Saturday, July 17, 2010
RESISTANCE
Today's film was Ole Christian Madsen's film
Flammen & Citronen / Flame and Citron (2009)
These two heroes of the Danish Resistance during WWII work their way through far more complicated paths than the normal genré film of this type would show. Killing costs psychically and the complex web of friends and enemies is not clear. Betrayal, double agentry and the like, create confusion and paranoia.
The story is, sometimes, almost too complex to follow but gets clarified as we go. In a way, the director has created the same "fog of war" that these guys are experiencing.
They say this is the biggest Danish film ever made. I believe it. Some scenes are filled with chaotic action with hundreds of people running hither and yon. This is especially true when the rebellion begins in the streets.
We never see the overall picture. Always from the perspective of the two assassins. Or people who may be lying to them or, perhaps, actually telling the truth. We are left, as they are, to decide. We do have the perspective of history but it doesn't help a lot in the moment.
I liked it a lot. It would be worth seeing again just to unravel some of the puzzles although, I suspect, that they are never really answered for us any more than the people in the action.
I will give this a 4 out of Netflix5.
Labels: films
