The career of Terrence Malick has been one of visual poetry and philosophical metaphors. His most metaphoric and symbolic film yet is The Tree of Life. The Tree of Life shows the growing pains of the '50s with little dialogue contrasted with images from the formation of the universe. Malick's symbolism has never been as poetic, but it can also be viewed as a bit pretentious. Nevertheless, Malick has created a wonderful work of art filled with uncanny visual power and his usual originality. All in all, it is not Malick's biggest success as a filmmaker but it is a success for cinema. Love those images from the universal and physical passages.
Review of The Tree of Life
