|
By
DEBORAH NICOL
Five men, sent to their
death by their own countrymen in a war they abhor.
Five men whose sentence-able crime was that they
mutilated themselves in order to escape the horror
of unfathomable bloodshed. Five men with families
and lovers whose only dream was to see them alive
again under any possible circumstance. A
carpenter, a welder, a farmer, a thief and a
lighthouse boy – all French soldiers in the first
World War, all brothers in a march to death.
Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet ("Amelie," "The City
of Lost Children") applies his fantastical vision
to the otherworldly atmosphere and morals of life
on the frontline in France. Although the soldiers
of Sebastien Japrisot's brilliantly told tale are
treated with respect, war is not veiled in blind
patriotism nor the opposing side shielded in
uncompromising evil. Soldiers kill soldiers of the
same uniform and brothers in war do not merely die
in each other's arms at the conclusion of a
triumphant soliloquy. War is a horrific,
mind-altering experience from which they wish
desperately to escape.
Destruction does not fall only on the battlefield,
for when soldiers are left for dead, homes are
left broken. One such home is that of the
lighthouse boy's heartbroken fiancé, Mathilde. In
the years following the presumed death of her
missing-in-action lover, she cannot accept his
passing. A stranger enters her life with a box of
tokens that leads her on a journey to discover the
truth, powered only by thin strings of hope. Each
token is the final gift home by each of the
condemned men, with the exception of her lover
whose mind at that point could no longer
comprehend the world into which he had been
swallowed.
Unpresuming gestures of love and last thoughts to
the untrained eye, this tortured lover begins to
analyze each clue and unravel the rich tapestry of
each of the missing soldier's lives. This is not
without selfish aims, as Mathilde has her
beloved's fate in mind as she and her hired
detective follow each trail and meet the wearied
loves of the other men.
The thief's lover chose revenge as fair recourse
in exchange for his treatment, and is played with
laser-focused anger by the excellent Marion
Cotillard ("Big Fish"). The welder's wife is a
surprisingly fluent French-speaking Jodie Foster,
who happened to be in France while finishing up
the "Panic Room" and offered the director her
skills. She stands out as familiar to American
audiences, but otherwise blends in fairly
seamlessly with the French cast. Mathilde's hard
working detective is played with great devotion by
Ticky Holgado ("Amelie," "The City of Lost
Children"), who was undergoing treatment for lung
cancer during the shoot and passed away shortly
after the film's completion.
Mathilde is portrayed with fragile strength by
Audrey Tautou ("Amelie," "Dirty Pretty Things").
So much is revealed in a delicate look or
seemingly simple action that she does not have to
vocalize every emotion, yet every sentiment is
felt whole-heartedly. In moments of desperation
that others in her character's place would
consider an end to the search, Mathilde's hope
hinges on quick superstitious tests of faith. What
would be merely a sweet gesture in any other movie
becomes the lifeline that prevents her anchoring
rope from becoming a noose.
Jeunet presents this very complicated and
interwoven story as clearly as possible, without
oversimplifying it and therefore diluting its
richness. For Americans unfamiliar with the faces
of these European actors, the soldiers' names are
often mentioned together with their occupations
and resident homelands in order to keep each of
them straight to the audience. While discussing
confusing plot turns, flashback images are
presented in corners of the screen. Beautifully
powerful music composed by frequent David Lynch
collaborator Angelo Badalamenti drives the scenes,
as it did for Jeunet's "The City of Lost
Children." "Amelie" cinematographer Bruno
Delbonnel helms the camera again for Jeunet,
producing images of striking emotional depth.
This is a film with amazing resonance. Its
statement on the horrors of war and its effect on
the soldiers' homelands are clear. There is no
pity given to the soldiers' lovers, only
unquestionable strength and a powerful quest for
the truth. Jeunet has created a film of immense
depth and heartfelt love whose significance is
timeless.
Extras on the first DVD include a trailer and a
great director's commentary (subtitled in English)
that helps to dissect and destroy the magic of the
film, to paraphrase Jeunet. The second DVD
includes deleted scenes with optional commentary,
interviews, and featurettes on Paris in the 1920's
and the Zeppelin explosion, along with a great
making-of featurette. |
