The film begins with a series of striking of cosmic and earthly images including a golf course and the Earth breaking up in a collision with the much larger planet Melancholia all set to the music from Tristan und Isolde. A closeup of Kirsten Dunst's face does indeed look melancholy at this point. Von Trier characteristically offers us none of the profundity that questions the meaning of life but instead tosses off the end of world with his trade-mark lack of seriousness.
We then come down to earth with a bird's eye view of a stretch limo on its way to the wedding reception of Justine and Michal who are celebrating their union with a huge party at her sister and brother-in-law's home. This should be a happy occasion as the beautiful couple celebrate but this is Von Trier the party quickly deteriorates into a series of family quarrels and recriminations. Justine played by Kirsten Dunst seems to alternate between manic energy and depression while her doting husband is played by Alexander Skaarsgard. The wedding party has been arranged by Justine's sister Clair played by Charlotte Gainsbourg who tries somehow to keep peace between the warring factions and her brother-in-law John played by Kiefer Sutherland who does nothing to ease the situation. But the bride's father played by John Hurt and her mother played by Charlotte Rampling manage to destroy all convivial feelings with angry recriminations and dredging up simmering petty family disagreements. Justine manages to slip out and have sex with a stranger while still wearing her wedding dress. The groom's wealthy father cannot resist played by Stellan Skaarsgard cannot resist pointing out how much money the lavish event cost him. Udo Kier's performance as the much harried wedding event organizer brings light relief and perhaps is the highlight of the unconvincing wedding.
Meanwhile the planet, Melancholia, is on a collision course with Earth which will wipe out all life on the planet. The menacing planet looms overhead while the petty family disagreements and weak foibles of human nature that ruin the wedding go on. The sumptuousness of the wedding reception leaves us with no doubt that here are wealthy people with no real problems other than what they make for themselves.
Speaking at the press conference Von Trier called Melancholia a comedy and perhaps in some strange way it is although it explores the psychology of fear and depression. The director said that the end of the world is not such a tragedy because we all have to die sometime anyway. Von Trier added that the film is not really about the end of the world but about a melancholic state of mind.
Except for Dunst the actors struggle with on-dimensional characters that do not fully develop. Von Trier relies heaving on Wagner's music as background but there is no tragedy here only some sense that life is meaningless. One is left wondering if wiping out the human race is so tragic after all.
Credits:
Director and Screenplay: Lars Von Trier
Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Stellan Skaarsgard, Alexander Skaarsgard, John Hurt, Charlotte Rampling, Udo Kier
Production: Zentropa Entertainment (Denmark) Memfis Film International AB (Sweden), Zentropa International Sweden AB (Sweden), Slot Machine Sarl (France), Liberator Production Sarl (France), Arte France Cinema (France), Zentropa International Colonge GMBH (Germany)
Foreign Sales: Trustnordisk (Denmark)
