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5/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Sola remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like your movies to have a clear beginning, middle, and end, you should probably skip Sola. It’s the kind of film that feels like a half-remembered dream you had on a humid afternoon. Some people are going to find this incredibly boring, while others might get lost in the haze of it all.
It’s set in Singapore, which is used perfectly here—all dark corners and heavy, wet air. The story is just a thin thread, really. A famous singer is on tour, and this soldier guy keeps listening to her record until he is just totally obsessed. It’s less of a romance and more of a weird, quiet haunting.
There is this one shot where the light hits the singer’s face, and she looks like she’s about to cry, but she doesn't. She just keeps singing. It lingered for way longer than I expected. I kept waiting for someone to walk into the frame or for the music to stop, but it just stayed there. It was almost uncomfortable, in a good way.
The soldier, played by Henri Lévêque, is just there. He’s not doing much except staring at things and looking tired. It’s funny because you can tell he’s supposed to be this tough guy, but he mostly just looks like he needs a long nap. It reminded me a bit of the aimless pacing in Lovers?, where people just walk through rooms without really going anywhere.
Is it a masterpiece? No. Does it feel like something you’d find playing in a dusty, forgotten theater at midnight? Absolutely.
It’s not a film that explains itself, and honestly, I’m glad. It just drifts. Don't go in expecting a thriller or a proper drama. Go in expecting to feel a bit dizzy.