In this blog post, I will analyze how the film ‘Babel’’s nonlinear narrative, region-specific music, and director Iñárritu’s direction weave together disparate events into a single emotional conclusion.

Introduction

The story of the Tower of Babel—which tells of how, in the beginning, humanity lived in a single region speaking a single language—symbolically illustrates the division caused by a lack of communication. If humanity had spoken only one language, much of the conflict and strife we see today might have been avoided.
The film “Babel” depicts the breakdown of communication and the resulting chaos and tragedy. Although it has a strong philosophical undertone, the film is neither obscure nor boring—precisely because the events it portrays are so reminiscent of reality. This article begins with an introduction to the film, examines its genre characteristics, audiovisual techniques, and the director’s style, and concludes with the author’s personal reflections.

Plot

The film does not tell the story in chronological order. It unfolds by scattering three seemingly unrelated events—spatially separated and at first appearing to lack any logical connection—and gradually weaving them together around a single central theme. The structure involves events that initially seem disconnected gradually becoming intertwined as the film progresses.
In a field in Morocco, two children playing with a rifle fire at a passing bus; after the bus stops, the scene shifts to Japan. Characters from diverse backgrounds appear: Chieko, a deaf girl in Japan; Amelia, a Mexican woman who has been living in the United States in search of a better life; and an American couple who were shot in Morocco. The central event is the accidental shooting in Morocco, and the ripples caused by that single shot gradually expand, affecting the lives of the other characters.

Drama and Thriller

While it is often said that films in the pure drama genre struggle at the box office, drama is the foundational genre from which theater, film, and novels all originate. Many films branch out into genres such as horror, comedy, romance, and thriller based on a dramatic narrative. The common elements of drama are narrative, plot development, and resolution.
“Babel” unfolds primarily as a drama while also possessing thriller-like qualities. Rather than relying on comedic scenes, flashy action, or intrigue, the characters’ actions and the events themselves evoke a sense of sorrow and fear in the audience. While horror directly exposes fear itself, a thriller shows the emotions and behaviors the characters experience in the face of that fear.
The fear in this film does not stem from a vague external threat, but rather from human imperfection and the limitations of communication. Differences in language, culture, and communication systems give rise to conflict and a sense of alienation, and characters like Chieko, a deaf Japanese girl, vividly illustrate these limitations.

Music and Communication

In ‘Babel’, music plays a crucial role in conveying the atmosphere of each region. From the sounds of traditional Moroccan instruments to the dazzling techno music in the Japanese scenes, the lively band performances in Mexico, and even Ryuichi Sakamoto’s piano closing theme and Gustavo Santaolalla’s melancholic guitar, the music of each region either amplifies or tempers the events and emotions.
The music serves to purify fear into sorrow and sorrow into hope, while modulating the intensity of emotions in each scene. Traditional Moroccan music set against the backdrop of the desert conveys the hardships of life; Japanese techno reflects the emptiness felt by young people amid rapid material changes; and Mexican songs reveal the regret of those forced to leave their homeland.

Director and Direction

Completed after overcoming a long shooting period and the challenges of communicating in different languages across regions, ‘Babel’ is acclaimed for its actors’ performances and unique structure rather than flashy visual effects. The film clearly showcases the director’s distinctive style, continuing the narrative technique of scattering the background and context of events—a technique previously seen in his earlier works, ‘Amores Perros’ and ’21 Grams’.
Rather than confusing the audience, this editing technique serves as a masterful device that heightens immersion and builds tension. The director’s skill lies in maintaining a consistent level of tension throughout the approximately 2-hour-and-30-minute runtime without resorting to flashy action or extreme horror.
The director, a native of Mexico, drew inspiration from his experiences in the United States. The issues of communication and a sense of boundary he observed in an environment shaped by immigration and a multiethnic history inspired the film’s core themes. Set against the backdrop of a U.S. society that had become increasingly sensitive in the wake of 9/11, the film goes beyond a simple dichotomy of perpetrators and victims to shed light on the sorrow stemming from a failure to communicate. The final scene—featuring the Japanese night sky and the father embracing Chieko—reveals an intention to transcend political boundaries.

“Babel” as a Drama

The drama genre is well-suited to reflecting the human condition through small, everyday conflicts. However, if the scope of the conflict is too narrow, the film can become flat, making it prone to genre ambiguity. “Babel” brings out its dramatic qualities by showing how a single accidental shooting incident amplifies the emotions and anxieties of various characters and nations.
The shooting in Morocco triggers a reaction from American society, which has become even more sensitive in the wake of terrorism. The attitude of focusing solely on hunting down the terrorist rather than transporting the wounded Susan to a hospital, along with her husband Richard’s display of fear and anger in an unfamiliar place, symbolizes a United States caught in a state of tension and governed by the logic of power. Meanwhile, the assistance from locals, the doctor, and the grandmother’s attitude demonstrate attempts to care for the wounded and communicate with them.

Main Characters

Chieko, a deaf girl, is deeply traumatized by her mother’s suicide and harbors distrust toward her father. Although she wants to fit in with “normal” people, she also attempts to heal by revealing her wounded emotions. She expresses her inner conflict through actions such as going out without underwear or kissing the dentist during a dental procedure.
Amelia, a Mexican woman, believes she must settle in the United States so that her children can lead stable lives there. Having come to the U.S. in her youth and spent many years caring for a family’s children, she loses everything in the U.S. due to her nephew’s sudden outburst and is ultimately deported.
In Morocco, two brothers who happen to be riding the same bus are chased by the police. The older brother is shot and killed, while the younger brother smashes his brother’s gun and turns himself in to the police. Their father weeps as he holds his dead son in his arms.
Although Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett are featured prominently on the film’s cover and poster, the brothers in Morocco, Amelia, and Chieko in Japan are also central characters in the story. Rather than focusing on a single character or narrative, the film’s dramatic elements and themes emerge as multiple intertwined stories—like the swirls in ice cream or the interlocking parts of a screw and a spinning top—mesh together.

American Identity and Family Love

The episode centered on an American couple depicts a narrative arc that begins with mistrust and conflict within American society, the outbreak of a shooting incident, and culminates in the rediscovery of family love and reconciliation. The husband’s willingness to support and assist his wife—even when she is unable to control her body and wets herself—symbolizes trust and care within the family.
Richard (from the U.S.) calls his children, realizes once again the importance of family, and sheds tears. This emotional arc emphasizes that restored communication and family bonds play a key role in overcoming conflict.

Chieko’s Conflict and Reconciliation

Chieko wants to date and have fun like her peers, but the emotional scars left by her mother’s suicide fuel her conflict with her father. She feels deep despair when she sees a boy she had a crush on kissing her friend, and when the police come looking for her father, she shows a desperate determination not to lose him as well. Ultimately, the conflict is resolved through reconciliation with her father.

The Meaning of the Nightclub Scene

The nightclub scene in the middle of the film effectively highlights its dramatic elements. Amid the dazzling lights and music, Chieko focuses solely on the lights; as she watches others move to the beat, she tries to keep up with them by relying on the brilliance of the lights, but ultimately leaves the venue due to the limitations of communication. To Chieko, the mechanical techno music feels like silence rather than communication, and the scene reaches its climax with a static shot as she watches the man she liked being taken away from her.

Amelia’s Fate and Responsibility

Amelia is arrested at a police checkpoint while returning from her son’s wedding because her nephew tries to flee. When the children ask who is at fault, she replies that it wasn’t their fault, but rather the result of a thoughtless act. Ultimately, she loses everything and is deported because of that single thoughtless act, yet she remains determined to fulfill her responsibility toward the children in her care until the very end.

The Dramatic Expression of Family Love

Through the family love of the American couple, the bond between Chieko and her father, the grief of a family who lost a brother and the younger brother’s decision to turn himself in, and the scene where the deported Amelia finds comfort in her son, the director portrays familial love as a gentle drama. Characters from different backgrounds and cultural contexts are connected through the shared emotion of family love.

“Babel” as a Thriller

“Babel” attempts to overcome the potential dullness of a drama by incorporating thriller elements. From the very beginning, the audience questions the causes and developments of the events, wondering why a shooting incident in Morocco leads to stories in Japan and Mexico. These questions serve as a device to create tension for the audience.
The elements of sadness and fear mentioned earlier are not so much driven by the plot’s progression as they are emotions the audience feels from the afterimages of the events—which never quite reach a resolution—and the film’s conclusion. The sense of incompleteness conveyed by the ending and the anxiety arising from situations that mirror reality serve as subtle yet effective thriller elements. The psychological shifts of the characters, including Richard, allow the fear stemming from the incompleteness of communication to drive the film forward.
The music and visual direction are also used, in part, as devices to maintain a sense of thriller-like tension.

Comparison with Other Films

There are many films with a structure similar to ‘Babel’. Among them, ‘Crash’ shares similarities in content. While ‘Babel’ deals with the disconnection and conflict arising from imperfect human communication, ‘Crash’ depicts racial conflict within the United States more specifically. Both works depict misunderstandings and mistrust arising from the entanglement of events and broken communication.
Just as ‘The Butterfly Effect’ focused on how a small event can have far-reaching consequences, ‘Babel’ also shows the ripple effects of an incident that escalates rapidly from a single gunshot.

Review

I could feel the director’s determination and passion permeating the entire film. The fruits of two years of filming across Morocco, Mexico, the United States, and Japan are evident in the actors’ performances and every scene. The traces of the director explaining scenes to actors who couldn’t understand each other through multiple layers of interpretation come across as the film’s authenticity.
The distinct film tones and settings tailored to each of the four stories speak to the director’s passion. In a context where the subject matter could easily become heavy and solemn, it is impressive how the film conveys emotion through the actors’ realistic emotional expressions and actions, even without deep dialogue. The lingering resonance of the ending and the lasting impression the film leaves long after it ends are the result of effectively leveraging the strengths of the drama genre.

The Future of the Drama Genre

Drama films with a format similar to ‘Babel’ currently represent a standard in the genre. When the central event and characters are singular, immersion can actually diminish, and it can be difficult to establish a clear conflict structure. Selecting and blending two or more genres is like a double-edged sword: if done appropriately, it can result in a masterpiece, but if not, the outcome can be disjointed.
Although not strictly art films, the essence of the drama genre lies in depicting the true aspects of human nature, emotions, and phenomena. Hollywood’s recent renewed focus on the drama genre can be seen as a reflection of growing interest in the lack of social communication and emotional incompleteness.
Unfortunately, the drama genre often struggles to achieve both artistic merit and commercial success, putting it at a disadvantage at the box office. While this is partly because audiences have become accustomed to spectacle and sensational imagery, occasionally choosing to watch a genre you don’t typically prefer can help strike a balance in your film consumption.
Personally, I feel fortunate to have seen films with strong dramatic elements, such as ‘V for Vendetta’ and ‘Blood Diamond’. I’m also eager to rewatch director Iñárritu’s earlier works, ‘Amores Perros’ and ’21 Grams’. This concludes my review.