up like Hollywood’s golden-era marquees. Yet, here we are, a little removed from its theatrical release, and it’s becoming increasingly clear: Babylon wasn’t just a film. It was a cinematic spectacle that the world wasn’t ready for.
In true Chazelle fashion, Babylon was audacious, larger-than-life, and unapologetically indulgent. It chronicled the transition from silent films to talkies through the eyes of characters as messy and magnetic as the era they inhabited. But while many dismissed the film as an overstuffed, excessive fever dream, those who saw past its surface chaos were rewarded with one of the boldest pieces of filmmaking in recent memory.
So why wasn’t the world ready for Babylon? Let’s break it down.
The Story of Excess — And the Excess of Story
To understand Babylon, you first have to embrace the fact that it’s a film about excess. Excess ambition. Excess emotion. Excess everything. Chazelle, fresh off La La Land and First Man, threw caution to the wind and crafted a narrative that’s as sprawling as it is unrelenting. The film’s frenetic opening sequence—a roaring party drenched in jazz, sweat, and debauchery—sets the tone for a movie that refuses to stop for breath.
Some critics took issue with the film’s pacing, claiming it lacked focus. But isn’t that the point? The 1920s Hollywood depicted in Babylon was a whirlwind of change and chaos, a world where careers rose and fell in the blink of an eye. The film’s structure mirrors this instability, and its narrative detours only add to the authenticity of its madness. If the film feels overwhelming, it’s because the era it’s depicting was overwhelming.
Cinematography: A Visual Opus
Linus Sandgren, Chazelle’s frequent collaborator, delivered cinematography so sumptuous it practically oozes off the screen. Every frame of Babylon is drenched in rich, golden hues that evoke the glamour of Old Hollywood, juxtaposed against the grit and grime that simmered beneath the surface. Sandgren’s dynamic camerawork captures the dizzying highs and crushing lows of its characters with a kinetic energy that feels alive.
One standout sequence takes place on a chaotic film set, where silent-era productions are depicted in all their messy glory. Sandgren’s camera swoops, dives, and careens through the madness, pulling the audience into the center of the storm. It’s a masterclass in immersive cinematography, and it’s moments like these that prove Babylon is more than just a film—it’s an experience.
Fashioning a World
Beyond the visuals, Babylon’s costume design deserves its own round of applause. Mary Zophres, the film’s costume designer, crafted wardrobes that didn’t just reflect the era but embodied the personalities of the characters who wore them. Margot Robbie’s Nellie LaRoy—an ambitious starlet clawing her way to the top—is dressed in outfits that scream rebellion and defiance, while Brad Pitt’s Jack Conrad—a fading silent film star—sports tailored suits that speak to his desperation to cling to his former glory.
The attention to detail is staggering. Zophres doesn’t just recreate the fashion of the 1920s; she infuses it with a modern sensibility that makes it feel both authentic and fresh. These costumes don’t just adorn the characters; they tell their stories.
A Love Letter… And a Warning
At its heart, Babylon is a love letter to cinema. But it’s not the romanticized, rose-tinted love letter of La La Land. Instead, it’s a brutally honest depiction of the sacrifices, betrayals, and heartbreaks that built Hollywood. The film is both a celebration of the art form and a cautionary tale of the cost of greatness. It’s this duality that makes Babylon so compelling and, perhaps, so misunderstood.
Misjudged in Its Time
History has a funny way of re-evaluating art. Films like Citizen Kane and The Shining were initially met with lukewarm receptions, only to later be heralded as masterpieces. Babylon seems destined for a similar trajectory. It’s not an easy film. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it’s unapologetically ambitious. But it’s also a film that dares to swing for the fences, and in doing so, it captures something rare: the messy, beautiful, and heartbreaking essence of Hollywood itself.
The world may not have been ready for Babylon when it was released, but as time goes on, it’s likely to be remembered not as a misstep, but as a misunderstood masterpiece. Because sometimes, the films that challenge us the most are the ones that stay with us the longest.