Review of the film 'Dogville'

The Nature of the Beast; a Review of Dogville Famed director Lars Von Trier's "Dogville" premiered at Cannes nearly a year ago and has been playing at festivals, and dividing audiences, ever since. Despite its aesthetic simplicity, the ambitious film may be too long for its impatient American audience. Although its rhythms become surprisingly hypnotic, like many of director Von Trier's other films, including "Breaking the Waves" and "Dancer in the Dark," he's not afraid …

…through all its imperfections it rises as a truly genius creation. In a land of blockbusters, where cinematography covers up weak plots and moral failures, Dogville finds an audience weary of tricks and slick editing. The minimalist film focuses on character performance and writing. It remains brilliant in its moral prodding, emphasizing that 'power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely'. With the recent prisoner of war scandal Dogville couldn't scold America at a better time.