Powaqqatsi

Completely wordless, Powaqqatsi derives its impact from the rhythm of the cutting. Glass' score was composed along with the editing, and is a powerful emotional experience that helps put the film in a category of its own. Chief cameraman Leonida Zourdoumis and Graham Berry deliberately emphasize the high-tech end of their profession. The preference is for telephoto lensing, soft focus and striking camera angles that make a boat seem to sink below the waves, or a boy and his horse appear to be frolicking in the middle of the ocean. High-speed photography further abstracts the images into a slow-motion dance, turning exotic subjects and locales into a world of shimmering chimeras that are as beautiful to look at as they are hard to grasp concretely. (Variety, 16.3.88)
Powaqqatsi can be described as a Third World rendition of much the same spiritual visuals and sensory sounds found in Koyaanisqatsi. But in contrast to the previous film, this one celebrates a global culture of labor and craftmanship, worship and creativity in contrast to the lethargy of today 's city dwellers. (R. Holloway in Hollywood Reporter, 15. 3. 88)