REVIEW
This film about the latest discovery of rock art done some 30,000 years ago in a limestone cave in France has several things going for it: as starters it provides the viewer images of the inaccessible drawings because the French government has decided not to open the cave to the public. Only scientists are given permission to enter the Chauvet cave so the wall drawings don’t get damaged like those in the better known caves as Lascaux.
However there are a number of shortcomings including the fact there are very few animals depicted (a dozen or so) and the camera repeatedly pans over them. A lot of screen time is devoted to the concept of the humanness of the artist which I think is a given.
Instead something could be said about who these people were, how they lived (not in these caves we’re told) and their place in the development of mankind. That kind of thing.
Since there are more questions than answers, the soundtrack is suitably haunting and evocative but often becomes irritating what with the discordant sounds that at times are much too loud.
If I were to go again I’d stay for the first half hour or so. Everything after that is somewhat repetitive and there’s not a lot more to be learned, unless you want to see how to throw a spear in a manner that they may or may not have used. There is no proof one way or the other.
CLASSIFICATION
P.S.
I have yet to figure out what the closing scenes about albino alligators has to do with the rest of the movie.
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