REVIEW: DVD Release: The Past Is A Foreign Land

Film: The Past Is A Foreign Land
Release date: 4th October 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 127 mins
Director: Daniele Vicari
Starring: Elio Germano, Michele Riondino, Chiara Caselli, Valentina Lodovini, Marco Baliani
Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller
Studio: Vita
Format: DVD
Country: Italy

Although still in the fledgling era of his directorial career, Daniele Vicari takes on a challenging narrative in the form of the classic good-guy-meets-bad-crowd in The Past Is A Foreign Land. Despite a not so original premise, Vicari endeavours to explore the dishonesty of the subterranean gaming world, and the moral abandonment of the players involved.

Set in the southern Italian city of Bari, the film follows the story of Giorgio (played by the compelling Elio Germano), a straight-up law student from a well-off family who support his ambitions to the full, forever throwing money at him, whether he requests it or not. With girlfriend in tow, Giorgio appears readymade for greatness.

Giorgio’s life takes a turn when he meets Francesco (Michele Riondino) at a party. Francesco lives a charmed life as a swindling card-sharp, having learnt various twists and tricks to assist in conning fellow poker players out of vast amounts of cash. “We challenge fate and we beat it,” is Francesco’s retort of rationality when Giorgio becomes aware of his dark intentions.

Like clockwork, and perhaps as expected, a downward spiral is just around the corner, as Giorgio’s priorities switch from the pursuit of academic success to chasing the quick buck. Loved ones fall by the wayside as the new version of Giorgio begins to take hold, but the extent of the havoc Francesco wreaks stretches far deeper than dodgy card games and flash cars, towards an astonishing and disturbing drug-fuelled climax…


Rather commendably, Vicari employs only characters that are paramount in telling the story. From Giorgio’s mother, and her disappointed parent routine, to the tempestuous nature of his indignant father, through Francesco’s multiple-personality disorder, and ultimately, the psychological breakdown of Giorgio - every character; every look; every conversation has a purpose. Nor does Vicari waste any time with unnecessary scenes or dialogue, refusing to pay any homage to Bari as a setting, instead diving unapologetically into the narrative from the first minute to the very last.

Elio Germano and Michele Riondino deserve much credit for bringing the script to life. The two anti-heroes bond like long-lost brothers, with conversations regarding morality of particular focus throughout. As Francesco slowly manipulates Giorgio’s previously honest demeanour into something far more menacing, and, more importantly, into someone he can use for his own financial benefit.

The methods utilised to con fellow poker players at the table, coupled with the constant danger of someone discovering what they are up to, raise the level of intrigue, and make the opening hour of the film slightly more compelling than the second. However, one minor complaint is Vicari’s reluctance to really focus on the card games. Too often Giorgio and Francesco come away from games with several thousand Euros, but we have witnessed only one key hand, and in too many cases we only hear the characters talking about the cards or the winning hand, rather than being shown.

The second half of the film, whilst devoting itself entirely to the psychological and moral breakdown of the two leads, is more than watchable, but it is clear that we are not supposed to be comfortable with what we see. Whereas earlier in the film, Giorgio’s conscience would often pipe up at any sign of trouble, Francesco is able to stretch the boundaries of morality much further, while Giorgio remains worryingly quiet. As Vicari takes the film to the point of no return, it becomes clear that fans will be won and lost in the final shocking twenty minutes.


Atmospherically, Vicari has constructed something impeccably eerie, particularly in the latter stages, as he toils with the darkest aspects of the human psyche. Although it is arguable that The Past Is A Foreign Land ends up in a slightly far-fetched place, the two leads succeed in maintaining our interest in their final fates. MC

REVIEW: DVD Release: Shogun Assassin

Film: Shogun Assassin
Release date: 29th November 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 85 mins
Director: Robert Houston
Starring: Tomisaburo Wakayama, Kayo Matsuo, Minoru Oki, Akiji Kobayashi, Shin Kishida
Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama
Studio: Eureka!
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
Country: Japan/USA

After the long running success of the Lone Wolf and Cub manga series, Shogun Assassin marks the cinematic opening chapter of this tale of a samurai warrior and his infant son taking bloody revenge against an evil Shogun. Daddy Day Care this is not.

The old Shogun becomes paranoid about being overthrown by his soldiers, so orders assassins to kill Ogami Itto; one of his best samurai warriors.

Whilst Ogami - and his young son, Deigoro - manages to survive the attack, his wife is killed. Brutally striking down the rest of the assassins who come after him; Ogami vows revenge on the Shogun and sets off on the road to destroy his enemy, bringing little Deigoro with him in a wooden baby cart.

Ogami and Deigoro wander the land, the samurai taking assassination jobs for money along the way, whilst constantly fighting off the Shogun’s ninja...


Whilst a film of this genre trades heavily on its gore and violent content – the film was previously banned – the violence is rather run of the mill. Yes there is blood, guts and people’s limbs flying here and there but it’s all really been done before in Japanese thrillers similar to this – and, crucially, better than this.

Thankfully, the film just about saves itself by having more depth to it than just than being another hack and slash revenge thriller. Instead, the story focuses heavily on the themes of revenge, damnation and the bond between parent and child. Maternity and paternity are some of the strongest themes running throughout this film, and it is from the latter that Ogami gains much of his power. The task of protecting Deigoro creates a focused demeanour for the protagonist, and also a sense of loose purpose, besides seeking revenge on the Shogun. However, maternal instincts are strongly portrayed. A fine example is shown as a master female ninja relinquishes her attack on the duo when Deigoro’s life is placed in danger. Despite facing death for failing to kill Ogami and Deigoro, she cannot bring herself to end the young boy’s life.

Kenji Misumi, the director, also does well to make some of the scenes sublimely atmospheric. This is achieved from interesting directorial tricks, such as framing characters against spectacular background visuals or using close up shots of the characters’ eyes to create insightful gazes into the minds of the key players. Misumi also uses the scenery and the mise-en- scène to create extra emphasis, such as displaying shots of cut bamboo lacerated by Ogami’s sword as he kills one of the shogun’s soldiers.

Whilst the cinematography is well realised, the narrative path suffers from a lack of direction. The story, at times, feels aimless, and seems to have no point to it aside from documenting the torture and betrayal felt by Ogami and his son, as well to show as how they are struggling to survive on a daily basis. Whilst this is interesting, it is not as exciting as the hype surrounding the film would suggest. Additionally, a few sub plots are added on, but ultimately the film doesn’t feel like it’s going anywhere until it is long past the midway point. It is possible the pointlessness of the plot symbolises Ogami’s own sense of pointlessness in life, after having his world torn apart. Unfortunately, if true, this doesn’t make for good entertainment.

Some moments do compensate for the brooding gaps in Shogun Assassin’s plot but these, by contrast, are incredibly silly and absurd. Luckily, these don’t detract from the enjoyment of the more serious scenes - Deigoro operating booby traps from his cart, ejecting knives into the enemies attacking him, or when ninja assassins start firing bladed parsnips at Ogami.


Whilst Shogun Assassin is no epic yarn, it is mightily enjoyable. The premise is refreshingly different to other samurai films in that Deigoro actually assists his father, despite his very young age. This film manages to strike a good balance between humour and drama, whilst keeping the action compelling enough to follow. Also the idea that Deigoro and his father are actually damned by their outlaw status adds a sense of tragedy to the proceedings. DJ

REVIEW: DVD Release: Leaving

Film: Leaving
Release date: 29th November 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 85 mins
Director: Catherine Corsini
Starring: Kristin Scott Thomas, Sergi López, Yvan Attal, Bernard Blancan, Aladin Reibel
Genre: Drama/Romance
Studio: Metrodome
Format: DVD
Country: France

Leaving’s subject matter of an affair between a disaffected, middle aged, middle class housewife and a younger, working class man sounds an over familiar tale, but there is an unexpected sting.

The apparent perfection of Suzanne’s life is superficial. Her elegant appearance, marriage to an affluent doctor and stylish home provide a tastefully minimalist mask for the emotional emptiness of her existence. Like many a fictional heroine before her, her identity is subsumed in her role as housewife and mother.

When workmen are brought in to construct a studio where Suzanne will pursue her new career as a physiotherapist, she grows close to one of the workmen, Ivan, and embarks on an affair with him. So far, so unremarkable, but the film takes a far darker path than the romantic escapism that might be the expected consequence of its premise.

When Suzanne leaves her family for her lover, her husband reacts violently, and uses his contacts and influence to cut off the couple from any means of earning a living. Driven to near starvation, Suzanne grows increasingly desperate, determined to stay with her lover at any cost. Familial relationships disintegrate and the norms of behaviour are disregarded, culminating in a dramatic denouement…


The film’s apparently romantic theme is belied by a pervasive austerity, in its dialogue, cinematography and its clear-eyed, unsentimental characterisation. The dialogue is fairly unremarkable, and there’s a banal ugliness to some of the scenes that seems deliberate – the tinny sound of a van door closing, or the shabby surroundings of Ivan’s flat. When scenes occur within a beautiful setting, these standout all the more, and they are all associated with Suzanne’s feelings for Ivan – contemplating escape together among the thickly wooded, majestic hills of Languedoc-Roussillon, or watching Ivan’s daughter playing in the sea as sunshine bounces off the waves.

The house of Suzanne’s white coat clad husband is bathed in a blue and northern light, which appears uncomfortably wintry and sterile in contrast to the warm sunshine associated with Suzanne’s lover. The initial scenes of the film, setting up the context of Suzanne’s family life, are interspersed with a blank black screen, and these moments seem to last fractionally too long, creating an uncomfortable sense of the silence and emptiness within the family. As Suzanne’s affection for Ivan grows, these blank interludes appear to diminish.

The role of Suzanne was created for Kristin Scott Thomas, and this gives some indication of the intentions of director Catherine Corsini. In the hands of a lesser actress, the film could have descended into the realms of TV drama, but Scott Thomas is one of those actors who can create a performance that is more than the sum of its parts, and Corsini obviously had this in mind when creating the role. Scott Thomas conveys typical French poise at the film’s beginning, so her transformation from chic to shabby is all the more shocking. Her portrayal of Suzanne’s blossoming affection for Ivan is warm and naturalistic, and she convincingly conveys the indignity that sexual obsession can bring about, a desperation and growing irrationalism which provokes our sympathy, as Suzanne’s behaviour plays havoc with the insincere politeness’s of bourgeois family life.

Scott Thomas’ compelling performance means that Corsini doesn’t have to use the sentiment of poetic dialogue or overblown cinematography to give the story its magnetism, with the result that the film’s depiction of the realities of marital infidelity is more realistic and disturbing than you would expect at its outset. Sergi Lopez, as Ivan, and Yvan Attal, as Suzanne’s husband Samuel, both provide excellent supporting performances. We’re denied the satisfaction of making black-and-white judgements on these characters as they are, unsettlingly, too subtly shaded for that. Ivan seems patient and affectionate, but we learn little of his past – Suzanne discovers that he has been in prison, but not why. Samuel’s reaction to Suzanne’s declaration that she is leaving him is frighteningly violent, and his continued persecution of her and her lover displays a vindictiveness that leaves no room for compassion. But this viciousness is tempered by earlier scenes in which Samuel shows a tender concern for Suzanne, and the humiliation of his situation makes his behaviour understandable, if still unpalatable at best.

There’s a pared down fatalism to the film which has echoes of classical tragedy, which looked with a similarly dispassionate eye at the loves and losses of the human soul. But despite – or because of – the film’s austere heart, and despite the fine performances of its cast, there’s something lacking in Leaving. When Suzanne’s actions become so desperate that in them you can see the seed of her self-destruction, it becomes increasingly hard to sympathise with her. Without that strong engagement with her character, and in the absence of any compensatory strength in Ivan or warmth in Samuel, you begin to feel distanced from the film. It ultimately substitutes subtlety for the grander gestures of sacrifice.


Leaving’s unexpectedly nasty edge renders its depiction of sexual obsession, marital infidelity and disintegrating family life compelling and disturbing in equal measure. Scott Thomas’ strong performance lends a truthfulness and warmth to the film, but the violently irrational development of her character fails to convince. A fine film rather than a great one. KR

SPECIAL FEATURE: Cinema Review: Broken Sun

Film: Broken Sun
Release date: 19th November 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 92 mins
Director: Brad Haynes
Starring: Shingo Usami, Sam O'Dell, Kentaro Hara, Kuni Hashimoto, Mark Redpath
Genre: Drama/War
Studio: Metrodome
Format: Cinema
Country: Australia

This is an English-language release.

Centring on parallel stories of two survivors of war from opposing sides of the conflict, the chance encounter at the heart of Broken Sun forces its protagonists to acknowledge the profound connection they share as a result of their experiences of war.

Broken Sun’s multiple narrative shifts between its present day setting of New South Wales, Australia, in 1944, and the recollections of war which haunt its two main characters.

Jack is an Australian veteran of the Great War, living in isolation on his farm and plagued by guilt and regret. In a nearby prison camp, Japanese prisoners of war plot their escape. Their leader, Amamoto Shingo, declares death to be more honourable for a Japanese soldier than existence in captivity. Those who doubt the wisdom of his actions are too fearful to stand against him. Amongst them is Tanaka Masaru, a young soldier whose war injuries make him vulnerable.

Following escape from the camp, Masaru’s path crosses that of Jack, and both men come to realise that their experience of war forms a more profound understanding between them than any connection they might have with their own countrymen…


The film constantly switches between the narratives of past and present. Jack has nightmarish recollections of the trenches of the Somme, scenes characterised by a cold blue light and mist drifting across the desolation of no man’s land. His recurring visions of a bloodied soldier berating Jack for his past crimes suggest a dark and guilty secret, which is eventually revealed. By contrast, Masaru remembers sun soaked battles in the jungles of the Pacific, where he endured an inner conflict between his instincts of self-preservation and compassion, and the suicidal code of honour imposed on him by his commanding officer. The way the film jumps between these different narrative threads is potentially distracting, and, in fact, the lack of any revelation resulting from Masaru’s story makes the film’s structure somewhat unsatisfactory, although it does flesh out his character and the contrasting values held by the belligerent Amamoto Shingo.

The film has an oddly pared down quality, which is partly the result of its noticeably low budget and partly down to the spare nature of the script. The escape of the Japanese POWs forming the central action of the film was a historical event, in which some 330 soldiers fought their way out of a prison camp in New South Wales, the majority then taking their own lives rather than submitting to the shame of recapture. The film’s WWI scenes are set at Pozières, the site of the bloodiest battle fought by the Anzacs on the western front. Despite these references to factual events, there is a curious lack of historical detail. The setting of Masaru’s war is merely described as the South West Pacific, so this becomes more representative of a moral and ethical battle, rather than a physical one.

The paucity of detail seems to be a deliberate feature to minimise distraction from the film’s theme of the nature of war and its consequences upon the individual. The intense scenario of the two ex-soldiers confronting each other feels closer to a situation artificially engineered in a play than to the more naturalistic tendencies of film. The trenches scenes were clearly shot on a purpose built set, reinforcing this sense of a wider world condensed to the impressionistic intensity of a stage. This isn’t necessarily a criticism, although Broken Sun swims against the tide of fashion in taking this approach. It feels closer in tone to a literary morality tale such as Of Mice And Men than to the Hollywood sized pyrotechnics of Saving Private Ryan.

Shingo Usami gives a touching performance as Masaru, his limping shuffle conveying childlike vulnerability, and his open mouthed horror at death and destruction reflecting the truth and freshness of a child’s reactions to the horrors of the world. Jai Koutrae is convincingly embittered and tortured as Jack, although he is too young to be believable as a war veteran of thirty years’ standing, raising the question why this character was written as a veteran of the First rather than the Second World War.

The answer seems to be that the filmmakers wanted to show the relentless suffering, year upon year, which this character endures as a consequence of his experiences. He says that “this war keeps me burning, makes me angry. It’s the only thing I have to keep me alive.” His internalised suffering reflects the experiences of thousands of veterans who could not speak of the horrors that they had witnessed to an uncomprehending civilian populace. The unremitting mental torture which Jack undergoes seems to him a just price for the actions which he took during the war, actions which were the inescapable consequence of the inhumane choices he faced. The character of Masaru is, by contrast, a figure of hope, someone who values compassion and humanity, and who would rather choose survival than self-destruction - even at the cost of seeming ignoble.

The film’s Australian setting is a fitting location for the bleakness of its theme, with a harsh sun beating down upon a bone bare, yellow and brown bleached landscape. The best shots are quietly contemplative, as when Masaru, still a prisoner, gazes out of the window at abstract cloud formations, his face lit up by the sun while the rest of him remains huddled in darkness. The still nature of the film and its sparse dialogue create a meditative feel, giving the viewer time and space to reflect on its subject matter. In this, the film’s intentions seem to fall closer to The Thin Red Line than to the war films of Spielberg or Oliver Stone, but the feeling that Broken Sun lacks real substance means that it comes nowhere near matching the success of The Thin Red Line in creating an immersive and claustrophobic impression of the reality of war. Though well intentioned, there is not enough depth to the characterisation to give a convincing sense of understanding the experiences of Jack and Masaru, and how they have been affected by those experiences.


Finely acted, with a standout performance from Shingo Usami, Broken Sun is thoughtfully executed with some memorably touching shots, but it fails to reach deep enough into the hearts of its characters to achieve a satisfactorily powerful meditation on the nature of war and those who endure it. KR

REVIEW: DVD Release: Angel-A

Film: Angel-A
Release date: 29th January 2007
Certificate: 15
Running time: 87 mins
Director: Luc Besson
Starring: Jamel Debbouze, Rie Rasmussen, Gilbert Melki, Serge Riaboukine, Akim Chir
Genre: Comedy/Crime/Fantasy/Romance
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD
Country: France

With its release in 2005, this became the first film in six years to be written and directed by Luc Besson. The French auteur’s name alone brings overwhelming expectation, but with an all new leading lady and Paris framed in enticing black-and-white, how has this exciting prospect faired as an addition to an already prestigious CV?

For petty criminal Andre, a fresh start is the only answer to his problems. His return to Paris is supposed to allow for him to leave his life of crime behind, but instead it intensifies his already desperate situation. Old debts catch up with him in the shape of underworld mob boss Franck and he is given an ultimatum: “You've got 'til tonight, midnight. After then it's tomorrow, and tomorrow you'll be dead.” With no allies to turn to or places to run, Andre is helpless to save his own life.

He turns to suicide and heads to throw himself off a Parisian bridge. However, he finds the beautiful Angela at the side of the bridge also entertaining ideas of suicide - his attempts to stop her only lead to them both jumping. Sat at the side of the river with the girl in his hands, he is amazed as she regains consciousness.

Angela vows to help Andre in his mission as thanks for him saving her life. The mystery of Angela grows, as she is able to produce the money that Andre so desperately needs - she does so by seemingly prostituting herself to an impossible bar load of men. This amazes and confuses Andre in equal measure, as he questions Angela’s motives and seemingly divine capabilities. He has been given a second chance to realise the potential within him, and to pursue the most unlikely of romances...


Prior to the release of Angel-A, Besson had by no means been hiding in the shadows. The man who asserted himself with classics such as Le Femme Nikita brought his distinguishable style and penchant for explosive action to Hollywood with Leon and The Fifth Element. These films created a buzz around his talent, but since their success he has failed to reach such great heights - he had been producing left, right and centre and scribed relative hits such as The Transporter and District 13, but fans have been left wanting another stand out Besson-esque picture. Sadly Angel-A is not it.

That is not to condemn it entirely, as it does have a lot of plus points. It provides a lot of visceral satisfaction with an ever appealing Parisian backdrop that features vibrant streets, genteel night-spots and landmarks, such as The Eiffel Tower and La’ Seine, featured in the shoot. The cinematography is stunning and shot in cinemascope black-and-white, which serves to paint a more stimulating picture of the ‘illuminated city’ than many have achieved onscreen. Besson is a Francophile, and this translates with the cinematic return to his beloved city.

The visceral qualities do not end with the setting, as Besson casts Danish actress Rie Rasmusen as Angela. The director’s love for beautiful leading ladies is something evident in a lot of his films and the physical resemblances between Rasmussen and Besson favourite Milla Jovovich is particularly perceptible. The character traits of Angela also seem a little familiar, as she kicks ass with a childlike indifference seen in The Fifth Element’s Leeloo. Unfortunately, the action is not as fulfilling - her super human powers grow wearier as opposed to slick and amusing. Her performance is not a standout, and the character is a much less appealing and forgettable Besson creation.

The mismatched romance between the two leads plays well on the likeability of Jamel Debbouzze. He carries all the comic timing and awkwardness into this role that had made him so memorable in hits such as Amelie. Andre is perhaps a character type, a fast talking, luck-riding loser whom for most of the film we struggle to see any redeeming features. Debbouzze, however, has the talent to make this work, and although the script doesn’t fully allow us to completely empathise with him, he has the capacity to make us laugh - and make us feel his pain (a scene in which he stares teary eyed into the mirror is the most memorable of the film). The drive of the film is his transformation, and that is the most affable premise here.


This is by no means a non-event but it is not the return to form we had hoped for Luc Besson. Although it lacks the original genius of many of his earlier successes, it does have a lot about it worthy of your attention. Paris has never looked so good and in Jamel Debbouze he has found a real acting talent. We can only hope the next big Besson hit isn’t too far away. LW

REVIEW: DVD Release: Pirates Of Langkasuka

Film: Pirates Of Langkasuka
Release date: 8th November 2010
Certificate: 12
Running time: 114 mins
Director: Nonzee Nimibutr
Starring: Dan Chupong, Ananda Everingham, Jakrit Panichpatikam, Jesdaporn Pholdee, Anna Ris
Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy/History
Studio: E1
Format: DVD
Country: Thailand

Originally released in 2008, Puen Yai Jom Salad has been translated into a variety of titles for the international market - from The Legend Of The Tsunami Warrior to the Queens Of Langkasuka, and coming to UK screens as Pirates Of Langkasuka. That each of these alternate titles focuses on a different aspect of the movie hints at just how much Thai director Nonzee Nimibutr has going on within his big budget blockbuster.

In the year 1600 A.D., Queen Hijau of Langkasuka faces coordinated assassination attempts from the villainous Prince Rawai and the pirates’ ringleader Black Raven. Forced to forge reluctant alliances with the Chinese and the Dutch, the queen also marries off one of her younger sisters, Princess Ungu, to the Malay Prince of Pahang.

The Dutch send a powerful cannon to assist the queen, but the ship is hijacked by the pirates, and in the ensuing struggle, the ship is blown up. The cannon sinks into the abyss of the ocean, thereafter made unreachable by the impenetrable depths and a guard of jellyfish.

Recovering the cannon becomes a source of mounting obsession for both sides, as does tracking down Lim Kium, the canon-maker’s apprentice, who is rumoured to have survived the disaster.

Against this background, Prince Rawai recruits Black Ray, the hermit with powers of black magic able to rescue the cannon; and Queen Hijau solicits the help from two men: martial arts master Jarang, and Pari, who is the hermit’s prodigy student, as well as an orphan with a personal vendetta against Black Raven.

As a huge armada of pirate ships, bolstered by recruits from Japan and Java, bears down on Langkasuka, the scene is set for a climactic battle destined to go down in legend…


Given its UK title, expectations are immediately set low in anticipation of an Asian answer to Pirates Of The Caribbean with added martial arts. Depressing enough that Hollywood is set for a fourth instalment of a franchise originally based on a theme park ride without Asia getting in on the action, the most you might be expecting from this Thai movie is at least the eternally pointless Orlando Bloom won’t be making an appearance. It comes as a pleasant surprise, then, that Pirates Of Langkasuka often proves a highly entertaining and inventive movie, even if it does falter on occasions under the weight of its own ambition.

In every sense of the word, this is a blockbuster. In Nonzee Nimibutr, it has a director who has shaped the landscape of modern Thai cinema in the late-90s; screenwriter Win Lyovari, one of Thailand’s most renowned novelists; and an all-star cast that includes a return to the big screen of Jarunee Suksawat after a decade’s absence, as well as stars from Ong-Bak and Shutter. In addition, every penny of its gargantuan budget appears on screen in lavish costumes, ornate set decoration and grandiose visual effects.

Some of it may have been based on actual historical events, but if you’re after an accurate recreation of life in 17th century Malay, Pirates Of Langkasuka isn’t that film. After an opening ten minutes in which a man soars through the sky in a self-made flying machine and a group of assassins demonstrate a Matrix-like ability to defy the laws of physics, it becomes clear this is very much from the 300 school of historical accuracy. Far less cynical than the revisionism of a Pearl Harbour, or much of the propagandistic historical films currently coming out of China, it’s an unashamedly fantastical movie. That being the case, it’s okay if Dan Chupong leaps in the air and flies around a bit during fight scenes which mix swordsmanship with Muay Thai to thrilling effect, just as it’s no big deal that you’re unlikely to find any mention of ninja pirates in the history books.

Pirates Of Langkasuka was originally intended as a two-part tale, but commercial considerations forced Nimibutr to condense it into one 114-minute movie. This does show. The film is overloaded with two many subplots, often overcrowding the film and the viewer’s memory of people and events. As a result, scenes such as Pari returning to his village to find the entire population, including his new wife, brutally massacred, are dealt with too briefly to hold the impact they should.

The condensed plot also takes a toll on the performances, as each of the all-star cast receives too short of a screen time to develop their characters, or fully demonstrate their talents. They come with some big reputations but there’s little on screen here to justify it. The much-heralded return of Jarunee Suksawat is a disappointment, as the veteran actress coasts through the film, and the performances of Winai Kraibutr (Nang Nak) and Dan Chupong (Ong-Bak, Dynamite Warrior) are equally underwhelming. Ananda Everingham, in particular, a huge star in Thailand, with a reputation as a fine versatile actor, often appears as little more than eye-candy for the girls, complete with a scene where he emerges Daniel Craig-like from the sea clad only in a skimpy loincloth. The only truly memorable performance comes from Jakkrit Phanichphatikram as the cannon-maker’s apprentice, Lium Kiam.

All these shortcomings are more or less forgotten, though, come the film’s literally explosive climax, a spectacular clash between the pirates and some impressively large cannons. Nimibutr, aware there’s only so much mileage to be had from the spectacle of a cannon repeatedly shelling ships, throws into the mix dive-bombing hang-gliders, Du Lum sorcerers and one very angry CGI whale. And if you’ve been waiting all your life for the chance to watch a man battle an armada of pirate ships while riding a giant manta-ray, Pirates Of Langkasuka just might be your DVD release of the year.


Fans of Asian cinema, enticed by the impressive credentials on show, may find that Pirates Of Langkasuka promises more than it actually delivers. For everyone else, Nimibutr’s movie is a mildly diverting and enjoyable enough piece of popcorn fodder. GJK

REVIEW: DVD Release: Tell No One

Film: Tell No One
Release date: 15th October 2007
Certificate: 15
Running time: 126 mins
Director: Guillaume Canet
Starring: Marie-Josee Croze, Nathalie Baye, Andre Dussollier, Jean Rochefort, Kristin Scott Thomas
Genre: Crime/Drama/Mystery/Thriller
Studio: Revolver
Format: DVD
Country: France

A sensation in its native France, Tell No One went on to capture a lot of attention around the continent. Based on the novel by American writer Harlan Cobern, this really is the rarest thing: a French film of American origin. Guillaume Canet directs and scribes a mystery that promises enough twists and turns to leave you dizzy. Nothing is what it seems.

Lifelong sweethearts Alexandre and Margot Beck take a midnight skinny dip at their favourite childhood lake. Sat in the moon light on a duck in the middle of the lake, they begin to squabble, and Margot swims back to land alone. Still in the lake, Alexandre hears Margot’s screams in the distance, and desperately swims back to her rescue. However, back on land, Margot is nowhere to be seen, and Alexandre is knocked unconscious.

The narrative picks up eight years later, with Alex still coming to terms with the murder of his wife. Himself a former suspect in the case, he works as a paediatrician haunted by his loss at the hands of a serial killer. He goes through the motions of his tender life until he begins to receive cryptic e-mails that suggest Margot is very much alive.

Alexandre goes in search of the truth - he is determined to expose an ominous cover-up, and desperate to once again see the face of his beloved Margot. Along the way, he encounters new allies, possible infidelities, and one of the most gripping chase scenes in modern cinema. He is wanted by police and criminals alike, but he will do whatever it takes...


The American feel of this movie goes deeper than just its source material, and young director Guillaume Canet’s Hollywood influences are clear. French audiences clearly found this reverse globalisation refreshing as the film swept the Cesar awards in 2006; however, Tell No One holds both the good and the bad of Hollywood.

The good comes in the shape of leading man Francoise Cluzet. The similarities with Dustin Hoffman do not stop with his striking physical resemblance. Cluzet plays the part of Alex with a determination and devotion that will have you feeling his pain and fighting in his corner. He is emotionally blank when we see him eight years after the loss of his wife, but still conscientious as a doctor - thoughtful and shyly humorous. His likeability makes his emotional fragility all the more heartfelt – at any moment ready to burst into tears or fly off in rage. Canet really does run him ragged, and not just emotionally - Hoffman similarities are seen as Alexandre jumps out of windows and sprints across busy highways, recalling the likes of Marathon Man.

French film fans expecting a talky melodrama will be surprised by the action-packed nature and frenetic pace, which Canet directs with assuring confidence. The non-stop action, constant flow of incident and new possibilities do come at an exhausting rate. This is truly a thrill ride from start to finish, and installs a desperation not just in its protagonist but its audience, too - you will be forgiven for feeling like you may have missed something. As frustrating as this can be, it is hard is give up on the drive of the story.

Alex’s quest is valiant and worthy of your attention, but he does meet a fair few stale points on his journey. Despite a beautifully French-speaking part for English star Kristen Scott Thomas, and not a wooden performance in sight, we encounter a lot of standard American character types along the way. In particular, Alexandre’s unlikely alliance with gangster Bruno conjures images of a role for a rapper like 50 Cent or X-Zibet when the American remake comes about, plus there is an all too familiar mix of maverick cops and hard talking lawyers.

It is a shame, also, that the mystery of the story is explained at the end through one character’s confession. With all the red herrings and plot holes it leaves untouched, you could be left wanting a more natural uncovering of the truth. This, however, is saved both by our relief at finally being able to put to bed a head spinning mystery.

The joy of this film stems from a representation of adult love that is consistently believable and worthy of a fight. The onscreen chemistry of Alexandre and Margot shows a love and wanting that is truly incessant - Marie-Josée Croze’s angelic face holds all the pain of a shattered life. Even a soundtrack including Jeff Buckley and U2 sets a longing that elsewhere could be too sugar sweet and obvious.


This thriller provides both viscerally and emotionally. On the surface: bundles of action and adventure in chic Paris, below: a moving love story. Guillaume Canet shows why he is so highly regarded in his home country with his portrayal of lost love, betrayal and human triumph. Americanised misgivings do not stop this being a definite one to watch. LW

REVIEW: DVD Release: The Pacific Battleship Yamato

Film: The Pacific Battleship Yamato
Release date: 27th September 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 143 mins
Director: Junya Sato
Starring: Takashi Sorimachi, Shidô Nakamura, Yû Aoi, Jun'ichi Haruta, Ryô Hashidume
Genre: Action/Drama/History/War
Studio: Metrodome
Format: DVD
Country: Japan

Based on a book by Jun Henmi, The Pacific Battleship Yamato tells the story of the famous Japanese battleship, the largest ship ever built for war, and its last voyage.

The story revolves around the young cadets during WWII, and their training leading up to the sinking of the Yamato. The story is framed by the sailor Uchida’s adopted daughter’s story.

After his death, curious to understand her father’s experiences, she asks Kamio, a fellow sailor, to take her to the Yamato’s resting place. Reluctantly, Kamio agrees and the rest of the film is told in flashback, recounting the story of the crew of the WWII battleship, concentrating on the ship's demise during Operation Ten-Go…


In the early scenes, we get a sense of the power and grandeur of the Yamato as the new cadets get an introduction to naval discipline and routine, which establishes the setting well for the audience, before the film focuses on the dramatic battle sequences, which are spectacularly staged and realistically bloody. Limbs are blown off left, right and centre, showing the harsh truth of war.

The human side of the story, however, is told rather heavy-handedly. The film suffers from overacting from many of its cast. Many of the naval officers’ parts seem to consist of squinting angrily and shouting - with little emotion. Whilst they were no doubt disciplined, a little more of a human side would have created greater audience empathy. It doesn’t help that there are virtually no female characters apart from Kamio’s young cousin, and Uchida’s lover, who appears briefly. This is very much a story of male camaraderie, wartime heroism and sacrifice.

In fairness, the actors playing the young Uchida and Kamio are convincing, and bring a much needed humanity to the story. Uchida escapes hospital in order to fulfil his duties aboard the ship and fight alongside his comrades, and is portrayed as something of a rebel and a thinker, which makes for a good contrast with the other characters.

Some viewers may have a problem with the dialogue, which is rather stilted, but this effectively conveys the discipline and uniformity of the Japanese navy, and it is refreshing to see the events of WWII told from a non-US perspective - although there is an equal amount of patriotism and machismo as found in most war films.

The action is almost entirely set aboard the Yamato, and sometimes this can make the film a little repetitive, especially since many of the scenes involve cadets following orders and doing drills. The first half of the film is particularly stilted; it is like watching a series of military training videos. The action picks up in the second half, however, and the film becomes more exciting as the Yamato prepares for the battle at Okinawa.

The scene of the night before the big battle is an emotional one; we see the cadets getting drunk, sharing a final meal and staring silently out to sea. Both they and the audience know what is to come, and this builds the tension effectively. The action accelerates towards the end; the final battle, which is a lengthy (it takes up most of the second half of the film) and visually spectacular one, and some of the final scenes are very touching, as we witness the deaths of some principle characters and the tragic consequences of this for family and comrades left behind. In these scenes, we certainly get a sense of the cost of war, and the lasting impact that remains for those that survived.


The Pacific Battleship Yamato is a film which depicts the realities of war. It is essentially an extremely long battle scene, which is striking as well as being brutal. The film falters and meanders a little when it comes to the human elements of the story but the finale will certainly hold the attention of the audience as the Yamato is attacked from all sides, and mass destruction and death ensues. CP

REVIEW: DVD Release: Blade Of The Immortal - Volume 1

Series: Blade Of The Immortal - Volume 1
Release date: 4th October 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 125 mins
Director: Koichi Mashimo
Starring: N/a
Genre: Anime
Studio: MVM
Format: DVD
Country: Japan

Blade Of The Immortal - Volume 1 consists of the first five episodes in the thirteen-part Japanese anime-style television series. Each episode focuses on different aspects and themes, with the titles: Sinner, Conquest, Love Song, Genius and Prisoner.

Manji (Tomokazu Seki) was a samurai warrior serving an evil master. When Manji decided to rebel against and ultimately kill his master, however, he also killed 100 fellow warriors who remained committed in their servitude.

Looked upon as a beast and a monster for his actions, Manji is haunted by his deed, and is referred to as Manji “with the 100 killings” wherever he goes. Blessed (or cursed) by an ancient mystic woman with immortality, Manji protects his fragile sister Machi from harm, even while dealing with the dilemma that he killed her husband as one of the 100 killings.

However, in a confrontation between Manji and another bitter rival, Machi dies at the hand of her brother’s vicious foe. In his grief, and as a way of penance for his murderous acts, the unconventional samurai warrior vows to redeem himself by killing 1000 evil men, whilst seeking an end to his curse of perpetual life in order to die an honourable death.

On his travels, Manji meets Rin (Mela Lee), a girl who seeks revenge for her father’s murder at the hands of the notorious Itto-ryu dojo group. Together, Manji and Rin strike out against the dojo and its followers in a trail of blood and brutality, as they seek the members of the group responsible for the reprehensible crime committed against Rin’s family…


The anime style of Blade Of The Immortal is hugely effective in evoking a sense of Japan in the time of the samurai, in addition to the levels of bloodletting and violence that comes with the territory of being a warrior. Indeed, there is a level of detail and often macabre beauty in the animation that brings a strange sense of hard-hitting realism to events, even in the midst of ultraviolent deaths and fight scenes. In many ways, the pain of the characters – even the immortal Manji suffers – can be felt in the brutality of the visuals. Splashes of blood red are common throughout the episodic series, in some cases highly contrasting with dark, almost black-and-white backgrounds to create a semi-chiaroscuro effect. For instance, this is used to startling effect in Rin’s flashback sequences in recalling her father’s death, and in the opening blood-spraying sequence of episode four.

The interaction of Manji and Rin is central to the story of Blade Of The Immortal, and the continuing theme of Manji acting as Rin’s protector in the wake of his sister’s death is an engaging and often touching element. There is a clear story arc for Manji as the story progresses, and he grows to truly care for Rin, such as in episode five where he fights a shockingly formidable opponent to win back the stolen sword of Rin’s father. However, the interaction between Manji and Rin is also prone to cliché, where some elements of the dialogue (“will Manji save the girl, or will the girl save him?”) and Rin’s seemingly constant flashbacks to her past can occasionally grate when viewed as a whole.

Yet there are many hugely intriguing and engaging moral questions raised by the characters in Blade Of The Immortal, and a sense of spirituality that is again wonderfully evocative of Japan in the era of the samurai. Manji as the ‘immortal’ of the show’s title is a complex hero, who bears the weight of a dark past filled with regrets and bad deeds. He is a man immersed in his search of spiritual enlightenment and atonement for his sins, where he even wears the sign of a swastika (a symbol with a deep spiritual meaning in Eastern culture) on his back. At one stage, Manji says to Rin that he must know who is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ before striking out at evil, when Manji himself is equally capable of morally murky powers of destruction, also used by those he deems to be ‘bad’.

Of course, the main antagonists in the members of the Itto-ryu are overtly evil, where Manji has no qualms in setting about creating their destruction in honour of his pledge to himself and Rin. In one of the standout sequences of the series, in episode three, Rin comes across the man responsible for killing her father. This is a hulking warrior in full fearsome samurai regalia, and when he is unmasked, it is revealed that he is wearing the heads of his ex-wife and another person who was close to Rin - both stapled to his shoulders as sadistic mementoes of death. The killer has fallen for Rin to the extent that he wants to kill her as an ultimate “expression of love” (even going as far as to promise to remove his former wife’s head and replace it with Rin’s on his shoulder); an example which highlights the sheer darkness of this tale of emotional anguish and retribution in an effectively gruesome way.


Blade Of The Immortal - Volume 1 is an anime series well worth following. In spite of some clunky dialogue and clichéd elements (and, as a sidenote, quite frankly irritating title and end credit theme songs), the show also raises a great deal of intriguing moral and spiritual questions. It is also a visually superior production, bringing to life the brutality of the ways of the samurai as well as highlighting the moral dilemmas of one who is capable of destruction whilst on a path to enlightenment. DB

REVIEW: DVD Release: The Time That Remains

Film: The Time That Remains
Release date: 11th October 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 110 mins
Director: Elia Suleiman
Starring: Matthieu Sibony, Elia Suleiman, Saleh Bakri, Leila Mouammar, Bilal Zidani
Genre: Drama
Studio: Drakes Avenue
Format: DVD
Country: UK/Italy/Belgium/France

In 2002, Elia Suleiman won the jury prize at the Cannes Film Festival for his film Divine Intervention. Sadly, as a representative of Palestine, the film was not allowed to become an Oscar contender thanks to the contentious decision not to recognise Palestine as a ‘legitimate nation’. It’s perhaps unsurprising that his latest production, The Time That Remains, has been presented as a product of Italy, France, Belgium and the UK. But is it a film deserving of awards?

Opening with director/star Elia Suleiman as a grown man in the back of a taxi, a sudden storm begins to batter the cab. Elia is lost, and barely seems to be found as the movie moves through its narrative. Covering the life of his father and himself, the film can be split into three distinct parts.

The first concerns his father, Fuad, (Saleh Bakri), an elegant freedom fighter in Nazareth. As his attempt to furnish the resistance with guns is uncovered, he is beaten and left for dead. This leads to the film’s second phase, which sees Fuad as an older man. Clearly a hero to his son Elia, we see him commit acts of bravery, thereby inspiring his son to quietly acquiesce with his views. As a grown man, the last chapter of the film sees the adult Elia observing modern-day Palestine in his detached, unemotional way…


The Time That Remains is a remarkably handsome film. Composed almost exclusively of wide-angle camera shots, it places its characters at the centre of enormous landscapes, in the midst of epically huge buildings, and even manages to make domestic scenes appear far bigger than they ought to – all thanks to the distance between the protagonists and the camera. Some of the resulting imagery is breathtaking, and a number of frames linger long in the memory: the blindfolded captives on their knees in an olive grove is particularly striking.

The long, clean lines which dominate the landscape of the film are not limited purely to the architectural views of Palestine. Scenes in cars feature windscreens wider than the screen itself, and the incoming tide reaches far beyond the peripheries of the frame. At times it feels slightly curious, but it fits perfectly with the detached view the director has taken to the events depicted.

There’s something very mannered about the majority of the film. The occupation of Nazareth is almost silent; eerily peaceful and beautiful. As the Brylcreemed Fuad, Bakri demonstrates on old-fashioned heroism which recalls actors like James Stewart. His upright posture and almost quaint approach to his illegal activities gives an otherworldliness which contrasts sharply with the savage beating he takes as he is left for dead. The stillness and relative calm is breached horrifically as he is attacked with rifle butts - and the scene is all the more effective for it.

Sadly, other contrasting scenes do not work quite so well. Although laced with surreal humour throughout, two episodes of out-and-out slapstick seem incongruous. These occur at the signing of a treaty which plays more like an outtake from the Benny Hill Show (including comedy fez), and an old fashioned slapping incident which makes very little sense in context.

Perhaps the most interesting segment of the film is the one in which Elia grows up. Shot as a series of episodes, we are able to live life through the eyes of Elia’s mother. She corresponds with exiled family members via letters, which are touching in their one-sidedness. Meanwhile, Fuad completes a series of lightly comic acts of kindness. Most notably, he helps save the life of a soldier trapped under a burning truck. More interestingly, he repeatedly saves the life of his deranged elderly neighbour – a man determined to ignite himself with damp matches after dousing himself in kerosene. The stoic way in which Fuad repeatedly deals with these pathetic (in the traditional sense of the word) episodes serve only to underline his understated heroism.

This repetition is mirrored in the conversation Fuad has night after night on his fishing trips. Constantly quizzed by patrolling soldiers, his responses never alter. It’s a device which serves to suggest that very little changes under the occupying forces. And so things continue, time passes, and characters come and go until Elia becomes the focus of the film.

At times, his silence frustrates. It’s evident earlier in the movie that he is capable of speech, so it’s safe to assume that his wordlessness is a signifier for something else. What that is, however, is unclear. Does he represent the futility of speaking out? The quiet acceptance of his own plight? As the film moves to its climax, many questions are posed and never fully resolved. It’s frustrating, especially as the final scene plays out – a series of new characters make their way across another typically wide frame. They are in an accident and emergency department, arguing, suffering – possibly being healed. It’s possibly a metaphor too far.


The Time That Remains is a glorious film to look at. Its visual style, stillness and calm make it the cinematic equivalent of a corridor full of beautiful landscapes. But for anyone not wholly familiar with Israeli/Palestinian history, it is perhaps too obtuse to be entirely enjoyable. As a series of set pieces it is a delight, yet as a whole it lacks the consistency to grip from start to finish. RW 

REVIEW: DVD Release: Flesh Of The Orchid

Film: Flesh Of The Orchid
Release date: 1st November 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 110 mins
Director: Patrice Chéreau
Starring: Charlotte Rampling, Bruno Cremer, Edwige Feuillere, Simone Signoret, Alida Valli
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Studio: Bluebell
Format: DVD
Country: France/Italy/West Germany

The misty opening of Patrice Chereau’s Flesh Of The Orchid extends to a rather shady first act, in which we meet characters that test the patience as much as they spark curiosity. As a gardener marches up to a formidably stately residence, cutting a wallflower off at its stem, one wonders whether this is a bout of symbolism, and when he proceeds to march up to the bed of a horrified Charlotte Rampling and strip off, the notion gathers a tad more steam. Rampling’s Claire is often referred to as a second coming of the ‘orchid’, a moniker that isn’t pinpointed until later in the film, but nonetheless bears sexual connotations that never temper with the events that follow.

Emerging from a burning truck a mere fifteen minutes into the film, Claire radiates all of the fortified glory of an untouchable femme fatale. She marches into the car of an onlooking pair of male acquaintances with nary a moment’s consideration, quickly taking a shine to Louis (Cremer), the more masculine of the two. Their subsequent visit to a hotel instigates problems when Louis witnesses his friend murdered by two hired mob members, drawing them both into a desperate chase to evade the silencers.

It takes all of this to first occur before we get a sense of Claire’s former existence, the pouting bursts of disapproval from a fur-clad Madame Bastier-Wagener (Feuillère) calling for her staff to scour the land for her niece, and placing a sizeable reward for her capture.

The remaining information is relayed to us throughout the film, a glorified cameo by the Oscar-winning Simone Signoret as a circus Madame revealing the true, fiscally-motivated reasons for Claire’s Aunt wanting her kept behind closed doors...


Her immediate escape from the motor accident’s threat of fatality reads like an endorsement from the big bad world; this woman has survived for reasons beyond her confined, bubble-wrap setting. It’s an observation that’s only reinforced in her following skirmishes with the law, underground cartel, and the wrath of a ruthless aunt. As Claire is forced to confront a world outside of what she is accustomed to, she does so with an amalgam of bemusement, acceptance, and exhilaration. The reality, of course, is that Charlotte Rampling’s Claire is just looking for affirmation of her own sexuality, and control of her life in whatever form. Her relationship with Louis begins with a decidedly unhealthy desperation surrounding it; since Claire is looking to grasp her newfound freedom and use anyone she can to preserve it.

The film, however, swiftly changes course from being a psychosexual examination of a woman whose sexuality has clearly defined her existence as an incarcerated mental patient, to a seedy caper about vengeful gangsters and greedy aristocrats. It’s a bold move, but one that makes Flesh disarmingly aloof, to the point where it feels constricted and mechanical about its characters’ actions, leaving us wanting to know more about them, more about Claire’s back-story, and the source of the gangland gripes. There’s a propensity towards demonstrating consequences and generating an element of karma that makes the film much more plot-based than had previously been promised. Chereau ceases to coax us into Claire’s scheme of things once the chase begins, proceeding to rally at her behest in some form of authorial self-righteousness.

It would be somewhat of a stretch to label Flesh as a revenge movie, but it does convect a vaguely feminist stance on Claire’s plight as a socially-starved wildflower. Every other major character in the film is punished to some degree, either as a result of sketchy morals or a failure to understand female sexuality well enough. Most of this is not achieved through Claire’s own actions, which is why vengeance doesn’t feel like the most defining feature on offer, but there is something sinister about the way that Claire is placed on a pedestal without us really being required to identify with her. Chereau’s focus becomes unclear when his attention is diverted to a bigger, ensemble-style modus operandi, and his cutthroat dramatic devices feel particularly out of place within a wry, inevitable tone.


The maddening distance felt during Flesh Of The Orchid is at war with an admittedly interesting premise, and it’s true that the film sustains a firm level of appeal as a loose cannon of sorts. Yet, one can’t help but feel that the real promise and bite of the film remain rooted in its first few unnerving, aggressive, expository scenes, and that it pertains to display its heroine through iconography rather than addressing her concerns within the narrative. As an orchid, Claire escapes the clutches of materialist manipulation, but whether she escapes her director’s prism of objectification is another matter. CR

REVIEW: DVD Release: Carlos The Jackal

Film: Carlos The Jackal
Release date: 1st November 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 338 mins (‘trilogy’ version)
Director: Olivier Assayas
Starring: Juana Acosta, Edgar Ramirez, Alexander Scheer, Alejandro Arroyo, Ahmad Kaabour
Genre: Biography/Crime/Drama/History/Thriller
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
Country: France/Germany

Carlos, real name Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, was so central in the history of international terrorism during the ‘70s and ‘80s that he became a minor celebrity – people feared and admired him in equal measure. His imposing personality enabled him to form his own organisation, one that famously raided the annual meeting of Opec oil ministers in 1975. With extensive cuts for its theatrical release (available on DVD as the ‘movie’ version), this ‘trilogy’ version is the original three-episode television series, tracing twenty years in the life of a notorious terrorist.

Ilich had grown tired of political demonstrations that, in his mind, did very little and didn’t mean a thing. Using more brutal methods to get his message across, it isn’t long before he changes his name to Carlos, an intimidating figure of the extreme left, and an opportunistic mercenary in the pay of powerful Middle Eastern secret services.

After a few successful (and some botched) operations, Carlos ultimately fails in an attempt to take hostage oil ministers attending the annual meeting of Opec, angering his employers who feel that he has betrayed them by taking money for freedom and not completing the mission.

Dumped for the next assault, Carlos soon realises he is no longer part of the group, but decides now is the time to set up his own organisation. Based in East Berlin, his romantic interests hinder his group’s progress, and creates conflict that could alter a certain comrade’s commitment to the revolution.

Inevitably, Carlos struggles to find the necessary support in order to keep his organisation going – colleagues are arrested and imprisoned, his partner is unable to raise their child by herself in such futile circumstances, his body is failing to cope with the physical demands his chosen path brings, and places to hide are becoming increasingly hard to find…


About two thirds of the way into Olivier Assavas’s biopic Carlos its intriguing plot veers dangerously close to running out of steam. Which is a bit of a nightmare seeing as we still have one episode to go – it’s longest, almost hitting the two-hour mark. Fortunately, after a meandering finale to end part two, the final instalment - and the director - gets back on track by juicing up the love triangle, promising conflict by the bucket load. Sadly, because the film is based on real events, interesting plot twists and the fascinating sub-plot are never explored, summing up why Carlos will never be fully appreciated – it’s just far too real, and so, ultimately, hard work.

Therefore, the resulting film is a strange beast. For instance, Assavas handles the visual aspect of the film with style, complimented by the performances – Acosta is astonishing, who gives his all to the role of Carlos, to the point where a weight gain during his spell in hiding adds simple but brilliant realism. There’s no question whatsoever about the state of his mind: he’s an arrogant man who wants to be remembered, maybe even admired, taking ludicrous measures to preserve his reputation.

The seamless fast-paced editing, mixed with a clever blending of black-and-white newsreels and footage, propels the action, of which there is plenty, into another realm altogether – so much so, the quieter moments are dull in comparison, even if they are seemingly required. A sparse punk soundtrack adds a bit of extra rebellion to proceedings, but it’s the simple use of gunfire that really gets the adrenalin pumping, especially during those frenetic hostage-taking scenes.

Jumping from country to country, from language to language, a lot of the dialogue is spoken in English, which certainly takes the pressure off this five-hour plus marathon. There’s humour here, too, whether it be Acosta’s neat one-liners, or the often-hilarious mistakes his comrades make (blowing up the wrong plane, twice, for instance), made the more amusing because it actually happened. Even better still, in the funniest moment, there’s always someone else who will take the credit for your mistakes.

The major problem with tracing twenty years of someone’s life is that, no matter how long the film is, it will still somehow feel rushed. Assavas doesn’t seem to have a problem with skipping a year or two when he sees fit, which ultimately leaves the viewer feeling a little bit lost and left out – surely something must’ve happened during such a length of time, and if not, why choose some scenes, for arguments sake the entire last hour, in which nothing much happens apart from running from one hiding place to another, in place of others that would show Carlos in a more fearsome light. At times, he does seem all too likeable, which is arguably why he was seen as such a celebrity, but also why the end result is somewhat disappointing.

Having said that, the opening three-and-a-bit hours hurtle by, with the first half of episode two a magnificent lesson in suspense and high-octane action. But once again, this brings its problems. History tells us that Carlos’s raid on the annual meeting of Opec oil ministers was his finest achievement, so what happens after that? Well, he ends up teaching, he struggles to raise a child, he decides to have liposuction, and his testicles are seriously giving him grief. Hardly worth another two hours, right? Maybe not…


Told in chronological order and with shifting levels of reality and fiction, the heart of Carlos is Juana Acosta’s outstanding performance, but the film is let down by the realities that finally befall the main man – simply, in this day and age, they just aren’t that interesting. DW