Morocco: Two impressionable young boys who live the most simple of lives become the target of a manhunt for something they quite innocently did. After their father gives them a recently purchased gun, Yussef and Ahmed begin practice shooting. 'Kill these jackals or they'll get the goats!' their father said. While they are shooting, a tourist bus approaches and after a few missed shots, one of the passengers, Susan (Cate Blanchett) who is traveling with her husband Richard (Brad Pitt), is injured. The couple are themselves in the middle of an emotional crisis, trying to rescue a crumbling marriage. As chaos ensues inside the bus, Richard's panic grows as he watches Susan screaming in pain.

USA-Mexico: Our American couple in Morocco left their two children in the care of their Mexican nanny, who is preparing for the marriage of her son. It is an exciting time for Amelia (Adriana Barraza), who has spent half her life in the US working to support her family. But the time has now come for her to return and be with them.

As Susan's condition worsens, Richard is forced to tell Amelia that she cannot attend her son's wedding as there is no one else to take care of the children. But Amelia needs to go and after a futile attempt to find someone, she is forced to take the children with her. With the help of her nephew Santiago (Gael García Bernal), they undertake the journey to Mexico.

As night falls, Amelia reluctantly says her goodbyes and Santiago, who is quite drunk, assures everyone that he can handle the driving. On their way back, they take a shortcut and when the border inspector notices the children, they are taken in for closer inspection. Santiago panics and drives away...

Tokyo, Japan: We see a rebellious Japanese teenage girl, Chieko (Rinko Kikuchi), a deaf-mute who is traumatized by the recent suicide of her mother. Trying to cope with her loss is complicated by the fact that she is seldom accepted by her peers. She finds it hard to connect and be understood. Just like any girl her age, she wants to belong, to have a boyfriend, to get into bed with him and do just what she likes. She resents her father, often comparing him to her dead mother, whom she believes loved her more than her father does. She argues with him frequently. His father used to be a hunter who enjoyed safaris and showing off his trophies. It was her father's gun which was used in the shooting incident in Morocco...

As these interweaving stories reach fever pitch, we witness how a men react to danger and violence, not only danger to themselves but also to their families. After all, no matter how alone and rejected someone may feel, at least in the family they can find solace and sympathy. Without family, we have no one with whom to share our success and our failings. Or so the story says...

There is so much going on in this film. One element is the issue of border crossings and immigration between the US and Mexico. It's easy to get to Mexico but it takes a lot to get inside the so-called 'land of opportunity'.

Then there is the issue of how women are treated differently to men. In a typical Arab household, we see the sister taking her clothes off to tease her brother. Not having the freedom that her brothers do, she is trying to find ways to release her inner turmoil. Chieko does much the same thing: she is desperately trying to connect, and in her desperation, she tries to seduce the investigating police officer.

And the sensitive issue of terrorism. Who is a terrorist? What constitutes an act of terrorism? We see the other tourists in Morocco fearing for their lives, worried that 'they might be next'. With little regard for Susan's pain and tragedy, they ignore Richard's pleas and order the bus to continue on its journey.

We hear the newscasts around the world, emphasizing the incident as a 'terrorist act' and see photographers and journalists pushing their way in to get a scoop. So much for evidence, it seems as if it's the last thing that matters.

Iñárritu has been accused of exploiting children in his films and of showing cruelty to animals, but these are in fact the painful realities of everyday life the world over. Young kids are indeed subjected to all kinds of hardship and even torture. We have child soldiers in Africa; we have child prostitutes in Asia, Europe and America. We have children performing the most backbreaking labour around the world. Some viewers from affluent countries might be amused or even annoyed by the portrayal of children in Babel, regarding it as 'unnatural', 'an exploitation' or as 'a means to increase dramatic effect'. Viewers from third world countries might see it as an everyday reality. It really depends on one's perspective.

While some viewers might prefer a sanitized version of events, there are those who appreciate witnessing what is true, no matter how painful it might be. And there is truth in Babel, perhaps more truth than we are capable of comprehending.

[ Official website ]

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