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7.7/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.7/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Ruhnu remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, it depends on how much you like staring at waves. If you need a plot that moves, skip this. If you want to feel like you’ve been transported to a tiny patch of land in the middle of nowhere for an hour, you’ll dig it. It’s very unhurried.
There’s this one shot of a boat dock that just hangs there forever. It doesn't do anything, but you start noticing the way the wood is weathered and how the water hits the pylons. It’s the kind of thing that would be cut out of a Hollywood movie in a heartbeat.
The pacing feels like it was edited by someone who has nowhere else to be. It reminded me a bit of the aimless, observational energy in Spring Fever, though obviously in a completely different context. You aren't watching for the payoff; you're watching for the texture of the air.
It’s not trying to be a grand statement on life. It’s just… there. Sometimes I think we forget that films can just be witnesses to a place instead of trying to manipulate our heartstrings with a swelling score.
I caught myself checking my watch, but then I stopped. Why bother? It’s not like the movie is going to hurry up just because I want it to. It’s stubborn in its own way. 🌊
If you prefer the frantic energy of something like Husbands and Wives, you will probably be bored to tears within the first ten minutes. It’s fine to admit that. Not every film needs to be a roller coaster.
The whole thing feels a little bit like finding a dusty postcard in an attic. You don't know who wrote it, and the person it was meant for is long gone, but you can still see the handwriting clearly. That’s enough for me today.