'Balance,' the Academy Award-winning animated short from German twin brothers Wolfgang and Christoph Lauenstein, is a fascinating film. Five identical men (differentiated only by the numbers written on their backs) stand together on a mysterious unstable platform which balances precariously in space. When one man changes his position, the other four must also do so to maintain the intricate balance that is keeping them all alive. However, when one man recovers a cryptic musical chest from below, each person desires to examine it, their selfish wants eventually destroying the teamwork that is sustaining them.
Running for just seven minutes, 'Balance' is of a perfect length. Despite the entire film taking place in exactly the same setting, with the same thing essentially happening over and over (the platform becoming unbalanced and then balancing again), it is a credit to the filmmakers that the film never becomes dull. The sound effects of the platform creaking quietly beneath their feet does a very good job at maintaining the suspense, and, believe it or not, I was actually on the edge of my seat for the entire seven minutes. The animation itself, though perhaps minimalist in style, is perfect for the mood of the film. The five characters are tall, straight and virtually identical, each with gaunt white, Nosferatu-like faces. Despite the deceptively simple style of animation, it is amazing how the characters' faces are able to convey emotion and intelligence; in their bid to outsmart each other and claim the mysterious chest, they are always thinking of more devious means to achieve their ends.
The final image of the film is poignant and haunting, as a single remaining individual (notably #23, the only prime number of the group), stands precariously on the perfectly-balanced platform, the chest unreachable on the far side. Thanks to his own selfishness, #23 now finds himself unable to move even an inch, lest the perfect equilibrium be broken. It is a worrying, and all-too-accurate, allegory for the human condition
Running for just seven minutes, 'Balance' is of a perfect length. Despite the entire film taking place in exactly the same setting, with the same thing essentially happening over and over (the platform becoming unbalanced and then balancing again), it is a credit to the filmmakers that the film never becomes dull. The sound effects of the platform creaking quietly beneath their feet does a very good job at maintaining the suspense, and, believe it or not, I was actually on the edge of my seat for the entire seven minutes. The animation itself, though perhaps minimalist in style, is perfect for the mood of the film. The five characters are tall, straight and virtually identical, each with gaunt white, Nosferatu-like faces. Despite the deceptively simple style of animation, it is amazing how the characters' faces are able to convey emotion and intelligence; in their bid to outsmart each other and claim the mysterious chest, they are always thinking of more devious means to achieve their ends.
The final image of the film is poignant and haunting, as a single remaining individual (notably #23, the only prime number of the group), stands precariously on the perfectly-balanced platform, the chest unreachable on the far side. Thanks to his own selfishness, #23 now finds himself unable to move even an inch, lest the perfect equilibrium be broken. It is a worrying, and all-too-accurate, allegory for the human condition