But this movie’s not. The Sea Of Trees (2016, USA) has adults lost in Japan’s Aokigahara forest, but the film is far from being lost.

Beautiful cinematography, a non-linear plot, and good production values. But most of all a worthwhile story that keeps you wondering and expecting. Though what turns out is a tad familiar, it’s well-worth it.

Lost

Getting lost goes back to simple stories about children out in the woods, and losing their way, but finding the way back in the end.

There are the horror tales of being lost in the woods. There’s a predator about to lurch on the lost people. But they find their way back home safe and sound, or just about.

In The Sea of Trees, Takumi Nakamura stops for a moment and tells American Arthur Brennan he wants the way out, of the forest.

When you’re lost, you still want the way out. I think this means more than what’s on the surface. They need to find their way out of their predicament as well as the forest. Though Takumi and Arthur, who stumble upon each other, were trying to end their lives in the forest.

Though Takumi and Arthur’s meeting is a bit far fetched, their meeting paves the way for the way out of their predicaments.

The Sea of Trees isn’t condoning suicide, where one is lost in a state of mind, but is pointing to the way out, like finding the way out of the forest.

The forest

In myth, forests are places where characters learn to recharge and energize. In The Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker learns how to super charge in the forest to become a better Jedi Knight.

In The Sea of Trees, the forest is a place for people who want to contemplate life and death issues, but who need the way out. Some power may come to them in their struggle, to see the way out.

 

 

Arthur has been through a difficult time and is struggling. As Arthur walks into the forest, there are forest signs to think about one’s purpose and impact of parents. I hoped Arthur would eventually find some hope.

Though being in the forest may not end on the best note. Bones of dead people are lying about on the forest floor and there is another body hanging from a tree.

In this forest, the powers of life and death are in close proximity. But the problems that haunted Arthur are not without reaching. The powers of life are stronger, which means life is not seriously lost.

This film interweaves between forest scenes and flashbacks to Arthur’s home life where his marriage was on the rocks.

* * * *  (out of  * * * * *  stars)

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Warnings— profanity (once), and adult themes

Matthew McConaughey (Arthur Brennan), Ken Watanabe (Takumi Nakamura), Naomi Watts

Gus Van Saint (Director), Chris Sparling (Writer)