Every year when AFI Fest rolls around, I find myself exploring films I've never heard of before, films I likely would not in a normal theater setting. Tickets are free, after all, so the only thing it really costs you is time, which is actually a commodity at these events because there are so many films jam packed against each other. Every film you choose to see means there are at least one or two that you're missing. In the words of that guy at the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, when it comes to the film I saw today, The Tribe, I choose... poorly.

For starters, The Tribe is a film done strictly in sign language. I'm not kidding, sign language. No subtitles, no translations, nothing. There is no dialogue, no words are uttered, since it takes place at a Ukranian school for the deaf, and, unless you're fluent in sign language, you'll have no clue what these characters are saying. With that being said, writer-director Miroslav Slaboshpitsky's thriller is surprisingly not that difficult to follow, but it just drags and drags towards a "shocking" conclusion that you'll likely be too bored to appreciate by the time it comes around.

The story follows a young man... who I think is played by Grigoriy Fesenko, but I'm not sure... since his name is never uttered.... because the f*&^ing movie is in all SIGN LANGUAGE! Anyway, this kid arrives at this aforementioned Ukranian school for the deaf, and he quickly learns that this isn't your typical school. Two of the young girls (Yana Novikova and Rosa Babiy, probably...) are sent out to turn tricks at night, while the boys go out and mug and rob random strangers. Why? Are they saving up to escape the Ukraine? I think so, since part of the movie involves the girls applying for Italian passports... I think... and they are given Italian t-shirts from some guy. Do I know for sure? No, because the entire movie is in SIGN LANGUAGE.

I was impressed by Miroslav Slaboshpitsky's direction in places, but he had a tendency to hold shots for a ridiculously long time. I was writhing in my seat during a ludicrously long scene where the main kid slowly walks up five flights of stairs, right before the very end, and there are plenty of other scenes that were certainly shot and directed somewhat brilliantly, but they just keep dragging and dragging. the whole movie is 2 hours and 17 minutes, and while it managed to hold my interest fairly early on, I was ready for this experimental film to end during the last hour.

While I appreciate the ambition and parts of Miroslav Slaboshpitsky's direction, The Tribe goes off the rails in mind-numbing ways.