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A War Reviews
A thinking person's war movie, this drama digs into the cost of war on a personal level.
Now I know that the only Danish word I understand without subtitles is the F-bomb.
It was a pretty powerful drama about tough decisions in the line of fire. The family aspect and the war aspect were combined beautifully and I didn't lose interest the whole time.
This is a much more reflective war story than many I've seen. It moves between the battlefield in Afghanistan and the family at home every so often to reinforce the human dimension and pressures that serving in a war brings. And when Claus returns home, those pressures increase and intensity. But at the centre of this story is the ethical dilemma faced by Claus. And the movie has the courage to allow the dilemma to be a "messy", grey one and the viewer is challenged to consider what the "right" answer would be for them. The acting is very good and realistic. The pace is slow but remains engaging and the directing is mostly good. I did feel that it was a bit clunky at times and the intensity could have been ramped up a bit but I guess that the understated nature of the story was to make it more realistic and keep us focused on the issues rather than distracting us with the typical high level action of a war film. Worth watching for the way in which it makes the viewer think about the realities of war and how easy it would be to make mistakes under pressure — if they are really mistakes. The ethical and moral dilemmas could, however, been explored in greater depth.
A THOUGHT-PROVOKING AND BEAUTIFULLY ACTED DEPICTION OF THE TENSION BETWEEN THE LAWLESSNESS OF WAR AND THE LEGAL DUTIES IMPOSED ON INDIVIDUAL SOLDIERS. A FASCINATING AND MOVING FILM.
"A War" take its time to build up, and to be honest the journey is not as good as the message the movie wants to deliver in its second part. It is refreshing to watch a war drama where explosions are not the main character, it's just a shame it wasn't shaped better.
Seems to echo off as an updated retelling of Stanley Kubrick's "Paths of Glory" structure-wise from a typically-handled close-range war film transitioned into a courtroom drama, but more both unclear and morally personal with an added subplot to enforce reason being blended into the difficult perspective of a soldier's decision-making stance on the violent frontlines. Simply put, it was overall very well done in the standardized tense minimal atmosphere and the shifting performances between the film's two halves. (B+) (Full review TBD)
Lindholm made 'A Hijacking' which I enjoyed and wrote 'The Hunt' which was one of my favourite recent films so it's no surprise that this is another strong entry into recent Danish cinema. The first half works well, the scenes in Afghanistan seem familiar but it is the contrast with Maria and her children's lives left back home which is the interesting part. The second half focuses on the aftermath of a civilian shooting during the conflict and although tied up a little neatly still feels believable and interesting. A film that will have you captivated throughout.
Jeez, this is a bit of a heavy film to watch. It's not exciting, packed with action and Hollywood effects -- it does away with all of that in favour of a much more grounded and realistic story that captures the emotional and psychological toll of war, on both the soldiers and their families at home, not only when things go right (or as right as they can go in a war), but when things go horribly wrong, too. It tackles morality, responsibility and being held accountable for your actions, regardless of intentions or circumstances, presenting it all in a way that leaves us with no nice, neat answers to the tough questions it poses. It does all this better than most other war films out there, and with a certain rawness and intensity to it that doesn't fail to affect. Don't expect to come out this one feeling good.
A little too long and slow but a great story and solidly done, the warzone scenes look especially good.
Masterfully involves us in the moral morass of battlefield decisions that are held to account by international legal standards dreamed up by well-meaning liberals in airtight rooms which absurdly attempt to regulate barbarism.
Puntaje Original: 6.5 Krigen aparenta ser una película inteligente, pero desvaría al momento de fijar su trama bélica o judicial. Pero vale la pena remarcar la notable actuación de Pilou Asbæk.
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War is Hell. It only really gets going when he returns to Denmark. The Afghanistan scenes drag out way too long but the courtroom drama is intense.
Absolutely underrated; a quiet yet instense war movie beyond the battlefield. However it may be too rightist for Hollywood to win the Oscar.
another life during wartime movie
Tobias Lindholm's newest film, the guy behind "R" and "Kapringen" two of my latest Danish favorites. With him on board is the great actor Pilou Asbæk and the cute Tuva Novotny, Asbæk has featured both mentioned films togheter with three other pretty good Danish films I've seen the last couple of years. Tuva impresses as a fluent speaker of Danish as well, adding to her additional fluent Swedish and Norwegian language. Anyhow, we follow a Danish base in Afghanistan. Claus is the commander and seem like a great chief and person. Maria is at home with three kids, trying to cope with the everyday life. Fighting, shooting, murder. People in need and people capable of helping. One contact with the enemy results in big post-happenings and the Danish family is facing a hard future as Claus enters court. Never boring, many interesting views of the true life of war and soliders. Very realistic, slightly provocative, still complex enough to make it stay out of the almost documentary like groove. Few loose threads here and yet another solid film from the still young director. 8 out of 10 kites.