As perfect as cinema can get.

Stalker is anything but easy to watch - it's almost oppressively slow sometimes, not to mention brooding and mysterious - but it's certainly rewarding in the end. Deals with questions of faith and philosophy in an interesting (albeit occasionally dry) manner, and creates a state of reverie and atmosphere that is hypnotic at times. Something that almost certainly requires repeat viewings.

Mysterious, poetic, and deeply meaningful, Stalker attains a level of beauty that few films have matched. Tarkovsky's patience in relating the events extends not simply to the pacing (which helps the film become increasingly engrossing on repeated viewings), but to the slight details he lets out about the characters as well. The Stalker--isolated and looked down on by the rest of society--calls the people back to faith and humility, a message the educated elite seem unable or unwilling to heed.

If the Movie-Gods came down from the skies and told me in my sleep that this was the most intelligent thing ever put to film, I would not be surprised at all.

The last scene ...

A good premise, but it's so fucking slow. Very well directed and good direction of art and cinematography. But just that does not make a good at all, in my opinion.

It feels a bit uneven to me. However, when it hits its mark, it knocks it out of the park. The last few scenes are some of the most beautiful I've seen.

The problem with this type of film is that people too readily put it into "cult status" category and from that point on, find it hard to assess it objectively. Sure it looks good, but nothing actually happens in it, and it most defintiely is NOT SF. I SO wanted this to be good, I really wanted to see something in this film that perhaps others might not. I didnt. It is the kings new clothes of film making, and opacity, dullness, length, slow pacing & unfathomable plot does NOT make a good film

After I saw Solaris I remember reading a review by Roger Ebert where he said that Tarkovsky's films are more like environments than entertainments, and this is definitely true for Stalker.

"A tangled knot of memories, fears, fantasies, nightmares, paradoxical impulses, and a yearning for something that's simultaneously beyond our reach and yet intrinsic to every one of us." - Nick Schager

I'm beginning to think Tarkovsky just isn't for me. I'm most impressed by films that can address higher-order concepts while still relating them to the established plot and character context. This film gets too lost in esoteric dialogue (neglecting its genuinely interesting plot and characters) to be an effective film. At the same time, I admit perhaps I'm missing some essential je ne sais quoi of Tarkovsky's films and maybe I'll learn to appreciate his works some 15 or so years down the line.

03 aralik 10 & bazen bir film bitisinde, ustune cumle kurmak bosunadir.

Very slow but well acted and rewarding.

My new favourite movie.

Stalker is quite slow, and minimalist. The plot was hard for me to follow, but I never really lost interest. The cinematography alone could have kept me interested for awhile longer than 2.5 hours. On top of amazing photography the sets were amazing, and they helped craft one of the most atmospheric movies I have ever seen. If you go into Stalker expecting slow and beautiful you will be rewarded with an amazing experience.

Stalker must be one of the most impressive movies I've ever seen, but if you're planning to see it be prepared to engage in a slow, dark and often philosophical movie. Tarkovsky somehow succeeds in keeping your attention with powerfull images while at the same time he refuses to make it easy, constantly deluding you and refusing to bring down the movie to a coherent script. After a first view chances are small you will have the feeling you 'got' the movie but I guess that only adds to the charm.

Belief is a powerful force, manipulatively self-deluding, or positively enabling and life-affirming. Stalker embodies this theme and leaves the viewer within constant uncertainty, it is up to you to make your own conclusions, to piece together the philosophies revealed by the harrowing performances of its three main characters and from that shape your own belief regarding the enigmatic purpose and presence of the Zone. Amazingly shot, amazingly acted, amazing in every respect. Beautiful.

It's very hard to put this into words, because really it's more of a feeling than something concrete. To me it has the ambience of a dreary daydream, the whole sifting in and out of shades of black and grey, the long silences, whilst looking out a window with rain drops running down in front of you. It begs a lot of questions about our imagination, and the worth of our thoughts and hopes; the best part is that it just provides the framework, the answers are left for another daydream.