Film Studies: “Babel” by Alejandro Gonzalez Innarritu
Introduction
Babel is a movie that was directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Innarritu. It
is a story covering diverse issues taking place in the United States of
America, Morocco, Japan, and Mexico.
These are four interlacing stories in the four aforementioned countries.
One gun connects these four stories and as the movie nears the end,
there is a true revelation of how complex and tragic human lives are
around the world and it gives the impression that, life is not that
different regardless of location.
According to Innarritu, human life is almost the same across nations
and even though people may undergo different situations in life, the
bottom line is that, human life is full of suffering and struggles.
The movie starts by a Moroccan Arab selling a gun to a herder who
then passes on the gun to his sons to keep away jackals from attacking
his goats. Unfortunately, the youngest son uses the gun to shoot a tour
bus carrying an American couple on vacation, Richard and Susan.
Susan fall victim of this shooting forcing Richard to start looking for
medical help.
As the story unfolds, Richard calls home to inform the house nanny,
Amelia, about the incidence. Unfortunately, Amelia cannot spend
another day with the kids because her son’s wedding is on the
following day. The only way out for Amelia is to take Richard’s kids
to the wedding in Mexico. The media exaggerates the shooting
incidence in Morocco terming it a ‘terrorist attack’. Disaster manifolds
as Amelia is stuck at the Mexican border on her way back to San
Diego, Richard’s residence.
In Tokyo Japan, things are getting worse. A rejected deaf and dumb
girl, Chieko, is grappling with the realities of the contemporary world.
In the midst of her struggles, police officers arrive looking for her
father; who is associated with selling of the rifle used in Morocco and
the story unfolds.
This movie addresses many social issues. Family life stands out.
Richard and Susan are in Morocco to reconcile their lives after many
days of a strained marriage. Susan accuses Richard of running away
after their youngest son died from a sexually transmitted disease. They
are blaming each other.
Wedding comes into the scene as Amelia travels to Mexico to attend
her son’s wedding. The issue of responsibility in childcare also stands
out. Amelia decides to take Richard’s children to Mexico without
letter of consent from the parents, a factor that brings her problem at
the Mexican border. She later abandons the children in the desert
before being arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol.
Rejection and isolation is the other social issue addresses here. Chieko
is rejected after her mother commits suicide. She cannot stand her
father together with her age mate boys.
Sexual immorality then sets in; Chieko tries to seduce a dentist into
sexual relationship; unfortunately, the dentist turns her away. From
frustration, Chieko brings her panties down in front of an attractive
young man before striping naked before a police officer. The issue of
security speaks volumes. Illegal guns are finding their way into the
wrong hands. Susan is shot as a result.
The United States of America thinks this is a terrorist attack from the
wrong reports from media houses. There is lack of responsibility in
informing the citizens with authentic information. This movie is an
epitome of what happens after proper communication fails starting
from family, friends, state, and the world at large. This is a must-
watch movie for it informs a lot about different issues that are taking
place in the contemporary society. It is an interesting and informative
piece.
Synopsis
In Morocco, Abdullah, a goat herder buys a 270 Winchester M70 rifle
plus a box of bullets from Hassan Ibrahim, his Moroccan Arab
compatriot. Mr. Abdullah passes on the rifle to his two sons, Ahmed
and Yussef, who are supposed to keep away jackals that have been
attacking their father’s goats. However, out of curiosity to know the
shooting range of the gun, the two boys start a shooting competition.
First, they aim at rocks and then at a bus traveling on a road beyond
the rocks. The bus screeches to a halt.
The scene then moves to California in the United States of America.
Amelia; a Mexican nanny is taking care of two American kids. In the
midst of a play, a phone rings; the nanny picks it up and from the
other end, a voice says that the wife is ok.
After enquiring about the kids, the voice on the other end promises
that someone will be coming over the following morning to take care
of the kids. The loving Amelia tucks the kids well into bed as the
night progresses (Mondoleo para. 6). Early next morning, the same
person calls and tries to explain that the person who was to fly in to
look after the kids cannot make it.
Amelia tries to explain that her son’s wedding is taking place that
same evening and honestly, she cannot miss that wedding. Out of
frustration, the voice on the other side insists that Amelia has to stay
before hanging up the phone. After several attempts to find someone
to look after the kids to no avail, Amelia decides to take the kids with
her to the wedding in Mexico. They are driven down to Mexico by
Amelia’s nephew, Santiago.
Richard and Susan are seated a café where there is intense argument.
Susan blames Richard for running away after the death of their son
some months ago. The son died of sexually transmitted disease
probably contracted from one of his parents (McCarthy para. 5). They
do not seem to understand each other and Susan says she want to
leave the café.
At this point, we understand that, Richard and Susan took this
vacation to Morocco to reconcile their strained marriage. Susan starts
to cry and this continues as they board a tour bus. Suddenly, a bullet
comes through the window and injures Susan critically at the
shoulder.
Chieko, an indifferent and dumb teenage girl probably from Japan
cannot control her temper in a volleyball game and she is expelled
from the game. Eventually, her team looses the game and the blame
lies on her. Though she cannot speak, her teammates use sign
language to disapprove her actions. Chieko’s father comes to her
rescue with an offer to take her for lunch; however, she cannot hear
anything about it. She wants to accompany her friends. However, her
father reminds her that she has to visit a dentist later in the day.
The girls move out together and as they play a video game on a table,
several handsome boys get in and try to talk to these girls playing a
video game. Unfortunately, these girls are so engrossed in the game
that they cannot hear or realize the presence of their visitors, the boys.
Finally, the girls realize the presence of the boys; something that
embarrasses them and after realizing that they are unwelcome, the
boys move out. Chieko in particular is extremely embarrassed by this
incident and whilst in the washrooms, she takes off her panties and
flashes the boys upon returning to their table.
Back to Morocco, the boys are hurriedly taking goats home. Their
father comes home and reports that the road is closed after a terrorist
killed an American woman. The boys exchange surreptitious glances
probably after learning that the woman is dead.
At the Mexican border, Amelia, the kids and Santiago crosses to
Mexico without much ado. As they arrive, the wedding is about to
start and everyone is ready for this long-waited event. The kids are not
so much concerned about the wedding and after meeting the groom
lightly, they join other Mexican kids in a play. However, the kids meet
the threat of their lives after they see someone slaughtering a chicken;
they had never seen such an incidence.
In the bus back in Morocco, Richard cannot figure out where to take
his wife Susan as she writhes in pain. To his dismay, a passenger says
that the nearest hospital is over four-hour drive while the nearest clinic
is one and half-hours away. Fortunately, they are close to the tour’s
guide village and good news is that, there is a doctor in that village.
This looking as the only easy way out, they decide to consult that
doctor in the village. Even though other passengers do not want to
come along, Richard persuades them not to leave him behind without
means of transport. He calls someone, probably the person who was to
attend the kids for Amelia to attend the wedding, and asks her to call
American embassy in Morocco to come to his rescue.
Within no time, the village doctor, Tazarine, arrives and after
preliminary examination, he says that Susan sustained broken
shoulder, which would bleed her to death if not stitched. Richard tells
Tazarine to do all that he can to save Susan’s life. We then learn that
the doctor is a veterinarian and after sterilizing a needle, he stitches
Susan without anesthesia.
Chieko enters the dentist’s office and sets her intentions right away
even though the dentist does not seem to read between the lines. She
starts by licking him and then puts his hand on her crotch. The dentist
seems embarrassed by Chieko’s inability to speak. Nevertheless, the
dentist reads her intentions after seeing her longing look and at this
point, he orders her to leave his office immediately.
On arriving home, Chieko finds two police officers. They do not seem
to understand her inability to speak but after exchanging few glances,
Chieko realizes that her father is not in the house. The police officers
make it clear that her father is not wanted for any criminal offence is
only that they want to speak to him.
Chieko goes straight into her apartment where she goes through
several television channels and the top stories across the TV channels
is of the Morocco shooting and the subsequent arrest of several
suspects. Amidst all these, Chieko’s friend arrives from school and
indicates that one of the police officers is hot. That night they go to a
party without wearing their pants.
Back to Morocco, the two boys obscure the rifle in rocky
mountainside. A police investigator stops at the point where Yussef
shot the bus and collects some bullet shells. As he looks around for
any evidence, he realizes fresh goat droppings and consequently
concludes that a local civilian might have shot the bus. Coincidentally,
the investigations start at Hassan Ibrahim’s home; the Arab who sold
the gun to Abdullah. After a lengthy torture, Ibrahim confesses that he
sold a gun to Abdullah, his neighbor.
The police leave Ibrahim to die as they commence their search for
Abdullah. Coincidentally, the police meet Abdullah’s boys and upon
asking whether they knew Abdullah; Yussef, the youngest and the
shooter, gives them the wrong direction. Immediately after the police
officers go the wrong way, these two boys rush home to inform their
father what had taken place.
The wedding has commenced; everyone is busy while Richard’s kids
are enjoying their time engrossed in Mexican plays. Dances and
ululations brace the occasion as Amelia nostalgically remembers days
of her youth when live and love had meaning.
Susan is still in pain back in Morocco. She is under the good care of
Tazarine’s grandmother albeit they cannot communicate due to
language barriers. However, their relationship at that moment
transcends language barrier, and they seem to get on well with one
another. The grandmother brings opium and after Susan puffing three
times, she appears relaxed.
In Japan, Chieko hangs out with her friends including some young
lads and sign language is flowing well with every one in the group.
Interestingly, one of the young lads has whiskey and some pills, which
we understand, are ecstasy pills. After having some good time
together, the group agrees unanimously to go for a disco.
Chieko cannot get the music right; nevertheless, she can understand
the movements and that is enough for her; at least for now. Out of
nowhere, one of Chieko’s girlfriends makes out with a man Chieko
had secretly liked.
Out of frustration; she storms out of the disco and heads straight to her
apartment. She is visibly embarrassed and agitated. On reaching her
apartment still in bad moods, she orders the door attendant to call the
young police officer for she has something to tell him.
In Morocco, the police officers investigating the shooting incidence
are back at Ibrahim’s home. They accuse him of coming up with a
story to cover the issue surrounding the gun. Even though Ibrahim
maintain that he sold the rifle to Abdullah, the police officers believe
that this is a cover up story. Ibrahim’s wife comes to his rescue and
shows the police officers a photo of the person who gave out the gun
to her husband. To the surprise of many, it is Chieko’s father,
Yasujiro.
After the boys tell Abdullah that they were the ones who shot the bus,
they all decide to escape. Unluckily, the police officers see them as
they escape to the mountains. Immediately, the police officers open
fire to the escaping father and his two sons. The three duck and hide
behind rocks in the mountains.
Nevertheless, this becomes a dangerous affair, as Ahmed; the older
son tries to run; he is shot in the leg. Yussef; the youngest son cannot
see as his brother dies in the hands of ruthless police officers; he
snatches the rifle; opens fire to the police officers and shoots one of
them at the shoulder.
In the wedding, people are becoming tired as it winds up. It is time for
Amelia to take the kids back home. Her nephew; Santiago, will drive
her. However, Santiago is visibly drunk and the groom doubts whether
he will be able to drive back to California. The nephew asserts he is
fine to drive and the journey commences amidst doubts.
At the US border, Amelia, Santiago, and the kids are subjected to
thorough inspection by police officers. Santiago is becoming anxious
and decides not to stop for any other police check. When flagged for a
second car check; true to his words, he takes off; an act that causes the
border police officers to start car chase. To shake off the police
officers, Santiago drops off Amelia together with the kids in the desert
and takes off in the car.
Richard and the tour guide relax in the bus as they wait for police
officers to come. On the other side, Susan seems relaxed as she sleeps
under the warm afternoon weather. After sometime, the Moroccan
police officers arrive. They tell Richard that an ambulance had been
released to come for Susan but American embassy had canceled the
plans.
Instead, they wanted to send helicopter but unfortunately, they
encountered some problems with that too. As Richard, tries to reach
the American embassy over the phone, the bus that had all along been
waiting leaves.
Back to Chieko’s apartment, the young police officer comes in as
directed by the door attendant. Chieko takes him to the balcony and
tells him that it is on the same spot where she saw her mother jump
down to commit suicide. Chieko receives a phone call and she moves
into her apartment. As the police officer waits for her, he starts
admiring Yasujoro’s hunting trophies. As he goes through the
trophies, we see the same photo that Ibrahim’s wife had shown the
investigating police officers in Morocco.
The police officer makes it clear to Chieko that he is not there to
investigate her mother’s suicide; on the contrary, he is investigating
the whereabouts of a gun that had been registered under Yasujiro; her
father. He makes clear that the father is not in any trouble and he
requests to leave.
However, Chieko has other plans. She asks the police officer to wait a
minute only to step out of her room stark naked. She seduces him into
touching her but he cannot give in to these temptations. This refusal
makes Chieko break down in sobs. However, the young police officer
is caring and he holds her amidst her sobs.
As the events unfold, Ahmed tries to run despite being shot at the leg;
however, the brutal police officer shoots him dead. This overwhelms
the father who runs towards his son and holds his presumably lifeless
body.
At this point the younger son; Yussef, runs and surrenders to the
police officers. He admits opening fire to the bus and adds that his
older brother and father had committed no crime pertaining to that
shooting incidence. He also confesses that he is the one responsible
for shooting the police officer some minutes ago.
The morning after wedding has come. Amelia together with the kids
has spent the night in the open cold desert. A patrol car passes by, but
does not realize the presence of these wretched woman and kids. They
embark on a mission to trace where her nephew went but this turns out
to be mission impossible.
The children cannot walk and Amelia has to carry the little girl;
however, she cannot carry her for long distance. Finally, she leaves
the kids under a tree shade and after long distance of searching
Santiago; she comes across a border patrol car and stops it. In turn of
events, instead of the officers on board helping her to save the kids,
they cuff her. It takes Amelia’s persistence for them to go back where
she had left the kids.
To Amelia’s dismay, the kids are gone. The officers start a frantic
search for the kids and they add patrol cars and even helicopters.
Chieko is through with sobbing and apologizes honestly to the young
police officer. An immigration officer lambastes Amelia severely for
the neglect she had shown by leaving the kids alone.
The final word is that Amelia has to be deported and her son comes
for her at the Mexican border. Richard gets the news that his children
had been abandoned in the middle of a desert; he becomes angry, but
decides not to take any legal action against Amelia. The investigating
police officers back in Morocco takes Yussef away as he reminisces
the gone by days when he used to play with his brother.
A helicopter comes to take Susan to hospital; Richard offers the tour
guide some cash but he turns it down. In the hospital, a doctor comes
out to spell doom; Susan had internal bleeding and she has to lose her
arm. Richard breaks the news home amid sobs and enquires about his
kids’ day. Chieko’s father arrives home only to bump into police
officer who seeks to know about the gun given to a Moroccan Arab.
Yasujiro admits that he gave it to him because he was a nice man.
The police officer narrates how he had talked with Chieko and says he
was sorry that the mother’s demise through suicide by jumping from a
balcony. Chieko’s father posits that his wife did not jump off the
balcony; she shot herself dead. The police officer promises not to
trouble the family again and he leaves for a dinner. Later on, Susan is
released from a hospital in Casablanca and her woes are over. The
movie ends with so many unresolved issues.
Social Issues
The movie Babel addresses diverse social issues in the contemporary
society regardless of location. This is a valiant and a successful
compelling attempt that highlights international misunderstanding,
loss of lives, sorrow, and ennui that is so rampant in our society
(Bennett para. 8). At the end of it all, one can conclude that, there is
no absolute truth in this life. Sheer propaganda can come to be
accepted as truth and without getting to the root of the matter; we can
never know the truth.
Perhaps the most outstanding social issue across the nations is family
life. Richard and Susan are on vacation in Morocco to reconcile their
strained marriage. Strained marriages on verge of breaking are the rule
of the day in today’s world. The world all over, marriage institution
has proved to be the most difficult institution to manage.
Divorce rate is on the increase and this explains in part why single
parent hood is on the rise. Richard and Susan are not different; they
are experiencing what majority of married couples undergo every
other day. Back in California, Amelia is taking care of Richard’s two
kids. She is a loving nanny and she appears to make a perfect
caregiver (Bennett para. 9). No wander after someone fails to come to
take care of the kids for her to go to her son’s wedding; she decides to
go with the kids.
In Morocco, family life also comes out clearly. Abdullah has two sons
and he gets them a gun to keep off jackals from attacking his goats.
This portrays another side of family life in a different culture. Family
life differs from culture to culture. Abdullah does not seem careful
enough when handing over a gun to his sons; however, that is the
family lifestyle over there.
In Japan, we find a single father and a dumb girl, Chieko. This is an
epitome of a single parenthood (Tyler para. 14). We understand the
woman in the house committed suicide by shooting herself. As
aforementioned, single parenthood is common nowadays and Babel
brings out this issue. Even though single parenthood is not necessarily
due to suicide, the fact remains that this trend is high in the 21st
Century than ever.
Communication barrier is very eminent social issue in this movie.
There is a possibility that Alejandro Gonzalez Innarritu uses the title
Babel as a symbol of the Tower of Babel in the bible where God
brought down language confusion so that the creation may not finish
constructing the tower (Tyler para. 4). Right from the beginning,
language barrier sets in. Richard and Susan cannot communicate
effectively with Moroccan natives.
Chieko on the other side cannot speak at all. The movie is full of
miscommunication. Starting from family level to international level,
there is lack of proper communication. Communication between
Susan and Richard has broken down leading to strained relationship.
America and Morocco has strained relationship after the shooting
incidence and this is due to miscommunication.
Wedding comes out as the other social issue highlighted in this movie.
Wedding is so important to many people and they cherish this special
occasion. Actually, they will do anything to attend this occasion
(Alexander para. 6).
This fact comes out in the way Amelia reacts after hearing that she has
to take care of Richard’s kids at the expense of her son’s wedding.
Even though she knows that she is an illegal immigrant in the US, she
takes the kids to Mexico without Richard’s permission. This
highlights how important wedding is in our society today. No one
would love to miss such an occasion.
In the wedding, everything is set just to make sure that the event goes
on as planned. One of the cherished dreams in any young person’s life
is wedding. It such an important social issue that many are not even
patient enough to wait for the right time. Whether it is marriage or the
wedding that delights people, we cannot tell; however, the fact
remains that, wedding is very important in lives of nearly all people.
Babel highlights the issue of security. No one is secure regardless of
location. In Morocco, Susan is shot from carelessness of a father and a
son. Even though the issue does not seem grave in the first place, it
turns out chaotic after Ahmed is shot as he tries to escape.
In retaliation, Yussef shoots a police officer. One wonders how secure
in our society today (Alexander para. 8). The issue of guns finding
their way to careless people like Abdullah raises security matters. The
issue of terrorism is rife in society today. After Susan is shot, the
United States of America has it that, this is a terrorist attack. This
propaganda sends the wrong message. It draws international attention
for no reason.
Immorality is so rife in our society today. Even though Chieko tries to
get into immorality due to lack of emotional connection, the movie
has it clear that immorality is still existent. Chieko tries three times to
seduce three different people without success. First, it was the dentist,
then a young cute boy and finally the young police officer.
She is willing to have sex regardless of the cost (Dermansky para. 8).
Babel in other words is saying that immorality is alive and well and
gives out an outline of how we should handle it; do not give in to
sexual advances. However, this is not the case; people are engaging in
sex at very tender age. This takes us to the next social issue and that is
drug abuse.
Santiago, though he is seemingly young, is intoxicated with alcohol to
a point of incoherence. Chieko and her friends are always out partying
where alcohol is the rule of the day. In one incident, we see a young
man packing ecstasy pills in a box to it with him for a night disco.
This is drug abuse. Today, the most difficult fight to overcome is fight
against addiction (Mondello para. 9). People from all lifestyles and
ages are into addiction. Talk of youth going to grave early from drug
abuse. It is a fight that calls for concerted efforts if we are to win it at
the end.
The issue of love is not left out. Richard and Susan are in love and this
is why they married and are working tirelessly to redeem their
marriage from going down the drain (Alexander para. 12). Chieko
yearns for love, which proves to be so elusive in her life. She no
longer enjoys full parental love after her mother commits suicide.
Chieko’s friends are all in love and this comes out clearly that night
Chieko goes out at night only to see one of her friends move out with
a man she admires. Amelia is a loving nanny and she tends Richard’s
children very well. Amelia’s son is in love with his bride and that is
why he marries her hence the wedding.
Poor media cannot pass without recognition. Despite the fact that
Susan is shot accidentally by curious boys, media propagates the
propaganda that this is a terrorist attack (Block para. 9). Consequently,
the whole world is fooled into believing that terrorists have found
their way to Morocco. Of course, the audience knows better.
This is poor media and it denies the public their right to know exactly
what happens in the world without bias or speculation. Authenticity is
lacking when it comes to media coverage in the movie. This fact
reflects how the society is today. The fact that law protects media
houses not to reveal the source of information they feed people with, it
propagates poor media to some extent.
Babel highlights immigration policies and international relations
(Dermansky para. 6). There are reports that the helicopter that was to
ferry Susan to hospital has been arrested for flying in Moroccan
airspace. Relationship between America and Morocco becomes tense
as the US try to push Morocco to pursue the ‘terrorists.’
On the other side, Amelia encounters problem when trying to enter the
US after the wedding. Even though she has travel papers, she does not
have written consent from the kids’ parents. We understand that for
children to travel out of the country without their parents they need to
have a written consent to comply with immigration policies.
There is lack of responsibility in childcare. Richard and Susan decide
to leave their two kids in the hands of a nanny. Amelia then abandons
the kids in the middle of desert and this shows utter lack of
responsibility in childcare.
Conclusion
Babel is a masterpiece that tries to address different social issues that
happen in society today. Alejandro Gonzalez Innarritu uses four
countries, the US, Morocco, Japan, and Mexico. These four countries
and the different characters in the movie are connected through a
single gun.
Even though the rifle comes into scene first in Morocco, we later find
out that it originated from Japan and used to shoot an American who
has her children abandoned in Mexico by a nanny. Miscommunication
is evident throughout the movie. People do not seem to understand
each other and this stretches to international levels where the US does
not seem to understand exactly the shooting incidence in Morocco.
Susan is shot while on vacation in Morocco to save her failing
relationship with Richard, her husband. They have left their children
with Amelia; a Mexican nanny who has to attend her son’s wedding.
She takes Richard’s kids with her and later abandons them in the
middle of desert to look for help.
In Japan, Chieko, a dumb and indifferent teenage girl does not seem to
get anything right. Due to rejection and emotional disconnection, she
tries to get love in all manners; however, exposing her nudity to men
seems her favorite. Her mother committed suicide leaving a void in
her life.
At the end of it all, Susan overcomes her grief and retains her arm
despite fears that she would lose it. Richard reunites with his kid and
vows never to leave them again. The family of Abdullah is devastated;
Ahmed, the elder son dies from police shooting; the young son is
arrested leaving Abdullah a wretched man.
Amelia is deported to Mexico and Chieko never finds that elusive love
she has craved for years. The movie is full of suspension and the
viewers are left to make their own conclusions. Some rate it highly,
other rate it lowly; however, it depends on the angle that one sees it
from.
Works Cited
Alejandro G. Innarritu. “Babel.” 2006. Web.
Alexander, Mathew. “Babel.” 2006. Web.
Bennett, Ray. “Babel.” 2006. Web.
Block, Melissa. “Director Innarritu Spins a Global Tale in Babel.”
2006. Web.
Dermansky, Marcy. “Babel – A film by Alejandro Gonzalez
Iñnárritu.” 2006. Web.
McCarthy, Todd. “Babel.” 2006. Web.
Mondello, Bob. “Babel Weaves a Story Out of Noise, Desperation.”
2006. Web.
Tyler, Ray. “Babel.” 2006. Web.
