Brilliant or pretentious? Innovative or ostentatious? Opinions vary on Richard Linklater’s animated tryst through assorted dream states, and it’s easy to see why.
With no narrative to speak of, the film drifts as lazily as its lead character, played (sort of) by Wiley Wiggins. It catches up with characters from past Linklater films while absorbing the emotional and physical realms of anyone and anything it comes in contact with. Like any experiment, “Waking Life” produces both unanswered questions and positive results. Linklater’s groundbreaking combination of live-action shots colored with vivid animated cells takes the medium in completely different directions. But after you’ve appreciated the visuals, you’ll find yourself hungry for a plot that never materializes. “Life” holds your attention for the first 30 minutes, as your brain tries to figure out if it’s the main reason you can’t process what your eyes are receiving. Linklater’s achievement’s certainly not for everyone, but worth a glance.Grade: C-THE EXTRASThree commentary tracks accompany Linklater’s feature on Fox’s DVD release of the film, though they don’t necessarily clear up any of the philosophical ambiguities of the script. Instead, they focus on the sparkling technology used to produce the film’s visuals. Only a third, text-based track provided by Linklater, addresses the questions Wiggins’ journey raises, but the comments are infrequent and can ve considered vague, as well.An “Animated Scrap Heap” collects deleted scenes, animation tests and alternate shots. The “Greatest Hits” featurette shows the live-action footage Linklater shot prior to animation, and the scenes feel hollow and bland without the original gimmick of being animated. Had Linklater just shot this film on digital, sans animation, it would serve as a cure for insomnia. The remainder of the DVD extras focus, rightfully so, on the animation process. A 20-minute tutorial demonstrates the technology and software used to give birth to “Life,” while “Snack and Drink” and “First Pass” appear to be brief test runs to see if a feature-length version of “Life” was even possible, or worth undertaking.Grade: B+OVERALL EXPERIENCE: C+A visual excursion for the brave, “Waking Life” deserves a full 20 minutes of your time. Just don’t feel guilty if you eject it after that, because after you’ve absorbed the original animation techniques, there’s just not a whole lot left.By Sean O’ConnellMay 20, 2002