Comandante (2023) User Reviews

Being Italian in Time of War

[jvila-cha · 8/10 · 4 November 2023]

The movie goes back to the story of «Commandante» Salvatore Todaro, obviously a name of reference in the history of the Italian navy. The story moves from La Spezia, in Italy, to the Island of Santa Maria, in the Azores (Portugal) in the second half of 1940, during WWII. Indeed, the span of the narrative goes from the mediterranean to the Atlantic across the Strait of Gibraltar on board of an Italian submarine. But the real story is another, much deeper. In my opinion, this is a movie about humanity and leadership, about command and obedience, about reason and self-sacrifice, and morality, especially in times of war. There are the laws of war and those of the sea; but, most importantly, there also are the Laws of Humanity. In a subtle way, I could see in the movie the laws of God too. Indeed, this is a movie that shows what a leader can be and, most importantly, how the Laws of Humanity might prevail, even in times of conflict and war.

The movie is quintessentially Italian. This is certainly reflected in the immense list of delicious foods that the movie transforms in an interesting kind of cultural refrain. Particularly noteworthy is the question that that the apparent «enemy» puts to Comandante Salvatore Todaro in Portuguese territorial waters in October of 1940: Why did you save us? «Perché siamo Italiani», was the answer. In my personal assessment: the movie is wonderful; indeed, at times truly moving! Watching this movie confirms the idea that we might once again be back to manifestations of great cinema in Italy.

A story of humanity with a fantastic Pierfrancesco Favino

[Dello_ · 7/10 · 8 November 2023]

"Comandante" tells the story of Italian commander Salvatore Todaro and his crew that were the protagonists of a great act of humanity during the beginning of WWII. The two biggest merits of the movie are the visual impact that is pretty good (especially the reconstruction of the Cappelletti submarine) and the performances. In particular Pierfrancesco Favino was exceptional and magnetic on screen, owning every scene he was in. Additionally the story narrated is interesting and very human, but on the contrary the storytelling itself was the weakest point of the movie. More in detail the narration is a bit flat especially in the second part, which should be the emotional core of the film. The first half was indeed pretty interesting to me, with a darker tone and mostly about how bad war is. Then, the second part, focuses on the humanity that great people are able to maintain even in extreme conditions. However the rhythm slows down too much and a sense of flatness kicks in. Indeed the second half, except for a few interesting scenes, was a bit too formulaic and impersonal.

Despite some issues, "Comandante" is still a good movie that narrates an interesting story. You won't probably go crazy about it, but it is surely a fine watch if you are either interested in its human side, in war movies or in Pierfrancesco Favino performance.

INCREDIBLE !

[itriatay995 · 9/10 · 17 February 2024]

Pierfrancesco Favino is an incredible actor. He makes you really feel that this movie is based on a real war event. At the same time, Johannes Wirix is a young actor who has incredible potential to be famous. The movie is a bit similar to Das Boot Franchise but of course it has the Italian touch and more sentimental. The first half of the movie is based on the darkness and horrors of the wars but the second half is focusing on the goodness and humanity in people. A true story that makes you understand how much humanity is important ! I recommend everyone to watch this movie and I give 9 out of 10 for this masterpiece.

A good idea done badly

[gio_malv · 5/10 · 3 November 2023]

The film does not deserve a rating of 5/10 and is saved above all thanks to the good acting of the actors and the excellent interpretation of Favino, Commander Todaro; I give the screenplay a much, much lower rating because you can't see scenes like those in the film:

• A twenty-year-old sailor who light-heartedly goes to his death to free the submarine from a mine and acts as if he were going to meet his girlfriend
• Another sailor with a mangled leg who stays on deck because he wants to see the ship sink

-- the cook who distributes water or little more saying "this is a cake with cream"

-- The recipe for french fries in one of the final scenes is one of the most unlikely things to imagine, given the circumstances; and there is no shortage of parmesan, gnocchi, pizza and mandolin either

-- the description of the living conditions of the people on board as worse than those of the slaves who worked in the lead mines in Roman times

-- the scene of a sailor praying and fighting with another who shows him a blasphemous object

All this nonsense is described and on the contrary the passion and pride of being a submariner is not described, a deadly, avant-garde weapon for those years. Submariners are highly specialized technicians in their sector, prepared, with nerves of steel, capable of adapting, improvising and solving difficult and complex situations. Not everyone is able to work and live in a submarine and of all the various sectors and technical departments of the highest level of a submarine: sonar, radio, weapons, engines, electricity, navigation, route, attitude, etc. The only one considered in detail and almost exclusively is that of the kitchen, as if the submarine were in essence an underwater restaurant

It is said that only Americans are capable of making good war films, perhaps arrogant and superficial films, but which highlight the audacity, courage and preparation of the soldiers There is none of this in this film, and in the end perhaps the main merit of the film is precisely that of highlighting the ugliness and stupidity of war, of every war

The film completely lacks the tension, audacity and courage that you expect in the scenes of a war film and this is a real shame because, in my opinion, one of the "missions" of cinema is precisely to emotionally and completely involve the viewer; so I reiterate that this is a theater work more than a film; and it's a shame because the idea was good, that is to recall a military event that actually happened; in the credits we read that of the 112 submarines that had been launched since the beginning of the war only 19 returned to their homeland, and so it is clear the film was intended to be a tribute to Italian submarine sailors.

The big hope

[GianfrancoSpada · 9/10 · 18 April 2024]

This is a well-structured cinematic production in all its aspects. The storytelling is convincing, the character performances are compelling, and the visual construction is solid, encompassing all elements of cinematography.

Narratively, this film is the latest in a long line of movies that contribute to the post-war myth of the "Italiani brava gente" (Italians, the good people) who, in some way, have sought to redeem Italy's wartime role from the ignominy of its actions, from the civil war in Spain, with its horrifying bombings of civilians, to the massacres in Ethiopia or the bloody invasion of Libya or Greece. Since the armistice of '43 and in the post-war era, when the tables turned and coexistence with new allies, first, and then with a whole European community, became necessary, there has been a predominantly cinematic effort to create the myth of the "good Italian," largely overlooking or neglecting all other aspects. In fact, as early as 1954, the film "La grande speranza" (The big hope) was produced about this same wartime episode, of which "Comandante" can be seen as a remake.

It is commendable to resurrect heroic figures for the creation of a popular national narrative, but what truly matters are the facts, and it is sufficient to note that to this day, Italy has still not officially apologized to the Spanish government for the atrocious damage inflicted by its bombings on the civilian population, something that, for example, the German government has done.

Returning to the film, one gets the sense that this story is being revived today, at a time when the tragedy of shipwrecks involving sub-Saharan immigrants crossing the western Mediterranean is prevalent, with many being rescued and others mercilessly rejected by the current governments. In this sense, the film seems to issue a warning to governments of all orientations, especially those of the right, that lives must be saved at sea.

And this is the merit of this film, having precisely combined a historical event with a burning contemporary issue that is not even explicitly mentioned but that everyone has connected. Chapeau.

Italian superiority complex

[francosabbadin-01919 · 2/10 · 20 March 2024]

After watching this movie, besides all the unlikely situations it depicts (among several other nonsense: the scene of the sabotage of the submarine's electrical panel), the mind runs to this quote taken from F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Tender is the night", referring to Italians in general: "I like France, where everybody thinks he's Napoleon-down here everybody thinks he's Christ." The director of this film must be seriously affected by some kind of psychological syndrome that cannot be better described. The evidence comes towards the end of the film, when the Belgian commander asks the Italian one something like this: "Why did you save us? We wouldn't have done the same for you". To the careful spectator the logical answer here would have been "Because we are seafaring men", as that was the refrain repeated by the Italian commander, insistently, along the story just told. Instead, the answer here suddenly turns to a highly presumptuous "Because we are Italians".

Vision strictly recommended only to that slice of Italian public who is affected by a similar kind of superiority complex: they will love this film. All others: avoid carefully this pile of garbage!