"Youth Without Youth," Francis Ford Coppola’s return to directing after a ten-year break in 2007, presents a perplexing mix of qualities – captivating, diverting, lovely, baffling, artificial, and at times, tedious. The story centers on a man of seventy, portrayed by Tim Roth, living in Romania as World War II begins. He’s struck by lightning, regaining his youth to appear around forty years old. Along with this transformation come extraordinary abilities, including telekinesis and the power to absorb information from books simply by looking at them. The Nazis become aware of his unusual development and want to exploit him for their own purposes, aiming to enhance the “master race.” Later in the film, set after the war, he encounters a woman who resembles a younger version of a past love (Alexandra Maria Lara). She too experiences lightning’s effects, which unexpectedly assist his research into language origins. The narrative shares similarities with films like "Powder" and "Phenomenon," both released in the mid-1990s, which also explore characters possessing special powers. While “Phenomenon” was fairly enjoyable, “Powder” aspired to greater heights and partially achieved them. "Youth Without Youth" distinguishes itself through its tone – largely due to the backdrop of WWII – and because it’s a more artistic endeavor that is challenging to fully grasp. It's been suggested that Coppola invested considerable personal meaning into this project, drawing inspiration from Mircea Eliade's novel. One gets the sense he had uncovered profound truths about existence and felt compelled to share them through film. Considering Coppola’s stature as a filmmaker, it’s remarkable that he dedicated a decade to developing this movie. He could have easily created formulaic blockbusters like "Transformers," but his artistic sensibilities led him beyond pursuing mainstream success. This echoes Willard's observations about Colonel Kurtz (Brando) in “Apocalypse Now”: “He could’ve gone for general, but he went for himself instead.” Coppola chose to pursue something more significant than simple entertainment. Therefore, "Youth Without Youth" is a work of art, undeniably interesting and entertaining at times, though it demands commitment from the viewer to endure its 124-minute length. It's a layered film, brimming with depth; some might even say it contains answers to life’s biggest questions! In addition, it boasts beautiful visuals, music, and female characters. I noticed that women in the movie seem universally drawn to Dominic, Roth’s character, despite his short stature – he isn’t exactly George Clooney. However, upon further thought, I accepted this as intentional. Women often possess a kind of intuition, sometimes called "women's intuition," which allows them to perceive things beyond the surface level. Dominic had evolved significantly and was essentially a superior human being. While not physically ideal, women recognized his advanced state and were drawn to him. The film’s locations—Romania, Bulgaria, with establishing shots of the Himalayas and India—are also noteworthy assets. It's difficult to assign a straightforward rating to this film. If you’re seeking typical movie entertainment, "Youth Without Youth" might not satisfy, even though it has some engaging aspects like the cinematography, music, women, and locations; but if you desire artistic cinema and thought-provoking themes, it earns an “A.” Consequently, my considered rating is a B-.

Source on TMDB