A tiny orange flame is illuminated against a dark background. The light flickers for a moment, then dies out. A quote from the Book of Job appears: “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth … when the morning stars sang together?” So begins “The Tree of Life,” the latest film written and directed by Terrence Malick. The movie has managed to stir up a controversy within the film industry. Some critics call it a masterpiece, while others call it overblown and outlandish. Yet, it was still nominated for 3 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography. 2012 has been an extraordinary year for film, with many landmark achievements. “The Tree of Life” stands out among them. It is a film unlike anything I have ever seen.

“The Tree of Life” is an unusual film, as it lacks a formal narrative. The first 30 minutes are by far the most obscure. Jack O’Brien (Sean Penn) is a middle-aged architect. After a recent conversation with his father concerning his late brother, who died at the age of 19, Jack thinks back to his childhood. He grew up in Waco, Texas in the 1950’s, and was raised by his mother, Mrs. O’Brien (Jessica Chastain), and his father, Mr. O’Brien (Brad Pitt). He has two brothers: Steve and R.L. Almost as soon as we are introduced to the O’Briens, the story regresses into the past. The very distant past. Starting with the creation of the universe, we then witness the progression of several billion years, including: the formation of the stars and planets, the birth of life on Earth, and our evolution from single-celled organisms into humans. The story then comes back to the O’Briens. We see Jack progressing through the many stages of childhood; from the curious stage of youth, to the rebelliousness of adolescence, and finally to facing the responsibilities that arise as one starts to mature into an adult. A main concern for Jack while growing up is two conflicting ideologies, represented by his parents. His mother, a carefree spirit, believes that it is important to live with love, explaining that: “Unless you love, your life will flash by.” But his father is much more stern, and attempts to instill in Jack a strong will so that he can learn to survive in what he views to be an unforgiving world.

I did not immediately know how to react after seeing “The Tree of Life.” It was as if I had seen more than just a movie, as it is easy to lose yourself in the screen. Although a basic story can be summarized, not a whole lot of action actually takes place throughout the course of the film. Most of the middle section follows the simple, daily activities of the O’Brien family, inter-cut with visual images that set the tone. Unlike most films, which deal with a specific conflict or issue that drives their narratives, Malick chooses instead to focus on the in-between moments of life, when nothing in particular happens. But we feel a raw intensity in these moments, the likes of which cannot easily be described.

In one of Terrence Malick’s past films, called “Days of Heaven”, an unusual method is used in order to create the proper lighting when shooting oudoors. The director of photography insisted that the movie only be shot at a certain time of day, called the “magic hour,” which is that time right after sunset, but before it is completely dusk. This gave the crew only about 25 minutes a day to shoot. But in the end, the lighting casts a melancholy tone on the film that contributes to its story. “The Tree of Life” also films during a specific time of day, although here it appears to be between mid-afternoon and evening. Whether hiding behind a person’s silhouette, or peeking out from between the branches of a tree, the sun consistently serves as a center-piece in nearly every outdoor scene. And indoors, shining through a window, it illuminates the characters with an otherworldly glow. The resulting effect gives a slight chill, yet it is also hauntingly beautiful.

The film is rich with poetic imagery. Every frame, every camera angle, every transition, and every backdrop is presented with fine-tuned perfection – from the creation of the universe and Earth, to the narrative following Jack as he grows up, to the surreal ending consisting of Jack and other people in his life walking back and forth on a pale white beach amid the setting sun. The camera flows gracefully from scene to scene, as if taking us on a journey through the many paths of life. The visuals, especially the beginning sequence showing the creation of the stars and planets, have a similar feel to the ending of “2001: A Space Odyssey”, when David Bowman goes inside the monolith and travels through tunnels of vibrant images. In fact, the same special effects supervisor, Douglas Trumbull, worked on both films. In the age of CGI, Trumbull ignores modern technologies, choosing to instead use basic methods to create special effects. The resulting film does not appear in any way outdated, and is actually very realistic.

Ripe with religious and spiritual messages, “The Tree of Life” asks the viewer several material questions: Is there a God? Is it better to live with grace or humility? Is there a reason for our relatively short lives, or are they just like the flame that lights up, and in an instant, flickers and dies? From witnessing the beginning of creation with the birth of our planet, to then seeing the destruction of the sun and all of life on Earth in the last few minutes, the mysteries are never solved. But there will always be those who delight in pondering them, as Malick has done with “The Tree of Life.”

Be warned: this is not a film for everybody. Many people who watch it will be bothered in some way, either by the film’s obscurity, its long length, or its non-narrative form. Nonetheless, “The Tree of Life” stands as a monumental achievement, whether in the world of  Terrence Malick, who has only directed 5 feature films in his career, all of which could be considered masterpieces; or in the wider world of cinema. In future years, the film will likely be debated as to its true artistic value, but my opinion is clear: Go see “The Tree of Life.” It is a wonderful addition to the most spectacular of all art forms: the movies.