The Gulf

Körfez / Gulf is a brave yet unsuccessful attempt to build a cinematic universe with a highly symbolic language. I think the reason of this failure lies beneath the tension between the science fictional setting and the realisticism of the characters. The characters of this movie are so ordinary and familiar that they are "too real" for such a symbolic narrative. Therefore, we sway from a realistic movie to a Felliniesque athmosphere from scene to scene and what we get is mostly a sense of dizziness.

Moreover, we the viewers want to get into the film's universe to form our opinions regarding the issues raised, but throughout the movie we happen to follow only the main character who barely talks, free from any personal motivation, even does not give any sign of emotion. In fact he is more like a leaf in the wind, constantly distorting our focus among the events taking place all around the city.

As a result, the symbolic language of the movie can be understood by no one, as if we hold a draft of the scenario in our hands, written in our language but with a very bad handwriting. So instead of "decoding the symbols" we put more effort to "decipher the handwriting", and hence we end up by getting only some bits and pieces about the movie, by no fault of our own.