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All three films in the "Three Colours Trilogy" are must watches, and even me considering 'Three Colours: White' the weakest of the three is not saying anything to discredit it. That is still a great film which is testament to the brilliance of 'Blue' and 'Red' for them to be even better.
'Three Colours: Red' is my favourite of the trilogy. Even with less emphasis on action and dialogue (though not devoid), it has the most layered, thematically rich and thought-provoking story of the trilogy. To me, 'Red' is not just the best film in the trilogy but also one of the best films seen by me in a while and one of the finest final films for any director.
It chiefly focuses on the electrifying relationship between Valentine and the judge, and like with 'Blue' being a poignant exploration of grief and liberty and 'White' a blackly entertaining one of equality and revenge 'Red' explores the theme of fraternity, as well as other themes of morality, free will and destiny, and manages to tell a powerful and thoughtful story out of those themes. Again, like 'White' and particularly 'Blue', 'Red' is heavy in symbolism, such as the recycling of bottles (here representing solidarity), the use of the colour red to emphasise the theme of fraternity, links to the protagonist's past (here with fountain pens and never shutting doors and gates) and juxtaposition of physical levels, but in a way that's always fascinating and never incomprehensible (even if it takes more than one viewing or some research to fully get the significance of it all).
Visually, while all three films are superbly made, 'Red' is perhaps the most visually stunning. The cinematography is stunning in its elegance and beauty, with bold use of colour and handsome production design. The music score is the most powerful of the three films and the most memorable and fitting, not as symbolic or as intricate as 'Blue' but stirring stuff indeed. Kieslowski's direction as ever is assured and unobtrusive, his style is unmistakable and he does a lot of interesting touches that make the film visually and dramatically fascinating.
Again, the writing is thought-provoking and makes the most of the film's rich themes. The central relationship is portrayed electrifyingly while the ending is quite the masterstroke in figuratively and literally tying the whole trilogy up. The two lead roles are immaculately acted by luminous Irene Jacob and commandingly nuanced Jean-Louis Trintignant.
In summary, a brilliant film in every sense. 10/10 Bethany Cox
10/10
