Rating: 
Summary: a masterwork
Review: Carax's Melville is one of the great films of the last decade and certainly on a par with Claire Denis's Beau Travail, her version of Melville's Billy Budd. Pierre is Melville's most enigmatic work and Carax illuminates the mystery by placing it in our world, the dawn of the twenty-first century, where the spectator must enter--the viewer become a reader again--unriddling this Hamlet from the inside out.
Rating: 
Summary: a complete miss
Review: I am not too enthusiastic about writing reviews (for good movies there are already better ones than I might do and others are not worth to mention), but this one was unusually dissapointing. I have seen other Carax movies, and, although not being a great admirer, I found him at least interesting - thus, I bought this dvd, largely on the basis of other, some quite intriguing (if not always positive) reviews. However, so far this turned out to be the only dvd I would prefer not to have.
Since my mistake was misinterpretation of other reviews, I will start with some statements what this movie is not. It is not (an any kind of) love story. It is also not a study of deep (or any) philosophical questions.
The best description probably will be that it is a kind of horror movie. The mysterious Isabelle (Golubeva) really resembles a kind of vampire (in traditions how these are usually shown in movies) and meeting her is probably quite close to the meeting of death with the obvious consequences. Apart from that, the movie quite professioinally shows the kind of nightmares you may encounter on such an occasion and that's it. The nightmares are well done and as such may keep you interested, but they don't solve anything or give you anything - the feeling you are left with is just that of horror.
It is true that there is some good photography, camera work, (maybe) some acting, but probably not more (just differently) than in a typical hollywood movie.
Conclusions:
You might like it, if you are looking for horror movie, or if you basically like hollywood-style movies (the style is different, but similarly valuable and works on the level of similar instincts). If you expect that movie must be a work of art, then most likely you will be dissapointed - this one is not.
Rating: 
Summary: Over-rated Psycho-drama
Review: i was looking for a movie with a lot more visual and sensual appeal. sure i enjoyed seeing catherine deneuve topless but the movie itself is a disjointed final climax in insanity. there was very little sensuality also.
Rating:
Summary: CONDEMNED TO SWIFT EXTINCTION ......+then some.
Review: It should not be necessary to read the book ["Pierre, or the Ambiguities"] before seeing this work, but "hint,hint" Melville had a nervous breakdown after publishing it in 1852, even 1952 moralites have dated this one! Who knows why auteurs choose works [Kubrick and Schnitzler], but it's called focus. This time we're out of that.Our hero [stunning Guillaume Depardieu deserves an apology] dumps golden girlfriend [Delphine Chuillot] for dreary, drab, unwashed, Gypsy-vagrant [whiningly intoned by Yekaterina Golubeva]. There is NOTHING to like or admire about this woman, an anachronism in this century. Just does not make sense, and perhaps there are a few missing frames, WHY Depardieu would just "up and leave" the belle existence. The movie vaccilates between breathtaking country chateau sequences, unreal, etherial [Carax does have that going for him!] and the Kafkaesque drabness of converted facist [?] factories. This movie seems to deplore the indecision of cultured European youth, pity! DVD quality is superb [video/audio], but there are just a few strange scratches on the negative [too new for this!] Art direction is excellent so is the costume choice by Esther Walz, the clothes enhance, they do not detract, well done! Now about THAT scene? [I forget, originals or doubles? Brave for doubles and potentially damning if the real stars "partook"]. Problem is - it's totally unnecessary, unless I've missed another point, it's detracting and repulsive. Bad, bad taste - would have loved to have been in the the Cannes audience when THAT popped up! [Now, if its a love scene you want, see "Don't Look Now" Nicholas Roeg, with Sutherland and Christie, still enthralls, and NOT explicit, that's good taste!] Deneuve, not sure what she was in the movie? Mother/Sister? Jeanne Moreau would have been an alternate choice - would have added THAT touch. Deneuve does bare it all though - also unnecessary. Bring Guillaume Depardieu stateside for a remake with Streep, Jolie and Paltrow, or better still do a "making of"!
Rating: 
Summary: il y a pola x
Review: it's french, from france, a country located in europe.
Rating:
Summary: Oh, Leos Carax!!!!!
Review: Leos Carax is without doubt one of the best French directors alive(Olivier Assyas is another one worth mentioning). "Pola X "is obsessed with "Crazy Love", which is a theme that Carax enjoys his fame for(Such as " Lovers on the bridge" with Juliette Binoche). Pola X is nonetheless deeper than any of Carax's previous work becouse it also expolores the corruption and lies of our society(it is based on Herman Melville 's novel). The cinematograhy is excellent, I espacially like the love scene between Pierre and Isabelle. Yes, it is rather
explicit, but Carax deals with it masterfully. The entire scene is as if looking at a beautifully painted medieval oil painting, with two people devour each other's body with extreme passion and tenderness.
Rating:
Summary: 2 Stars for the sex scene
Review: Leos Carax's "Pola X" is at best problematic and at worst an incoherent mess. It is rumored that Herman Melville went insane while writing "Pierre: or the Ambiguities" on which this film is based. This explains a lot in regards to what we are forced to endure while watching this film. Pierre (Guillaume Depardieu, Gerard's son)is a good-looking, blond, rich author living with his sister, Marie (Catherine Denueve who manages somehow to keep her dignity) and engaged to blond, good looking, Lucie (Delphine Chuillot). While having a beer with his cousin (Laurent Lucas who is always dewy-eyed for some reason)one sunny afternoon, he sees a dark haired woman, Isabelle (Katerina Golubeva) spying on him and proceeds to follow her as he realizes this is the woman of whom he's been dreaming. Up until this point the film has been about light: bright sunlight, white clothing, blond hair,etc. But the minute Isabelle comes on the scene everything goes dark, dank and miserable. Pretty obvious symbolism. Isabelle claims to be Pierre's long lost sister and Pierre decides to turn his life upside down and take care of Isabelle which leads him into a fast spiral downward. Golubeva's recitation regarding her previous life and her delivery of it in an irritating voice that sounds like a young, drunk Marlene Dietrich is one of THE most irritating scenes in movies that I have ever been unfortunate to witness. The only small saving grace of this movie, besides Deneuve, was the sex scene between Pierre and Isabelle (Yikes!). It was mildly erotic.
Rating:
Summary: 2 Stars for the sex scene
Review: Leos Carax's "Pola X" is at best problematic and at worst an incoherent mess. It is rumored that Herman Melville went insane while writing "Pierre: or the Ambiguities" on which this film is based. This explains a lot in regards to what we are forced to endure while watching this film. Pierre (Guillaume Depardieu, Gerard's son)is a good-looking, blond, rich author living with his sister, Marie (Catherine Denueve who manages somehow to keep her dignity) and engaged to blond, good looking, Lucie (Delphine Chuillot). While having a beer with his cousin (Laurent Lucas who is always dewy-eyed for some reason)one sunny afternoon, he sees a dark haired woman, Isabelle (Katerina Golubeva) spying on him and proceeds to follow her as he realizes this is the woman of whom he's been dreaming. Up until this point the film has been about light: bright sunlight, white clothing, blond hair,etc. But the minute Isabelle comes on the scene everything goes dark, dank and miserable. Pretty obvious symbolism. Isabelle claims to be Pierre's long lost sister and Pierre decides to turn his life upside down and take care of Isabelle which leads him into a fast spiral downward. Golubeva's recitation regarding her previous life and her delivery of it in an irritating voice that sounds like a young, drunk Marlene Dietrich is one of THE most irritating scenes in movies that I have ever been unfortunate to witness. The only small saving grace of this movie, besides Deneuve, was the sex scene between Pierre and Isabelle (Yikes!). It was mildly erotic.
Rating:
Summary: "SPECTACULAR & VISUALLY STUNNING - A MUST SEE"
Review: Leos Carax's POLA X is truly one of the most engaging films that have come out in the past decade. Throughout the movie Carax (Lovers on the Bridge, Boy Meets Girl) creates a visual poetry which is both innovative & contemporary. The film may create a sombre mood throughout but it engages you to a limit that you start looking at things the way Carax wanted you to.
I am inclined to write the review of this movie because of the various negative publicity & misleading reviews it has received over the years. True, this is not your usual run-on-the mill type even in the art house genre, but it is definitely worth a watch. POLA X( based on Herman Melville's "Pierre, or the Ambiguities") is actually an acronym of the French title of the movie "Pierre, Ou Les Ambiguities"[P-O-L-A]. The 'X' in POLA X derives from the shooting script being Carax's tenth draft of his screenplay. The protagonist Pierre(Guillaume Depardieu),a young novelist coming from a rich family & a prolific background, is writing his new novel but is falling short of new ideas. His otherwise mundane lifestyle turns upside down when he meets a disheveled dark haired girl, Isabelle (Golubeva), who resembles the girl he has been dreaming about for some time. She turns out to be his illegitimate sister, a secret he was kept in dark about for all these years. Pierre finds in her the inspiration for newer ideas & an opportunity to break out of his routine lifestyle. He breaks his engagement to his sweetheart Lucie (Delphine Chuillot) & embarks on a journey with Isabelle - to provide her with all the love, support & protection that the world has denied her & also to stimulate his own creative instincts.
It is definitely disappointing to see that even after so many years of its release, a few minutes sex scene between Pierre & Isabelle seems to get all the attention. It's true that it is graphic but it is sensual - innovatively shot with the use of tricky camera shots, colour & use of light & shadow. Carax didn't want to make it look like one of those "Guide to Sex" videos. I find the pace of the movie quite appropriate that does justice to the unfolding of the story. The scene at the forest where Isabelle talks about her past seems tedious for a first viewing but it settles with you with successive viewings. Isabelle's anxiety, insecurity & pain, which she could not share with anyone for so long, could be shown in that manner only. Also who can forget the background score of Scott Walker which supports the sombre mood & haunts you throughout the movie? Superb Cinematography & clever use of light & shadow techniques makes it a visual treat - completely in sync with the script. In fact this is a film which tries to tell its story visually rather than using long dialogues. I see this film reaching a cult status, may be 25 years down the line, when those Criterion Collection guys will come out with its special edition. But for the time being I will strongly recommend it to those who want a unique cinematic experience & a BREAK from the usual hundred million budgeted HOLLYWOOD Blockbuster crap.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Movie
Review: Mysterious, erotic, gripping, and artistic.
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