Tabu

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Christian M @chriss17eu Aug 20, 2026 Love, humanity’s greatest punishment. The impotence is physical. I barely know Reri and Matahi, yet I already feel frustrated by a law that supposedly protects her while denying her freedom. Murnau turns tradition into a prison: Reri is trapped by her tribe, and Matahi is unaware of what awaits him. What disturbs me is how oppression is disguised as protection. Tabu (Hitu) is not simply tradition against modernity. The tribe follows beliefs it considers sacred, just as our own societies preserve rituals we rarely question. We are not as different as we think. But beneath everything lies love: the force that makes people risk everything, yet can also destroy them. Riesenfeld’s music turns happiness into danger, while Murnau transforms social oppression into intimate tragedy. 'Tabu' leaves me furious, powerless, and devastated. Love becomes humanity’s greatest punishment. See more Sep 8, 2022 Alright for the time it came out but sadly lost most of it's value over time. I do like that it takes place in a time in place most movies don't go to but it is very boring at times and has a rather abrupt ending. See more william d @acsdoug Jul 7, 2022 The story is entertaining enough. What I really enjoyed, however, was its depiction of Tahitian culture. I don't know how accurate it is, but I found it fascinating. See more michael d @RT16138633 Dec 14, 2021 F.W. Murnau left this film as his final effort, dying shortly after. It is a solidly filmed presentation of the south seas. The plot involves a clash between island civilization and that of modern western society. A tale of two lovers who have been put upon by superstition and quaint religious rule. The problem is that there is no place for them to find peace. See more William L @RT77267842 Jan 21, 2021 Starting in familiar territory for early film with a simplistic romance of lovers forced apart by convention, Tabu gradually feeds in more complex themes, touching on colonization from the perspective of native inhabitants, traditionalism vs. progress, and the power of perception (the haunting nature of 'Tabu' whether enforced by tangible consequences or when its effects are only imagined). Perhaps most stunning for the period is the film's tragic ending, with little hint of even bittersweet tones, instead opting for complete failure on the part of the protagonists to succeed against the forces that would drive them apart. Beautifully shot on-location, the film may not have taken advantage of the sound technology that was by this point far more than a novelty, but it remains a stunning depiction of the Polynesian setting. It's not the greatest Murnau, but establishing any film as clearly superior among the director's limited and high-quality output (which includes Nosferatu and Sunrise) is quite difficult. (3.5/5) See more Mar 13, 2019 Murnau's last masterpiece. A romance of exploitation, tradition, and the defiance of such. See more Read all reviews

Tabu

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