Slowly pacing but consistent and efficient with the themes it explores. This film develops its main story, the romance growing between two western visitors aboard a Japanese whaling vessel, in tandem with some artistic processes that have a kind of ritualistic character, all with injected aspects of Japanese culture. It may be a difficult watch, but it is curious to look at.

if you are up to the challenge and approach it with a little bit of prepartion, there is plenty of beauty and hypnotism here. but, compared to the Cremaster juggernaut, it definitely is a more open-ended, emptier universe.

This film is as self-absorbed and annoying as it is fascinating and visually tasteful. If you like pretentious new age art, this film is for you.

Antes de empezar a describir la tortura que es ver esta cinta dejenme confesar que soy fan de la musica de Bjork y tambien de la serie "Cremaster" del director Matthew Barney. "Cremaster" funciona por su corta duracion y por el hecho de que uno puede dejar de verlos y no se pierde de mucho; en realidad son como videos experimentales sin una narrativa. Ahora imaginense un video "Cremaster"que dura mas de dos horas y cuarto y que cuenta con uno de los soundtracks mas irritantes que han escuchado. "Drawing Restraint 9" es un proyecto de total vanidad para Bjork y Barney, casi como una perversa prueba a la audiencia para provocarla a salirse y maldecir a los que crearon semejante experimento putrido. He aqui una de las peliculas mas frustantes que he tenido que aguantar. En su aire pretensioso y pseudo-intelectual, "Drawing Restraint 9" es equivalente a los cuadros en los museos modernos con un solo rectangulo de color. Simplemente no vale nada.

I read a review on IMDB that said this movie felt more like a witnessing/experiencing of an ancient magic ritual. Some might hate this movie because it's long, slow, and it lacks a narrative. I, however, loved it as an art film. It's a great follow-up to the Cremaster Cycle.

Lush. Ethereal. Other-worldly. Utterly bizarre. Defies viewer expectations as to what constitutes a "movie"(as "good" movies should). Thus, those who prefer formulaic Hollywood-style reductions of cinema capable of rendering plot synopses that can be delineated in a paragraph will be endlessly frustrated and bemused and will bemoan Mr. Barney as self-indulgent (which is perhaps a somewhat accurate characterization, though not necessarily a derogatory one in this context), pretentious, and condescending. To put it bluntly, this one of those dreaded films where "nothing happens." Without hesitation, I will say that this is perhaps the most visually stunning, phantasmagoric, and audacious film I have ever seen (with perhaps the noted exception of Alejandro Jodorowsky's "The Holy Mountain"), capturing some of the strangest and most beautiful images I have ever seen on film. The scope and scale of production are astounding in themselves. Truly a remarkable achievement and a testament to Mr. Barney's unflinching vision and relentless dedication to his craft. Thus, to provisionally encapsulate the linear thread of the film for the uninitiated, the curious, and/or those bored enough to have read this far and to contradict my earlier statement about reductive synopses: Two "strangers," Mr. Barney, and beloved/despised Icelandic chanteuse, Bjork (who composed the film's soundtrack, providing the aural contrast to Mr. Barney's visual cornucopia), board a Japanese whaling ship. The two are individually led through the byzantine corridors of the ship and undergo various ritualistic preparations. The two meet below decks at a tea ceremony where they proceed to amorously engage and ritualistically mutilate one another with ceremonial blades, culminating in their submersion into a tea-like liquid and transformation into Cetaceans.... Speaking for myself, to put a qualifying phrase tautologously, I feel that "Drawing Restraint 9" is best conceived as a meditation on the creation of art, a glimpse into a process beyond rational comprehension, and a beautiful homage to Japanese culture and mythology. A "film" meant to evoke, provoke, and inspire, not to passively entertain. This is an exercise that necessitates viewer participation and open receptivity.Those seeking lulling, mindless, hedonistic pleasure in the insipid formulas of Hollywood should look elsewhere for their fix. The milquetoast need not apply. (Was that self-indulgent, pretentious and condescending enough?)

The only reason I wanted to see this is because Bjork wrote the soundtrack (the only part I enjoyed). It was painfully and agonizingly slow, and while I like to think I have an open mind about "art", this was a little too weird for me.

Visually stuning, this is a truly audiovisual trip. Totally innovative way to tell a story, very dense at times and you will wait the WHOLE movie for a dialogue, but that will never happen cuz the only words in the movie are "THANK YOU"! At the end I didn't´know what to think, it takes a while to digest this movie, the lack of dialogues are compensated by the very rich photography and visual journeys, hard to describe since the screenplay is basically developed in visual codes and images. At the end I was a little confused, I wasn't sure if I have watched a real masterpiece or one of the visual-philosophical Mathew Barney´s caprices which he calls "art".

rather strange.. beautiful costumes and music, its interesting to see influences on Björks other albums come from/go into this soundtrack. it may seem a bit squirmish, but it turns out to be a love story in the end.

I feel that if Matthew Barney cut this down to about half it's size then it would have been a great film. But as it stands its drawn out badly and boring as anything, at least the end makes up for it.

A Good example of how unwatcahbly artsy fartsy films can get when director is someone like Matthew Barney who is just more interested about costume design than the actual film. In my opinion this is just a series of over-designed images with annoyingly bad soundtrack by Bjork whose music in this film really gets on your nerves. Director Barney really should get over of his designer-dream-come-true-type of films and try a completely different approach.

Drawing restrint 9 is excellent, I love this movie.

DR9 can be beautiful--when it's not being absolutely grating. Am I the only one who thinks Matthew Barney is full of shit? I don't respond well to art made with no thought of the audience, and resent when I'm asked to wade through four hours of obscure cinematic toilet-water because a film maker couldn't practice any form of restraint himself.

I wish I could give this ???/5 stars. I really don't know what I think of this film. I haven't seen it since it was in the theater. In a very different way, I have the same reaction to this as I did to "Dancer in the Dark". That reaction is: I enjoyed it, I'm glad I saw it, and probably I never want to see it again.

asshome art film!!!!!! complex, beautiful, hunting, and lovely!!

Pretty pictures at 24fps. And Ronit hates it! All you could want in a movie except plot and characterization.

All I can say is if you've never seen an of Mattnew Barney's performances, or films, I highly suggest you see this film! Think baroque vision, meets Japanese culture intwined with an almost operatic performance of one of the world's greatest visionaries!

bjork and matthew are a wonderful couple. wonderful scenary, soundtrack, idon'tmindwhati'mseeingit'stoostunningtothink <3 wales + harakiri = worth watching

Can't give it 5 stars cause it's not got everything I like in a movie. I can't even recommend it to everyone... If you like intense, thought-provoking media however, this one's for you. Fair warning: the viewing is torturous; it is intensely rewarding.

Ah!, esta interesante y bien rara pero esta bien.