REVIEW: DVD Release: Baccano! - The Complete Collection

Series: Baccano! - The Complete Collection
Release date: 11th October 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 406 mins
Director: Takahiro Omori
Starring: Masaya Onosaka, Sayaka Aoki, Akemi Kanda, Atsushi Imaruoka, Chiwa Saito
Genre: Anime
Studio: Manga
Format: DVD
Country: Japan

Plotted over just one season, and consisting of sixteen short episodes, Baccano! is not only an ambitious adaptation due to the amount of source material - the graphic novel series boasts as many as fifteen issues and counting - but also due to the unconventional storytelling methods and a plethora of protagonists.

United States, the Prohibition era. Wracked by the robberies, shootouts, heists and assassinations that dictate the lifestyles of the unscrupulous, the crooked and the downright dangerous.

But while many lack moral fibres, no-one is without their story and, as their shady lives intertwine on the streets, in the bars and aboard the famous transcontinental train, The Flying Pussyfoot, the true extent of these vagabonds' histories - some spanning centuries - comes to suggest that there is more to their lives than death…


From the beginning, Baccano! (the word for 'row' or 'din' in Italian) acknowledges and makes a virtue of its staggered narrative and abundance of main characters. "Who is the hero of this story?" asks Carol, the first of many characters we are to meet in Baccano! and one of two that introduce the events which make up the bulk of the series as a mysterious, paranormal story that needs piecing together. This we are left to figure out for ourselves, as before too long the world that the pair discuss becomes the focus of the story, without Carol - or her boss, the vice-president of the local newspaper - to define it as perhaps a director less confident than Takahiro Omori (Halbane Renmei; Durarara) would have been inclined to attempt. The audience, here, is left to watch and trust as, particularly in the opening episode, they are subjected to a disjointed affair - based around a multitude of equally emphasised characters not at first clearly linked - that they have to simply watch and believe will acquire fluency.

It does not take long for things to start taking shape, with the context of each story strand allowed to develop by the second episode, during which the characters' paths begin to cross and more of the overall story - albeit somewhat superficially to begin with - becomes coherent. Not only does this choice of structure suit the overall context ("Who is the hero?") but it also proves to be a very gratifying and fun way to tell the story, even if a certain degree of patience and trust is required to allow the time that the puzzle needs to put itself together.

Once in its rhythm, this cross-genre portmanteau, which blends in its lavish thematic palette otherworldly mysticism, bright humour, convincing horror and shocking violence, rewards those that give it a chance with a pastiche so confident in its ability to justify its ambitious genre-splicing and narrative unconventionality that it seldom fails to convince. The expectations of the gangster genre with which this has obvious links are ingeniously subverted, with Baccano! involving a paranormal element that grants characters immortality, and throws a spanner in the dynamic of the violent setting, while making effective use of its diverse range of characters - all given a significant say in proceedings - to derive romance, mystery and, most surprisingly of all, a brand of impulsive but well-considered and witty comedy from the short, snappy episodes.

It could, perhaps, be argued that the economy and slickness of the storytelling coupled with the consistently intriguing premise renders Baccano! a little bit too edible, and many will find it fairly easy to get through an entire disc or two (each containing four episodes) in a single sitting. However, this is not something that is easy to hold against it, with the fleeting, fast pace of the series serving to add to the charms of this unique and gleefully fitful romp. Most of the time.

With action spread so thickly across such a broad collection of characters, it becomes almost impossible for Omori to keep tabs on the consistency of tone, and there are occasions when simmering tension is derailed by misplaced light-heartedness (usually in the form of chirpy but dim thieves, Isaac and Miriam, whose comic presence admittedly serves as a very welcome relief for the majority of the time), or when the propensity of Omori to detail the violence in great length distracts from the emotional draw or trivialises the intellectual or theoretical significance of a scene. The feeling that the characters need to acknowledge and justify at length their rationale and behaviour in such a short amount of time too often brings them to soliloquise, drawing out scenes that grow more tired than they do inspired.

The best example of this is in the character Ladd who spends far more time talking to himself about his own misfiring morality than justifying his screen time that could be better spent exploring the emotional and physical connotations inflicted on those bearing the immortality protecting them in this fast-paced portmanteau. He is, at times, a compelling character, but the disproportionate amount of screen time allotted for his self-referential nattering begins to irritate when - particularly in the parts onboard The Flying Pussyfoot - there remains so much mystery yet unsolved.

There are also slight issues with the voice acting when it comes to achieving the accents of the eras in which Baccano! is set, but, for the most part, the characters ring true, and some excellent chemistry between the actors brings great colour to proceedings. The same can be said for the soundtrack - reminiscent almost to that of Cowboy Bebop for which Omori worked in the animation department - which makes great use of jazz and blues in particular to strengthen Baccano!'s connection to its gangster genre roots that, through pioneering narrative endeavour, immense ambition in general and a colourful cast of characters, it more or less reinvents in territory it’s far from typically associated with.


Tremendous fun throughout, Baccano! is short but very sweet. Although perhaps inhibited by the sheer amount that it tries to shoehorn into its relatively modest running time, and requiring patience for the jumbled nature of the story to take shape, this adaptation does plenty to charm with its extraordinary take on a familiar genre and immense ambition to blend but also defy conventions expected of its vast range of thematic elements. DWS

INTERVIEW: Actor: Iko Uwais

Not many actors are lucky enough to land a lead role in their first ever feature film – but Iko’s success didn’t stop there, with the film, Merantau Warrior, going on to receive rave reviews from martial arts aficionados, with particular praise heaped on the leading man’s all-action display.
   With Iko and Merantau’s director Gareth Evans looking to build on their surprise, early success, we interrupted filming of their follow-up to talk to the man many have dubbed “the new Tony Jaa…”

How did you get into silat martial arts? Who/what are your influences?
Some of my relatives have been practicing silat throughout my childhood, one of which is my master at Silat Tiga Berantai. Being surrounded by people who knew silat, I became interested, so I joined his class, and have been a student of his ever since.

In what ways is silat different to perhaps more well-known disciplines of martial arts such as karate, aikido, or muay thai, for example?
Silat is unique because it has so many different styles, hundreds of different schools. Each school is different from each other. For example, I am from Silat Betawi Tiga Berantai, this silat uses both upper and lower punches and kicks equally as a way of being flexible during attack and defence moves. But there are a few other Silat Betawi that are different from our style, they may have more focus on upper body moves than lower body, or even if their moves are similar, the way they hold their position is different. Also, some silat schools are very closely linked to religious teachings, like, for example, my school of silat follows Islamic teaching, which adds moral spiritual lessons, not simply physical. There is an emphasis on silat not being something you use to fight someone with, but to find a solution in peace - silat is to defend not attack.

Is it true that you once played semi-professional football?
Yes, I've always had a love of football. I continue to play, but not in any professional way - just with friends.

Then you're used to pushing yourself physically?
Yes, that's true, but football alone couldn't have prepared me for the experience of making the film. What helped me the most was my experience in demonstrating silat.
   I've been lucky to have been selected to represent Indonesia alongside a team of silat experts in exhibitions and tournaments around the world. The exhibition side helped prepare me for the idea of choreography, which is very different from competitive fighting. We have to convince the audience of each move, but without dealing a dangerous hit to my fighting partner. With every movement being live, and without any break, it helped prepare me for the shooting of Merantau as Gareth wanted to film in long takes with a wide angle for the camera.

The physicality involved in Merantau Warrior must have been demanding, often involving sustained, uncut bouts of combat - did you ever find this to be much of a struggle?
Yes, it was definitely a challenge. So many of the long shots took a long time to get right, with a lot of takes. But I have learned so much from this, and find it a very precious experience that I hope I can build from and improve with each film.

While the movie has been recognised for its action and stunts, at the heart of the film exists a strong moral code, regarding growth and coming of age. Do you feel that is an accurate reflection of silat's ethos?
Yes definitely, like I have mentioned before, when you learn silat, you are taught not just about the physical moves, but also the responsibility about how you use this skill for a good cause. We are also taught discipline and how we should be as human beings to the people around us. The tradition of Merantau is a specific tradition for Silat Harimau from West Sumatra, and it is designed to test those teachings.

What appealed to you about making this film?
I was very excited when I heard about this project because it was the first silat movie after such a long absence from Indonesian cinema.
   I am very honoured that I got to be involved in this movie and help popularize silat to an Indonesian audience, and, hopefully, the world.

Did you learn a lot working with director Gareth Evans on Merantau Warrior?
Yes, I learned a lot working closely with Gareth. He taught me many things about movie making.
I was especially interested when we were working on Merantau as we designed the choreography together as a team. It helped me see how to transform interesting movements, and to be selective of techniques to fit the style of a scene. As an athlete, I used to think that all moves can be interesting, no matter what, but now I know that for the purposes of cinematography and editing to be more specific when it comes to choreography design, not just in the movements, but also the pace and drama of the fight.

What work do you have lined up with him for the future?
We are currently working on our second feature, which is titled ‘Berandal’.

Finally, what are your ambitions in the world of film? Do you see yourself trying to break into more mainstream movie making?
I am going to keep working hard to pursue my career in action movies, and one day would love to be able to work alongside internationally renowned action stars - the people who inspired me. DWS

REVIEW: DVD Release: Tokyo Gore School

Film: Tokyo Gore School
Release date: 16th August 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 109 mins
Director: Yohei Fukuda
Starring: Masato Hyûgaji, Takafumi Imai, Kenta Itogi, Shinwa Kataoka, Kôhei Kuroda
Genre: Action/Drama/Martial Arts/Mystery
Studio: Manga
Format: DVD
Country: Japan

With the name Tokyo Gore School, you'd be forgiven for thinking Yohei Fukuda's second feature film to be a gore-fest like the similarly-named Tokyo Gore Police. But, unlike that 2008 effort, this has something rather more topical at its core than rampaging, blood-thirsty mutants.

Handsome, popular, and with a cold streak essential for survival in the ruthless, bully-ridden school in which he is a student, Hayato Fujiwara is sure of academic success. Until, in tandem with the passing of a controversial educational act, his fellow students suddenly begin to behave aggressively towards him.

While on the run, Fujiwara gradually discovers that the source of the violence is a mysterious new cyber game, which blackmails students into preying on their contemporaries in order to keep their own reputations clean. And with a secret that could crush all of his ambitions, Fujiwara has no choice but to fight...


With a title suggestive more of Lloyd than Charlie Kaufman, you would not expect Tokyo Gore School to be an especially intellectually taxing affair, particularly when considering its obvious association with the 2008 shock exploitation movie, Tokyo Gore Police. However, the key themes do exist within the premise for the end result to be of substantial sociological significance: cyber-bulling, the necessity for status, youth in revolt, etc. It is a shame, then, that the film is not quite the sum of its parts, whether director Yohei Fukuda acknowledges that or not. Which is not to make the suggestion that Tokyo Gore School should be judged solely on its levels of intellect, simply that its early attempts to channel through its protagonist a stream of philosophical observations about society promise something more fulfilling and more comprehensible than the repetitive series of chase and fight scenes that seem to make up the bulk of the film's running time.

Online social networks play an important part in Tokyo Gore School, with the ‘game’ played by the students through their mobile phones, which, thanks to the game's creators, adopt radar capabilities, as well as (somehow) access to the fellow competitors' personal details. Most importantly of all, the mobiles have the ability to reveal the players' deepest and most embarrassing secrets, which they must protect from exposure by playing and winning the game. Despite the lack of explanation about just how such secrets are obtained, Fukuda's decision to use the threat of public humiliation as the motivation for the students' violent behaviour seems, at times, an inspired one, forging an amusing metaphor for the social anxieties suffered in school, and the exaggerated response of the students to the potential embarrassment. At the beginning of the film, Fujiwara says to a member of staff, when discussing a fellow students' humiliating experience: "To adults it might seem trivial, but to us it is everything" - effectively establishing the rational for the melodramatic madness to follow.

Comparisons between Tokyo Gore School and the 2000 film Battle Royale are inevitable and, in many cases, logical: both films are based around the idea of a nation so disillusioned by its youth that its government is forced into taking drastic action to bring them to order. They're also both interested in dealing with conflicts within the social hierarchy established in school and how that can is affected when license to engage physically with one another is granted. The crucial difference, however, is that Battle Royale is a film far more comfortable in its own skin than Fukuda's urban-based effort, which fails to emulate the same consistency of tone - Battle Royale retains a satirical joviality throughout the dreadful scenario, which delivers the film from po-faced literality - as well as the same basic effectiveness of storytelling, with Tokyo Gore School introducing the rules of the game in an awkward, staggered fashion rather than choosing to lay it all out at the beginning (something done to great effect in Kinji Fukasaku's cult hit).

In fact it seems that the rules of the games are made up along the way by Fukuda, whose main interest appears to be getting to the next fight, with even the verbal interactions pushing the limits of believability by so regularly devolving into violence not befitting a film which suggests regularly - with Fujiwara's thoughts on the philosophies of life and concerns about being "a winner" in society - its ambition to be a legitimate social commentary. But, while the novelty of it does wear thin, the action is at least honest about what it is trying to achieve, with the fights involving lengthy if not particularly elaborate demonstrations of free-running, as well as hand-to-hand combat choreographed effectively alongside a bleeping techno soundtrack sure to appeal to those with a penchant for adrenaline. It is not unreasonable, even, to suggest that the Tokyo portrayed in the film is not so much meant to be a stark world but rather more an appealing one for the younger generation on which it is based, with a complete absence of adults allowing for a freedom of the city to do battle unhindered.

There are a couple of decent showings to be found from the cast of unknowns and when the film does slow down enough to allow for some verbal interaction, the gritty camerawork and ruddy urban landscape lend weight to the rawness of the performances. J-Pop star Yusuke Yamada is competent enough to negotiate the more brooding scenes, and when it comes to the final, emotional crunch, he ventures from his comfort zone to adequate effect. But it is Masanori Mizuno, playing the Minister of Education's son, who is the most impressive, morphing his character from self-righteous protector to ranting coward in a performance rather beyond his years. Though this ultimately serves to make all the more disappointing the fact that the film does not get the most out of its assets, wasting the actors at its disposal as well as the interesting themes it chooses to touch upon but never thoroughly, convincingly engages.


While an effectively stylish and amusingly exaggerated view of schoolyard politics, Yohei Fukuda's Tokyo Gore School lacks the balance to make it either a relevant social commentary or convincing satire. And while the fight scenes at times thrill, they are repeatedly undermined by the feeling that, in a more stable context, the whole thing would have performed above the expectations set by its unofficial predecessor Tokyo Gore Police. DWS

REVIEW: DVD Release: Timecrimes

Film: Timecrimes
Release date: 4th May 2009
Certificate: 15
Running time: 88 mins
Director: Nacho Vigalondo
Starring: Karra Elejalde, Candela Fernández, Bárbara Goenaga, Nacho Vigalondo, Juan Inciarte
Genre: Sci-Fi/Mystery/Thriller
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD
Country: Spain

Shorts writer/director Nacho Vigalondo's Timecrimes tackles the theme of time travel in an ambitious debut feature that's part sci-fi, part horror and part noir.

While he and his wife move into their new country house, Hector notices a girl standing naked in the distance. He ventures to investigate but, after finding himself attacked by a man whose face is obscured by bandages, Hector is left running for his life.

Evading the man, Hector takes refuge in a mysterious silo where he is prompted to enter a machine which sends him backwards through time, and links him more intrinsically to the trouble he was try to escape...


The economy with which Vigalondo tells (and retells) his story of a man stuck in a seemingly never-ending time loop is such that it comes of little surprise that he is a writer/director well-versed in the plotting and execution of short films. Timecrimes is nothing if not concise, allowing for the story to zip along, greased by a careful but witty implementation of consistent key images deftly linking together each rehashing of the story, rather than lengthy expositional dialogue - something which, it could be argued, impedes its fellow small-budgeted, time travel-themed contemporary Primer.

Unlike Primer, Timecrimes never sets out to be a deep, theoretical exploration of the connotations of time interloping. But while it does not explore the implications of this quite so deeply in the scientific sense, the film is anything but dim-witted, and does an outstanding job of harnessing the theme of time travel to venture into the exploration of its effects on the protagonist's emotional - as opposed to intellectual - stability.

Vigalondo (also appearing in the film) handles Hector's journey(s) through time with a deliberate sensitivity towards the character's helplessly altering mindset - at first meek and a little too curious for his own good but, by the end, confident in his ability to control the future and those involved (or not) in it. The more detached from the immediate reality Hector allows himself to become, the more chillingly manipulative he grows, conducting his own path through the recreation of events, as well as those of the people he meets along the way, and eventually devolving into an ugly, brutish predator as he does all he can to return to his old life. Karra Elejalde portrays this transformation with a beleaguered fragility, allowing the journeys through time to bend Hector's mind and send askew the morality his initial attempts to help the stranded girl suggests he was once quite in touch with.

In Timecrimes, we are witness to a cinematic rarity: a film which, despite being based around a sole protagonist, is distinctly portmanteau in nature. Although the lead character is played by the same actor, there is no doubting that every time Hector emerges from the time machine in which he initially hides to avoid the bandaged man, he returns a different person, with a different motivation and involved in a very different take on the same story. Almost multiple short films in one, Vigalondo's ingenious application of fingerprints and signs from the future left for Hector's discovery not only serve to link together the stories but also nourish Hector's appreciation of the situation and that of the viewer, who is at all times kept in pace with the protagonist. Never are you allowed to be slack in your following of events, but neither are you granted a chance to foresee any more than Hector himself, who, with his desperate determination, and at times dizzyingly self-referential behaviour, keeps himself in the driving seat - something consistent throughout his multiple incarnations.

Multiple prophecies self-fulfilling, the series of events engineered by the man desperate to re-establish himself within his own life are on occasion bogglingly abstract, with Hector, at times, not completely knowing why he is performing a certain task, but trusting in the necessity of repeating it in the way exactly as it happened in the past in order to sustain his original reality's equilibrium. The logic is bizarre but never illogical within the realm of the movie, which maintains a straightforward complexity: Hector does what he does because it happened, and it happens because he did it. With this mentality, Vigalondo has on his hands a film which shows rather than tells, playful in its exploration of time travel but never straying from the rules of storytelling it sets itself - even as Hector has to break his own, leading to a tantalising climax. An ending made all the more breathtaking by the fact that the viewer has had the chance to develop for themselves a foresight in tune with that of Hector, whose transformation from mild-mannered husband to swollen-faced, almost indifferent puppet-master reaches a sickening conclusion.


A lovingly-crafted film, Timecrimes is not the most ambitious of time travel-themed movies, but within its formula exists a witty, devious romp, which succeeds in being more emotionally than intellectually involving. A delightfully satisfying debut showing from Vigalondo. DWS

REVIEW: DVD Release: The Storm Warriors

Film: The Storm Warriors
Release date: 12th July 2010
Certificate: 12
Running time: 105 mins
Director: Oxide Pang Chun & Danny Pang
Starring: Aaron Kwok, Ekin Cheng, Kenny Ho, Nicholas Tse, Charlene Choi, Simon Yam
Genre: Action/Fantasy
Studio: Cine Asia/Showbox
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
Country: Hong Kong

The Pang Brothers do not waste the grandeur associated with their landmark movie. The first Chinese-language film to utilise blue screen technology, The Storm Warriors pushes the limits of special effects, but at what cost?

Lord Godless, an evil Japanese warlord, is seeking to conquer China and has poisoned the martial artists that had tried to stand in his way. Cloud (Aaron Kwok), Wind (Ekin Cheng) and the legendary Nameless (Kenny Ho) manage to break free but, following a struggle with Godless, are injured and forced to seek Lord Wicked's help.

Lord Wicked reveals that in order to beat Godless and save China, the warriors must first allow the same evilness that corrupted Wicked into themselves, harnessing the strength it offers, even it if means putting their own lives at risk...


From the outset, the Pang Brothers' MO is clear: maximum flair and minimal story. In fact, their ambition to get cracking on the more sparkly, technically-impressive portions of The Storm Warriors is such that they make the bold decision to entirely encapsulate what should probably be the first two acts of the film within a short, obligatory disclaimer, allowing them to get right into the combat without having to worry about anything so trifling as character development or the enriching of the story.

After the brief summing up of the very straightforward plot, we are introduced to the heroes and villains, none of whom are treated to any sort of three-dimensional fleshing-out but whom exist as personifications of righteousness and pure evil (Lord Godless, later in the film, even refers to himself as “evil,” lending the whole affair a childish outlook). They all serve simply as the sparks for the Pang Brothers' fireworks show which, while ultimately not ever able to compensate for the overly simplistic opening we are expected to invest interest in, does serve up quite a feast for the eye.

Being the world's first Chinese-language film to be shot in blue screen, and being based upon a comic book which placed a lot of onus on combat, it is no surprise that so much of the film's stake rests in the performance of the visuals, and in that department it does not disappoint, with many of the fights - in particular the montage depicting Lord Godless' son, Heart and his army's ravaging of Chinese innocents - proving to be immensely stylish, gratifying spectacles. The Pang Brothers indulge consistently and convincingly in the finest details of the Earthly elements harnessed for attacks by Cloud and the heroes, cleverly manipulating the subtleties of the immediate terrain of China but, problematically, leaving the nation vague and unexplored as a whole in this rather shallow exhibition of martial arts and special effects.

The film, at times, becomes comically and actually rather irritatingly simplistic, with no rules ever outlined about who is able to do what and why or when exactly all of this is taking place, giving the whole affair a feel it would be kind to label abstract. The simplicity is such that it all feels rather juvenile, with the fights - though highly impressive in the visual sense - devoid of intellectual or emotional substantiation of any kind. Add to that the fact the basic motivations driving the characters - Godless just wants to be evil while Wind and Cloud want to stop him from destroying their country - and you have something resembling a very expensive schoolyard play-fight, with the battles escalating in scale without even a passing thought about anything to do with rules or limits. You could almost imagine Wind shouting as he prepares an attack: "I counter your super evil ice attack by doing an even more powerful super fire attack, which you can't avoid!"

The Pang Brothers laden the characters with a perennial angst which makes them an even less appealing emotional investment than their lack of dimensions had already rendered them, with the film's single-mindedness reverberating down into the characters who spend the majority of the duration treating the subsidiary, less powerful characters with a dismissive disdain, isolating them and, more crucially, the audience from involvement in the story. And by the time the lengthy final battle winds down, few questions have been answered about the motivations of the characters and even fewer about why the audience had been expected to suspend their disbelief for a third act 105 minutes long.


The Storm Warriors squeezes every last drop from the brand new technology made available to its makers for the first time, and does succeed as an exhibition of special effects which, though gloriously stylish in places, is emotionally and intellectually inconsequential as a whole. DWS

REVIEW: DVD Release: Battle Of Sutjeska

Film: Battle Of Sutjeska
Release date: 7th June 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 126 mins
Director: Stipe Delic
Starring: Richard Burton, Irene Papas, Ljuba Tadic
Genre: War/Drama
Studio: Arrow
Format: DVD
Country: Yugoslavia

One of the most expensive movies ever to emerge from Yugoslavia, The Battle Of Sutjeska sees Hollywood icon Richard Burton forget his British loyalties.

Bosnia, 1943. The occupying Axis force sets about eliminating the resistance put up by Marshall Tito (Richard Burton) and his National Liberation Army of Yugoslavia (or the Partisans), a group of soldiers and civilians haggard and worn down by years of combat with the invaders.

Despite unfavourable odds, the Partisans begin a bold offensive on the plains of Sutjeska in an attempt to break free from the oppressive Axis army closing in around them...


One of the select movies to fall within the category of 'partisan films' - a sub-genre popular in former Yugoslavia between the 1960s and ‘80s, mainly geared towards the portrayal of the country's military exploits against the Nazi invasion - The Battle Of Sutjeska less portrays and more boasts about the efforts of Partisan soldiers against the Axis army during the Second World War.

From the outset, director Stipe Delic makes very clear the distinction between Partisan and Nazi, depicting the former - their cause spearheaded by their steely leader Tito - as a collection of gutsy, morally-vigilant everymen, and disregarding any significant exploration of the latter - their mission championed by an incorrigible, cold-blooded German Major (Demeter Bitenc) - by simply painting them an anonymous, brutal mass, homing in with the intentions of eliminating from the world the final bastion of righteousness represented by the Partisans. The Allied forces aren't shown to be much better, with the only assistance sent in from the outside to help Tito and his men being a few British soldiers who only serve to remark upon the tremendous spirit of the Partisans, and outline the fact that they are very much dependent on only themselves for survival.

You need not reach the end of The Battle Of Sutjeska to come to terms with the fact that the film is seen through eyes very concerned with the enhancement of the Partisan's legacy, but that is not to say that it is a complete fabrication of events, nor that it is not an enjoyable film. In fact, the idealistic speculation aside, this is in places a rather powerful affair, with some legitimately poignant interactions between the weary comrades, whose discussions and banter – from banalities concerned with social conduct to impending battles - are consistently convincing. Also effective are the battle scenes themselves, with the allotted budget mostly spent on planes, explosions and seven-time Academy Award nominee Richard Burton.

Burton's Tito has everything required to be a realistic leader for the rough but lovable rag-tags under his guidance: stoic, resolute, but impossibly devoted to every one of his people - Tito is the ideal embodiment of the Partisans. A bitterness etched on his face that never seems willing to even try to hide the contempt for not only the impending German, Italian and Bulgarian troops, but also for the rest of the world that has so irresponsibly, and heartlessly left little Yugoslavia to fend for itself.

While the hammering home of the Partisan's lack of help is perhaps excessive, the film expresses very adeptly the hopelessness of the situation that they have found themselves in. The script is well-written, and makes frequent reference to the manner in which the Axis forces edge in closer, almost seeming to become part of their surroundings. "Where's the front?" asks a British soldier of Tito, to which the Marshall replies, "Wherever the Germans are - everywhere." The dialogue succeeds throughout in expressing the isolation endured by the Partisans, and the fact that they can only rely on themselves to survive but, at times, this mostly well-crafted diction falls foul to Delic's ambition to make victims of the Yugoslavians with, at one stage, the characters professing to being able more to trust themselves than a god they otherwise had faith in. While such spirit and belief are honourable, attractive traits in a protagonist, this, at times, borders occasionally on shameless self-righteousness, and makes enemies of all that are not Partisan.

Technically, the film is excellent. The shot composition is often stunning, with slow pull-outs regularly employed to express the vastness of the terrain, and the music is rousing throughout, lulling only during the more heartfelt scenes - doing so to great effect, aiding in the construction of some genuinely moving, memorable moments. Never is this indelibility more profound than during a late scene where a woman, shortly after hearing of a comrade's death, undergoes surgery for the amputation of an infected hand, and expresses deeply the hurt - both physical and emotional - from her multiple losses and those of her fellow Partisans which, until this point in the film, had been held in, muted by the brave-hearted souls.

There are times, however, when the overestimation of the protagonists works only to undermine the portrayal of their struggle. On more than one occasion, characters react to injuries as if bullet-proof, and retain full clarity of thought and coherence of speech despite gaping shrapnel wounds. It is this overestimation of the Partisan's feats and the underestimation of the importance of the Allied forces fights elsewhere that puts holes in the audience's sympathy for their struggle, and makes the suggestion that The Battle Of Sutjeska is simply an attempt to garner praise for the Partisans that, despite the heroism of their true, reported achievements, could not feasibly be warranted.


The Battle Of Sutjeska does a good job of playing up the efforts of the Yugoslavian Partisans when put under threat of extermination but within the film exist more than a few genuinely moving scenes, held together by a mostly sharp script. DWS

REVIEW: DVD Release: Switchblade Romance

Film: Switchblade Romance

Release date: 31st January 2005

Certificate: 18

Running time: 83 mins
Director: Alexandre Aja

Starring: Cécile De France, Maïwenn Le Besco, Phillippe Nahon

Genre: Horror

Studio: Optimum

Format: DVD

Country: France

Having already gained industry recognition as a short filmmaker, Alexandre Aja’s stock was truly raised with this acclaimed horror flick – which brought him fans including Wes Cravan, and a Hollywood career.

Two friends, Marie (Cécile De France) and Alex (Maïwenn Le Besco), escape to the country to spend time with the latter’s family in their homely farmhouse. Horror ensues when a lumbering, rancid man with a switchblade (Phillippe Nahon) forces his way into the house and begins to slaughter Alex’s family members.

Following the rampage, Alex is kidnapped and Marie sets out to rescue her friend, enduring a horrific journey along the way…


For 75 minutes, Switchblade Romance is solid horror fare; with a static-laden soundtrack, a faceless maniac - every bit as seedy and agricultural as Leatherface - and an eye for brutality that never flinches. You can tell that Aja is no stranger to the visceral horror films which invaded cinemas and households in the ‘70s and ‘80s, raising the pulses of those that dared to watch - not to mention those of critics eager to lambast the movies for their crude, and “dangerous” voyeuristic approach to violence. And voyeuristic Aja’s film is.

Following the initial invasion, Switchblade Romance is happy to put the audience in Marie’s shoes while she witnesses the pain dealt out with such unerring physicality by the unnamed brute. She is unable to do anything to help, instead opting for self-preservation as she avoids detection within the shadows of the compellingly atmospheric farmhouse.

It is at this point that the film - direct and distinct - is at its best. With Marie trying futilely to arrange help for Alex and her family – all being tortured and mutilated by the nameless killer – the tension reaches pitches of palpability. This is aided in no small part by a raw showing from de France, who drudges out of herself an impressively involved performance as Marie - her terror gradually evolves into vengeful lament as the killer kidnaps Alex (for whom it is earlier implied Marie harbours a strong romantic interest) and drives off.

The hunted becomes the hunter, as Marie throws herself into the task of redeeming her friend, and escaping the madman whose sordid past (more track record than history) is chillingly alluded to by the dirty little keepsakes and habitual indiscretions in which he indulges. And while this exposition is craftily implemented to give enough to incubate in the audience a deeper fear of the murderer, it never goes so far as to assign to the man’s personality anything other than a desire to harm throughout the majority of the film.

This is not to Switchblade Romance’s detriment. Plenty of good horror films neglect to detail any sort of rationale in their antagonists, and there is something to be said for that anonymity contributing to the killer’s fear factor.

What is detrimental to Switchblade Romance, however, is the fact that rather than settling for this simplicity, Aja resolves to blindside his audience - subverting expectations with a revelation that could be considered of decidedly bad taste should one start considering certain subtextual implications.

More than the clumsy – but likely innocuous - immorality of the big ‘reveal’ is the fact that what Aja attempts to use as a twist virtually disqualifies from credibility all that has come before it, calling into question these events ever could have realistically happened at all.

It is not inconceivable that the film’s half-baked conclusion could be borne from a blind ambition in the young director. A desire to top-off the sustained horror so proficient and effective throughout Switchblade Romance with a profound final fifteen minutes to leave the audiences conscious of the fact that they have seen something that transcends the predictability of other slasher/horror films.

However, what Aja seems unable to grasp is the fact that, in order for his shock-twist to function as an effective revelation, it should address something that, until that point, had perhaps not sat right in the film. It should act as a “Eureka!” moment, and provide for the audience an explanation or justification for any curiosities that the film had roused about either the characters or the story as a whole. A good twist fills holes in the audience’s understanding of a film. It is unfortunate, then, that Switchblade Romance’s seems only to create them.


Switchblade Romance, for the majority of its running time, is a horror film with a merciless edge. Unfortunate, then, that the director’s over-ambition disturbs the equilibrium. DWS