Atlantics

The mysteries of Atlantics, and there are plenty, are rooted in the question of what the lives of those men were worth—and of what, just as urgently, the life of a young woman like Ada might be worth, accordingly. But Diop’s approach to that question is elliptical, borne of a plot that mixes genres, religious superstitions, and the modernity of the cell phone age, into something wily and unpredictable.

Diop’s film isn’t brash or loud, but it’s still stunning, capturing the migrant story and its effects in a new light.

What begins as a realist snapshot of the global migrant crisis gradually expands into an aching story of love, loss and the return of the repressed.

Diop speaks her own language–and Atlantics’ is one of seductive, confounding beauty. This is a story that treats its unspeakable tragedy as such: a world-shattering crisis told not through conventional storytelling, but conjured up from the realm of dreams, nightmares, and visions. A reverie as perturbing and hypnotic as the sea that washes it ashore.

Diop tackles serious issues in the framework of a touching and romantic drama with intriguing sways into genre territory, leaving the viewer much like Ada: a little confused, but oddly bewitched.

For Diop as much as for her lead character, Atlantics resounds with the promise of great things to come.

The result offers mixed levels of satisfaction, most successful in capturing the protagonist’s leap into adulthood and her increasing reliance on the forthright, independent-minded women around her.

One of the best films of this year. I like the idea of ocean as a living creature, who can take people's souls forever, but the trip of these souls doesn't stop. They can return to loved ones, but only through other people's bodies. This mystery makes me cold, I like it so much. The Atlantic Ocean is very mysterious and no other ocean has as many secrets as this one, such as Bermuda Triangle and Atlantis... It really scares me, especially after watching the "Atlantique". Cool actors, for example Mame Bineta Sane. Also, I'd like to express special gratitude to Mati Diop and director of photography, as well as to set designers and composer Fatima Al Qadiri... her extraterrestrial soundtrack is one of the greatest of all time.

Una atípica historia de fantasmas en el que se combinan el folklor africano, y elementos sociales de aquel continente como la explotación laboral y el matrimonio forzado. Es una de esas películas que se ha de masticar despacio para definirla mejor y encontrarle el sabor. Pero el esfuerzo vale la pena.

A supernatural drama, Atlantics has many themes Mati Diop can explore, but they all get compressed into a short screening.

This is an extraordinarily slow-moving film, with very attractive actors, which is largely nonsensical (keyed on a romance for which there is no apparent foundation) and the plot of which is very hard to comprehend.

This is a zombie movie. If you like that kind of thing, fine, but you should know going into it this is what you're getting. I'm floored why the critic reviews are as high as they are. Ebert would have given it a thumbs up, Siskel a thumbs down.