Sunday 27 October 2013

filmbore pick of the week - Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Screenplay: Ebru Ceylan, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Ercan Kesal
Starring: Yilmaz Erdogan, Murhammet Uzuner, Taner Birsel, Firat Tanis, Ahmet Mümtaz Taylan
Year: 2011
Language: Turkish
UK rental release date: July 2012

IMDb
LoveFilm
Rotten Tomatoes

I've not ventured into the cinematic output from Turkey on filmbore yet, so I I thought I'd dip into the co-winner of the Grand Prix award at Cannes 2011 (along with The Kid With A Bike, as reviewed here), Once Upon A Time In Anatolia.

We open on three men, drinking in merriment, their banterous chat muffled by the filthy windowpane we are espying them through. One man gets up, peering through the same pane of glass, spotting a hound outside of the building they occupy. This brief visit allows little time to understand the scene's relevance, as we fade out...

We're then introduced to a convoy of three vehicles carry a number of men, driving through the night, through Turkey's hillsides on the lookout for a dead body. Arrested suspect Kenan (Firat Tanis, After The Revoution) is helping the authorities. He sits, tired and uncomfortable in the back of the Polis car, travelling fro site to site, hoping to locate the missing body.

Naci (Yilmaz Erdogan, Vizontele, Rhino Season) the leading officer in the investigation but is growing increasingly impatient. But when it gets to him, he can turn to Arab Ali (Ahmet Mümtaz Taylan, The Butterfly's Dream), his driver for this journey, who he muses with while on the road.

Prosecutor Nusret (Taner Birsel, Our Grand Despair) isn't impressed. He thinks that they are all on a wild goose chase and needs this resolving as soon as possible, as he has to be back in Ankara the next morning. He is losing his faith in Naci's abilities as an investigative officer.

They are also joined by Doctor Cemal (Muhammet Uzuner, Küf), the medical expert required for when, and if, they locate the deceased. He's quiet and reflective, yet you're unsure whether this is his true nature or his manifested state thrust upon him through the aftermath of his recent divorce from his wife.

With a team of varied expertise, which also includes soldiers and diggers, they have all corners covered. And we follow our characters through the night, as they try their best to locate the hidden body of the victim.

But Kenan doesn't appear to want to free up information of the corpse's whereabouts. He and his fellow detainee Ramazan (Burhan Yildiz) were drinking that night and claim not to remember much...or are they just stalling?


Once Upon... is a beautiful looking picture. There are few films shot with the delicate focus and elegance that this film so confidently upholds. Even in the moodier looking shots look very crisp and it's one that you just have to rent or buy on Blu-Ray if you have the equipment.

A lot of this excellent depth and clarity comes through how it's lit. Lighting choices are very important in this film. Not only is there astonishing detail in the selection of manufactured light sources and the advantageous harvesting of natural luminescence, but what's fascinating is the decision to not use light in some places. trusting the shadows and the dimly light environments as much as the illuminated ones. This blend of opposing emanations at such minute arrays creates a rich texture across the whole picture, giving it a very exclusive feel; it's granted with an identity of its own.

More impressive are the lighting methods for the early scenes that are predominantly at night time, using car headlights to illuminate the surrounding countryside and our actors. A good proportion of the film is set during night time too, so you get to see different variations of this working.

Besides a brief prologue, and last act back in the town for our characters, the film is nearly entirely set in the vehicles and the hills. Stunning landscapes are strewn amongst the journey, widening the scope of this direct and intimate feature. It also feels incredibly natural and totally raw; there's no glamour at all.

The same can be said for the accompanying score, or lack of. There's a real absence of music through nearly the entire feature, including the end credits where, instead, we are dealt two juxtaposing sounds to accompany the scrolling text, conjuring some unusual imagery. 

These feelings are thinks to this film's ability to gradually become edgier as it progresses, even with its visible structure of two key acts covering night and then day. The story itself is, for the main, pretty straight forward, serving as a spine to the collective of great performances, stunning camera work and exquisite character interactions. 

It really concentrates on the dialogue and relationships between the ensemble of different characters, with the trivial practicalities of their plight unveiling their truer feelings to this scenario, making for some intriguing chemistry between our lead characters. Such focus exposes an underlying tale (that's far more compelling than the main plot) between Prosecutor Nusret and Doctor Cemal, surrounding a chat that's continually revisited throughout the picture. It's centred around a young woman who mysteriously died, and the more that the Nusret divulges, the more drawn to the occurrences Cemal becomes. This mechanism adds a further mystery to the key plot and evolves core tension into their relationship.

It's through these moments that you really notice the strength of the cast. There's a genuine sense to the performances, marrying perfectly to the realism on the piece. It has to be said though that amongst them all, Erdogan as Chief Naci and Tanis as Kenan truly hold the film together with solid execution of their roles, even in the most subtle of instances.

Such absolute performances help to fuel the film's authenticity. It feels as though this is how a real investigation of this nature would occur; there's not an ounce sensationalism or exaggeration in sight. This may also be due to the it being base on real facts and events, comprised into one story following the true life experiences of one of the film's co-writers, Ercan Kesal. How much this being directly true is uncertain, but whether honestly exposed for gravitas, or enhanced for cinematic potency, there is substance and circumstance to be noted in this story, while a revelation in the case discovers at the end of this story will make you reflect on events a little differently.


A police chief, a guard cop, a driver ,a doctor and a felon all sat in a car driving around the Turkish countryside sounds like an opening to a distasteful joke but believe me when I say that this is no cheap quip. I am yet to see any more of the Nuri Bilge Ceylan's films and now that I've seen Once Upon A Time In Anatolia, enjoying it immensely, I will be endeavouring to do so. Watch this space for more...



Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here. 

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

Monday 21 October 2013

filmbore wants you! Appreciating April 2013

filmbore wants you! April 2013

And so, we continue with the longest drawn out voting campaign of all time...filmbore wants you! where your selections from the site's first 52 reviews from June 2012 to May 2013 are in for a chance of the the top spot of a special Top 20, listing the best films of the bunch..

We're getting close to the finishing post now, so I'll try and do us all a favour and get it sorted at last!

Without further ado, let's get to appreciating April 2013...


More activity swarmed the site of the Easter period. Four reviews, one an Oscar winner, the rest commencing the first film season on filmbore. We also said farewell to one of the movie industry's greats. Plus, we had yet another Top Ten of a, of course, hybrid and wonky nature.

Horror. A popular genre to many, especially in recent years. Unfortunately, a lot of this is down to a considerable amount of remakes clogging up the movie machine. So, in true filmbore style, April saw the commencement of a horror review season, taking in indie and foreign scarefests! This also fed into a very special list, bringing in the spirit of Easter, looking at the Top 10 Scariest Rabbits on film. Don't cross these bunnies...they'll do you!

Sadly, however, one of the most renowned film critics of all time, and inspiration to me as a film reviewer, Roger Ebert finally passed away aged 70. He has polarised many with his honest and comical aspects on some of cinema's biggest milestones, and in this tribute I hope to spark some response, may it be critical or in laughter, to a man who also like to get the fires burning. He was also an avid blogger, showing the world how to truly use the Internet to amplify opinions. R.I.P. Roger...


Getting back to the films themselves, there was a real mix in April, even though three were settled within the horror genre. I hope you were all as moved as I was at the beautiful performances in Michael Haneke's Amour. Or perhaps you prefer a more art house, Lynchian approach, with the surprising genius foray into Foley with Berberian Sound Studio, kicking off the horror season. There are some, however, that like their scares paired with laughs, and Irish indie Grabbers does this with charm and gusto. Or if tensions and twists are more your scene, maybe you were awed by the frequently misunderstood hidden gem, Switchblade Romance.


You'll be scratching your head over these I'm sure, but if you don't speak up you'll never be heard. Should one, some or all of these films be considered in my ultimate Top 20 of the first year of filmbore? You must choose...so comment below

Sunday 20 October 2013

filmbore pick of the week - JSA: Joint Security Area

JSA: Joint Security Area

Director: Park Chan-Wook
Screenplay: Jeong Seong-San, Kim Hyun-Seok, Lee Mu-Yeong, Park Chan-Wook
Starring: Lee Yeong-Ae, Byung-Hun Lee, Song Kang-Ho, Ha-Kyun Shin, Tae-Woo Kim
Year: 2000
Languages: Korean/English
UK rental release: July 2002

IMDb
LoveFilm
Rotten Tomatoes

I'm definitely due a visit to one of my favourite go-to countries for world cinema: South Korea. Those who have followed my site for some time may remember my review for Park Chan-Wook's I'm A Cyborg, But That's Okay (see the review here) but I want to introduce you to one of his earlier pieces, of his pre-Stoker and Oldboy days. Overlooked in recent years, I implore you to watch JSA: Joint Security Area.

A section of the demilitarised zone splitting the Korean peninsula is our arena. Fear of North Korea's nuclear programme, as present then as it is today and episode involving border guards have illuminated this fact.

A Swiss and Swedish embassy style border control acts as a neutral zone for this affair. It is the home of the NNSC - the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission who are to handle this special case. South Korean soldier Sgt. Lee Soo-Hyeok (Byung-Hun Lee, I Saw The Devil, The Good, The Bad, The Weird) has been taken into military custody for taking uncalled action against soldiers on the other side of the border and he has already provided a confession stating to this fact.

Major Sophie Jean (Lee Yeong-Ae, Lady Vengeance, One Fine Spring Day), a half Swiss, half Korean officer of the NNSC has been brought in to stand as a neutral investigator. It's important that she represents an impartial view to the proceeding so that this incident doesn't spark war between the North and the South.

Lee Soo-Hyuk's colleagues paint him as an astounding soldier of superb ability. Nevertheless, for reasons unknown he had stepped over the border, leading to his kidnapping. In escaping he took out two of the North Korean soldiers and injuring another to make his getaway. Yet, this scenario seems a little too manufactured to Sophie, suspecting something else at play here.

Sophie visits the injured soldier to question his deposition on the incident, as it contradicts Lee Soo-Hyeok's account. Sgt. Oh Kyeong-Pil (Song Kang-Ho, The Host, Thirst) is just as silent on the matter, not wanting to expand on the events at all. His statement claims that Lee Soo-Hyuk attacked intentionally. This attack meant the death of Sgt. Oh's comrade Jeong Woo-Jin (Ha-Kyun Shin, Sympathy For Mr.Vengeance), a young soldier still settling within the polemic effervescence in existence post-civil war.

The depositions just don't match up. Interviews with Soo-Hyuk's colleague Nam Sung-Shik (Tae-Woo Kim, Woman Is The Future Of Man) doesn't shed any further light either, instead leading to a shocking act that envelops the investigation into even further into it's near impenetrable conundrum.

What really happened that night at the DMZ? Is the truth shielded in some sort of conspiracy? Or is it just the secrets of companionship that drive the soldier's silence?


At a relatively moderate $3 million budget, Park Chan-Wook was really onto a winner with JSA: Joint Security Area. It may not hold the vibe of the alternative and bizarre that most of his canon exudes, but it was crafted prior to his "Vengeance Trilogy", where his definitive style and watermark are more obviously in attendance. Nevertheless, this didn't stop this feature becoming, at the time, the highest grossing movie in Korean film history

A key to this success is down to a great script, complied by a team of Park's companions, including himself. Based on the novel DMZ by Park Sang-Yeon it's a touching tale that holds some surprises.

Surprises that are paired with some real drama, handled with absolute acting dexterity by our leads. Lee Yeong-Ae is great as Major Sophie Jean, but it's our four key leads on both sides of the border's bridge that really hold this film together. Each one of them is as equally fantastic as the other, allowing you to see past their respective region's history; opening a pathway to their souls.

And is we understand each persona throughout this story, the tension is slowly simmered, clouded by the natural connection between all four protagonists. When we see the final moments, while the facts unfold, it's not that revelatory. You'll know what to expect. Instead, you'll be awed and swarmed with emotions, wowed by the each actor's performance. It's not the truth of the situation that's of relevance here but the reality of their feelings and cultures.

From a mutual connection uncovered from an unusual event we see the beginning of an unusual kinship across borders. What develops between these men are some beautiful friendships, despite the looming war and polarised politics dressed against the backdrop of their opposing nations...in complete of the division between capitalism and communism. 

It also demonstrates strengths and the lengths one would stretch to for friendship. Sacrificing your own life or deceiving your country are insignificant next to the importance of brotherhood. Instinctual responses to this fact brings to light interesting interconnections between the soldiers. The more experienced guards have an understanding of each other, a pure respect, while the two younger men seem more intrinsically connected, their youth appealing to each others humorous side.

There's a lot at play when seeing the characters interact, more figuratively when seeing them interact with the thin strip that represents the border between these two nations, in both comedic gestures and cinematic moments. In fact, it's wonderfully shot and filmed with such consummate spirit. Frequent use of handheld camerawork gives a unique, intimate feel - not exactly relevant when considering the nature of this story but grants the picture with an individual presence. It's a true gem, with an essence of art house about it.

At certain, poignant moments you can see Park Chan-Wook's present early in his career. Those more familiar with his cinematic output these days will recognise certain motifs still present in his more recent work (e.g. a particular shot of an octagonal building dissolving into the mirrored image of an umbrella harks also reminiscently to that "hair" shot everyone speaks of in Stoker).

What is clear from this particular outing however, is that it does take a while to get going. Through flashbacks to the events through the reports and interviews the pace at the early stages is gradual. Then you realise what this picture is truly about. 

The mystery behind the incident isn't as relevant in this film as the relationships that evolve between our characters. The core central act to the piece is filled with the growing friendships that the soldiers endure and nurture, delivering an altogether different story to the one you may be expecting.

It may start averagely, but it gets increasingly better as we get to understand these individuals, and by the end you'll be so absorbed by this bittersweet tale you'll forget the slightly shaky start. I hope you'll be as moved as I was.


What's appealing about JSA: Joint Security Area as that it doesn't take sides; a brave move that works. There's no right or wrong here, represented by the NNCS as a symbolic entry for our own witnessing of these events. This invitation into such unknown territory affirms more personal essence that can be snatched away with the salute of a comrade, or the drawing of a gun. Humanity should win overall but the presence of war, unfortunately, doesn't allow it to.

Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here. 

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

Friday 18 October 2013

Is this the end of filmbore Friday pick of the week?

filmbore Friday no more...





...welcome to Super Cinema Sunday!


Hi everyone,

Just a little note to you all about a change in my weekly articles. For my most devoted of readers, you will have noticed a change in day for the usual Friday pick of the week due to injuries and other plans.

In fact, since these two weekends I have received more activity on Saturdays and Sundays than on Fridays. Plus, I have two more weeks of busy Fridays coming up, making it very difficult in getting the article finished.

In truth, I also want to be able to improve the quality of my reviews and one way to progress is with time spent instead of hurried. Post work on a Friday evening, I am scrabbling around to try and write and complete an article (with a nicely formatted template and photos, might I add) in two to three hours, rushing to get my post published. It can be a little tense, and the quality of my writing has suffered at times.

Therefore, it makes sense to move the pick-of-the-week from Fridays to Sundays, giving me more time to fine tune and perfect the review, improving the overall output of the site. Also, with Sunday drawing to a close, this will give you something to read at the end of the weekend...something to cheer you up before returning to the weekly grind!

If any of you have any feedback on this change, good or bad, please comment below, post on the filmbore facebook page here or tweet me @filmbore. 

Thanks to everybody who has supported and followed filmbore so far, whether you were there from the start, found the site recently, or just check in from time to time. I want to ensure that I provide you all with quality film reviews each week, and this change in the routine should help with that.

And don't forget to comment! :)

Charlie filmbore Pitt

Sunday 13 October 2013

filmbore pick of the week - A Prophet

A Prophet

Director: Jacques Audiard
Screenplay: Thomas Bidegain, Jacques Audiard, Abdel Raouf Dafri, Nicolas Peufaillit
Starring: Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel Bencherif, Reda Kateb, Hichem Yacoubi
Languages: French, Arabic, Corsican
Year: 2009
UK rental release: June 2010

IMDb
LoveFilm
Rotten Tomatoes

With a slight link to last week's pick, Days Of Glory, here's a story of a French-Algerian teenager, disregards by mutual inhabitants due to a difference in race. Except this time it's not from the cold isolation of war, but from the chilling loneliness of prison, in the Oscar nominated A Prophet.

Nineteen year old Malik (Tahar Rahim, Le Passé, Grand Central) has just been imprisoned for six years for a minor crime. Only young, he is scared of the pending years in front of him in this alien world. His first days in jail are hard, as they always are for new inmates. He's pushed around by those more established than him, stealing his belongings and giving him beatings. He's totally alone.

Leader of the prison's Corsican mob, César (Niels Arestrup, The Beat That My Heart Skipped, The Diving Bell And The Butterfly) has a mission. A new inmate, Reyeb (Hichem Yacoubi), staying with the Muslim section of the prison, is a witness and a target for César to eliminate. But he needs to get close and needs Malik's connection with this sector to get to him.

Malik's work on the Reyeb situation brings him into César's inner circle, at the behest of the Corsicans. He was illiterate when he entered the prison but as the years go by, acting as an aide to César and his crew, he educates himself as much as he can, even secretly learning Corsican to understand his peers derisive comments to his presence.

Ryad (Adel Bencherif, Point Blank, Sleepless Night) helps Malik with his schooling. The pair grow close, but the friendship will not last Malik's sentence. Due to a cancerous illness, Ryad is able to leave the jail to get better, yet stays in touch with his friend on the inside.
 
A reshuffle of the cultural groupings in prison by Nicolas Sarkozy spells trouble for César's supremacy. He will not be leaving, and with many of his subjects being relocated he has little support left. Malik is his only true ally; a hidden associate to César's slipping reign. Now as César's undercover eyes and ears, Malik is the backdoor to every corner and conversation of the prison.

As the trust between the two men evolves, Malik is entrusted even further into the Corsican world. He is given missions by César to handle on the outside, thanks to his "good behaviour" granting him leave days. During this time, Malik meets Jordi (Reda Kateb, Zero Dark Thirty, Three Worlds), a jail drug runner. Teaming up will be more profitable to the both of them. And, with Ryad on the outside, they intend to up their game and run bigger jobs...to build their own empire.
 

Oscar nominated in 2010 for Best Foreign Language film, A Prophet was a favourite next to Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon, but just missed the gong to the surprise winner from Argentina, The Secret In Their Eyes (which is also superb.... read my review here). In another year, against easier competitors, it may have taken the prize, yet it's difficult to ignore such slick cinematic presence that this feature carries with it.

Direct and rich film styles make an inviting picture, especially as the majority of it is set in such confined locations. It feels immediate, with excellent pace through it's confident editing style and the odd surprise. Some of these shock moments form in the guise of some breathtaking, if seldom, action sequences. The violence, as sporadic as it is, is incredibly visceral. If you're of the squeamish type, there'll be a few "hands-over-eyes" moments. Yet, the execution of the effects, creating genuine looking frenzied scenes grounds the film even further.

Some of this earthiness is thanks to the screenplay. It's a brilliantly written story with great word play in three languages no doubt! The rise of Malik within this tale is an intriguing one, with a blend of both luck and drive taking him a rung higher on the scale to criminal success each time.

Nearly every shot in the movie involves Tahar Rahim. He's sensational as the lead, commanding the entire movie as Malik, displaying his initial naivety to outright dominance. Rahim really owns this film. His effortless demeanour, swaying between loyalty and devious schemes, could have been executed in an exaggerated, even comic-like fashion, to many others who could have attempted to portray such a deep individual. Instead, we are blessed with the genius casting of Rahim. After watching A Prophet, you'll find it hard to see anyone else playing this role. Smooth, calm and self-deprecating, as subtle as the performance is, it's a difficult persona to capture.
  
There's a good mix of other characters at play here too, even down to some of the mob members. All play their parts with sincerity and grit, gluing the already authentic vibe with a sense of truism and substance.

Amidst all of these men, we cannot ignore Niels Arestrup either. Always a reliant actor, he is renowned for breathing a raw existence into any role, and that is as true in the form of César as any other. Simmering through most of the picture, his unpredictable outbursts are chilling. He is a cold, terrifying presence on camera, and ideal for this beguiling character. 

This portrayal of an ageing man of ardent power, who garners respect from all those around, serves to infuse this intense story of Malik; of a boy drawn uncontrollably into an overwhelming world, transforming into the man who deems to command it. Even in his first moments in jail, you sense a astuteness that surrounds him; he bears the air of a wiser man. Younger than most of his peers, he would seem envelops by them, yet instead his cautious but observing manner benefits him in the long run.

Interestingly, Malik belongs to no troupe. He is of Arabic descent, but doesn't truly know his parents. He speaks French and Arabic fluently, yet isn't tied to a religion. He is a loner, and doesn't really side with a crowd. Even when he is recruited by the Corsicans, he is never truly one of them. Incredibly, it's this "outsider" quality that gives him his strength; an opportunity to monitor, to absorb, to learn the tricks of the trade. He is a shadow to all other inmates, and his ability to blend in and understand all cultures is what feeds his growing dominance.

It's this stealthy composure and keen eye on trends that illustrates the prophecies in A Prophet. Malik doesn't see the future, but he does notice the present before anyone else. Another element of his foresight manifests itself in the form of his musings with Reyeb throughout the picture. They're spiritual touchstones emanating in touching moments where Reyeb's guidance may perceive the tiniest of actions, poetically demonstrating Malik's observational aptitude. There are other incidents, for example a key moment involving a deer, that question which of these two factions (either his keen eye on the now or an oracle in Reyeb) leads to his innate ability to foresee the next step to take. 

Whichever you perceive as his source of foretelling, these subtle portents weave their way into an already strongly produced picture carried by delicious performances and a compelling story of a man's path through crime and deceit.


It has drawn many parallels to Scarface, in its identifying the meteoric rise of a small time felon to the criminal mastermind he grows into, except where the De Palma's enjoyable character study of Tony Montana exudes style and panache, A Prophet takes it's power from its incredible rawness and firm footing in reality, generating an altogether different beast. One of integrity, honour, credibility and, prophetically, some stimulating risks. 


Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here. 

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

Friday 11 October 2013

On "paws" again...but for other reasons!

Be patient...beer patient!

This weekend is the Nottingham Beer Festival, which is my equivalent of Glastonbury Festival for ales and ciders. I will be leaving for this prestigious event shortly.


http://4photos.net/photosv2/_funny_drinking_picture_1278804385.jpg

This does mean, of course, that there will be another delay to the pick of the week in this round, so I apologise in advance of your diligent patience. The usual weekly review will rear its head tomorrow.

Normality will be resumed. I promise...

Saturday 5 October 2013

filmbore pick of the week - Days Of Glory

Days Of Glory (Indigènes)

Director: Rachid Bouchareb
Screenplay: Rachid Bouchareb, Olivier Lorelle
Starring: Jamel Debbouze, Sami Bouajila, Samy Naceri, Roschdy Zem, Bernard Blancan, Assaad Bouab
Languages: French, Arabic
Year: 2006
UK rental release: August 2007

IMDb
LoveFilm
Rotten Tomatoes

Apologies for the delay this week. So here we are for another fine selection for your weekly viewing. This time around we're delving into French Algerian cinema with the sincere and affecting Days Of Glory.

Algeria 1943. The Nazi forces have laid waste across Europe and beyond. Nations must unite to repel Hitler's forces, including the bravery of Muslims of Algeria and Morocco, who helped liberate France during World War II.

Saïd (Jamel Debbouze, Angel-A, Amelie), a goat herder from a remote Algerian village, wants to follow the mass of neighbouring men signing up to the Free French forces, even at the stern warnings of his mother. He is an emotional but magnanimous man, and feels he should manifestation his consideration to mankind through his volunteering for the front line of this despicable war.

Respectful, if tumultuous, Yassir (Samy Naceri, Taxi, The Nest) has also signed up into the 7th Berber Men regiment, yet his reasons have a different drive. He's in it for the money, not for greed's sake though but to have enough finances to marry off his brother Larbi (Assaad Bouab, Outside The Law, Kandisha). Yet, this doesn't stop them pilfering from fallen enemies post-battle.

Italy 1944, and Corporal Abdelkader (Sami Bouajila, Beautiful Lies, London River) has just passed his exams to earn his rank. He has been assigned his first platoon, of which Saïd is a member. They are given their first mission, to flush out some Nazi soldiers from a mountain range with very little men. It'll be a long haul up the hill but they must drive though.

The successful capture of the mountain leads them to Provence and the rest of France. Joining them also is Messaoud (Roschdy Zem, Live And Become, 36), an expert marksmen and expressive romantic, who craves a life in his new motherland of France. Meeting the love of his life in Marseilles drives him even further, with his claim that he will return to the city once the war is over to be reunites with the woman of his dreams.

They all serve under Sergeant Roger Martinez (Bernard Blancan, Leaving, Skin Of Man, Heart Of Beast) of French Algeria. Sharp and direct, he intends to shape the squad and doesn't hold back in his desire to do so. Most of his attention is on his Corporal, Abdelkader, with both men challenging each other at every corner. But Martinez is more on their side than they sometimes realise.

Even though they are fighting with their adopted French brothers, there is still a hierarchical undertone to the relationship, with the North African volunteers being treated as underlings to the French soldier's higher status. Each of our soldier's drive to be in this war may be different, but they will all experience the same disdain from their French brethren.

Not only must they fight to assist France's hope for freedom from the Nazi regime, but they must battle discrimination from the country in which they are trying to save. 


There isn't much in the way of battles and action in Days Of Glory, which is unusual for a war film, but it is what makes this picture so special. What we are here to experience is the effect of the presence of war and oppression on those who have opted to fight for a nearby country, while feeling in complete isolation from the inhabitants of this victimised nation.

Even with little action it is brilliantly paced. As we move from location to location, each is introduced with a black and white bird's eye view of the landscape, while confirming the year. It's a simple but effective way of segmenting the movie, subtly marking each act and allowing to absorb each element succinctly.

With a plethora of filming techniques on offer, some top quality editing from start to finish, all glued together by stellar performances, you enter the journey all the way from Saïd's goat farm in Algeria to it's breathtaking finale. And when there is some action this film doesn't disappoint. Effects are dynamic and real, with no reliance on CG to generate the experience. Everything happens in front of the lens, all on location, and this adds the relevant grit and gravitas this tale truly deserves.

There's a burning intensity throughout the entire movie, whether in the brief moments before a key battle scene, or the ominous waiting for terror and death that looms over the soldiers daily. It's very well felt, and tastefully portrayed making this a moving story, if only ever so gently at parts. This balance of emotion and tension is important, as it allows the exposure of the heart of this film, which comes in the form of the relationships built and strained between the key characters.

The cast is exceptional. All actors stand tall within their corner of the story, each feeding off each others natural delivery. It's their connection and sparring with each other where they get to really shine, which is prominent mainly in the two key relationships with Bernard Blancan's leading Sergeant Martinez, with Debbouze's Saïd becoming his aide and with Bouajila's Corporal Abdelkader's steadfast opposition to some of his views. With Saïd's character you see a softer, fatherly position, but with Abdelkader there is a misunderstood respect from the Sergeant, which gives this film that extra layer of depth and decency amidst the despair of war.

Seeing these personal skirmishes evolve and display so eloquently on our screen, the core theme is put on show. Equality is the crux of the whole movie, where the need to be treated as equivalents, especially when sacrificing themselves to another nation's cause, is so apparent to those undervalued.

Sometimes through wars, even ones the size of WWII, many heroes are forgotten. But it's when entire nations being swept aside that you truly see the impact of the holocaust. The Algerians and Moroccans that assisted to free France are prime examples of such exceptional men that laid down their lives in order to do what is right for humanity. Admittedly, this is what all men did but it's only when you understand how they were regarded, or lack of, that you comprehend how brilliant they truly were.


It's beautiful to see how driven a man can be for a country that is not even his, but has become a nation close to his heart. Amidst all of the oppressive behaviour and neglect to these volunteers, their adoration for France and their resolve in war are beyond comprehension. Such boldness and honour deserves remembrance and admiration. Days Of Glory manages to encompass these facts and remind us of such brilliant men while still managing to delve deep into your own soul and absorb us at the same time. 


Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here. 

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk