While ambitiously surreal and frustratingly challenging, Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Bardo, a False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths is mostly just unnecessarily overlong. It’s also a self-indulgent project from our director, clearly playing the meta game with the symbolism-heavy “story” at hand. Unfortunately, the result is maddeningly lacking any real connection with the audience. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot going on and a lot being said, but it’s so nebulous that it becomes a laborious exercise in tedium. Ok, I’ll say it, it’s a chore to get through. What does work, and what should be celebrated, is the film’s impeccable visual style – notably the awe-inspiring cinematography. No one can deny that Iñárritu makes amazing looking movies, and this is no different. And yes, there are more than a few fascinatingly dreamlike sequences that are sure to astonish your eyeballs. But, alas, it all adds up to an empty experience when mixed into the bloated surrealness. The definition of a “not for everyone movie,” Bardo is destined to aggravate most. So, happy viewing!