White Noise is great in theory but mixed entertainment. Satire rides a fine line between obvious and pretentious, and this stumbles into the latter. Its dialogue is purposefully overlapping, rapid, pedantic, and unnatural. This supports the themes of disconnection and consumption, but it's tiresome and unrelatable. The film critiques society's obsession with distractions from mortality. Yet, its absurdist drama, symbolic characters, abnormal plot, and dry humor swallow up emotions in intellectualism. It provides some vulnerable acting and a loving solution to existential dread, but that's thin for general viewers. Thus, White Noise is admirable commentary but difficult to connect with.
Similarly, White Noise has clever yet odd filmmaking. Its end credits musical number is the unlikely highlight. The hyper-artificial production design stresses materialism with maximized colors, aesthetics, and brands. Its sound uses voiceovers, split cuts, stings, volume, layers, rhythmic diegetics, and emphasis. The visuals add angles, motion, lighting, composition, and focus. Despite saggy pacing, its editing employs dissolves, montages, smash cuts, intercuts, inserts, and superimposition. The cast has stars and the effects are surprisingly involved. Overall, White Noise applies fitting craft to an honorable thesis, but its elusive heart makes it more respectable than enjoyable.
Writing: 8/10
Direction: 7/10
Cinematography: 8/10
Acting: 8/10
Editing: 7/10
Sound: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 7/10
Production Design: 9/10
Casting: 7/10
Effects: 7/10
Overall Score: 7.6/10
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