The Complex System in Babel Liliek Soelistyo, Dwi Setiawan English Department, Faculty of Letters, Petra Christian University Siwalankerto 121-131, Surabaya 60236, East Java, Indonesia e-mail: lsyuwono@peter.petra.ac.id; dewey@peter.petra.ac.id Abstract: This article discusses how the plot of Babel reflects the principles of the quantum-physic theory of complex system such as complexity, indeterminacy and non-linearity. In terms of complexity, the movie exposes more than two distinct subplots with their subcom- ponents. Yet, every subplot is only meaningful when it is mentally put in relation to the others. Due to its complexity, it is highly difficult for the audience and the characters of Babel to determine the meaning or the significance of a component in the story. Finally, Babel also displays the phenomena of non-linearity and chaos. Babel ’s non-linearity expresses both positive and negative feedback loops, with the first being dominant. This is largely responsible for the chaotic development of the plot. Key words : complex system, complexity, indeterminacy, nonlinearity (chaos) According to Chatman taxonomy, film, like drama, is listed both as a performed and a narrative genre (as cited in Manfred 2003). Film is realized in the framework of a presentation as well as a textual form (a script). Since it is assumed that film is a narrative form, plot is applicable to film, too. Text can have widely differing degrees of plot connectivity (Manfred, 2003). Some are tightly plotted or have ‘linear plots’ where everything ties in with everything else in orderly sequence. Others have mosaic plots, i.e., they are loosely plotted, episodic, accident driven and possibly avoid causal plotting altogether. Mosaic-plotted films are getting popular these days and are also known as ‘hyperlink cinema’. This term is coined by author Alissa Quart, who used the term in her review for the film journal Film Comment in 2005. Ebert (2005) describes hyperlink cinema as films where the characters or actions reside in separate stories, but a connection or influence between those separate stories is slowly revealed to the audience. It is illustrated in Don Roos’ Happy Ending (2005), Stephen 175