Nocturama (2016) User Reviews

What Should Be Explosive Fizzles Like a Wet Firecracker

[evanston_dad · 5/10 · 8 January 2018]

The first hour or so of "Nocturama" is a dazzling and suspenseful set piece that details how a group of young terrorists carry out coordinated attacks on government and business buildings in Paris. Crisp and playful editing has the story doubling back in time and shows us how the paths of the various characters, which at first are seemingly independent of one another, intersect.

Then the film enters its second half, where the terrorists hole up overnight in a shopping mall, where one of their number is a security guard, and the whole exercise falls apart. Meant to be a blistering indictment of consumer capitalism and and I suppose the hollow convictions at the center of political activism -- these kids are obsessed with the very consumer products made by the institutions they condemn -- the film instead suffers from a fatal lack of logic and realism. By the time military soldiers are prowling through the mall randomly shooting whoever they see, whether armed or not, and without the slightest interest in taking survivors for interrogation even though these are all people who are supposed to be involved in a terrorist plot, I had thrown up my hands and given up.

I get it, I get it. I shouldn't get hung up on a desire for realism and should instead embrace the symbolic and representational aspects of a film like this. Which I have no trouble doing if the symbolism is handled well. If I'm not meant to take events depicted in a film at face value, then the director needs to be better at indicating that. The film doesn't follow any kind of logic, not even of the internal kind. These kids are mature enough to carry out a detailed and sophisticated terrorist plot, but then have no better plan afterwards than to hang out at the mall? They seem to think that if they can make it for 24 hours without being tracked down then they're in the clear? That doesn't make any sense. And no military group would behave the way the ones in this film do. And no news agency would be broadcasting on television that the hideout of the terrorists was known before the authorities had arrived to contain the situation. The film requires too much suspension of disbelief on the part of its audience, with the result that we can't then focus on what the film is trying to tell us.

Visually and aurally the film is impressive. One just wishes the storytelling hadn't been so flabby and lazy.

Grade: C+

Nocturama plays with your expectations like a cat with a ball of yarn, and the results are both frustrating and admirable

[youngcollind · 5/10 · 26 November 2021]

The film knows exactly what it's audience would like to see, but what it's withholding is integral to it's statement. This can be a difficult pill to swallow as it forgoes many of the simple pleasures of a conventional movie, testing both your patience and suspension of disbelief in the process.

It makes a group of terrorists into the central protagonists, but makes no attempt to offer any explanation for their actions. You keep waiting for a big reveal that will make it all seem justified, but it's absence leaves the film in a moral purgatory.

They come together to stage their attack in an almost heist movie like fashion, without any of the flair of say, Oceans 11. Then they retreat to a mall, which functions artistically to highlight the consumerist hypocrisy of our would be anarchists, but also makes absolutely no sense to the literal narrative, as it's clearly a terrible hiding place.

The pacing is deliberately slow, encouraging the audience to read between the lines of the minutia, though it does occasionally pick up at points. While it does seem to succeed at it's own intentions, it's impenetrable minimalism will probably alienate all but the most tolerant film buffs.

Paris by night

[happytrigger-64-390517 · 7/10 · 25 November 2016]

Nocturama is a tale, and not a fairy tale, rather a nightmare tale. We see young people from all cast, age and race preparing some bombings over Paris. Their targets are all revealing the major discomforts in french society. After the bombings, they meet and hide in a big store after the closing where they spend the night having fun with the best luxury items.

The first part made me think of Le Pont Du Nord by Jacques Rivette, with the characters crossing places and preparing the plots. Then the second part made me think of Zombie by Romero with that group surviving in a big store. What is surprising is the precision of the camera movements very close to the characters. And as they are a lot of different places, the camera is always surprisingly inventive.

Yes, there is a strong cut between the first terrorist part and the second which forgets totally the bombing story to see what happens to these young people in this luxury paradise. And from then, audiences get puzzled because expecting more fiction about terrorism, for what and for whom they are fighting for, but nothing of the sort : just a chronicle of delinquents.

Until .... Definitely underground movie, not commercial.

Definitely not for everyone

[Red_Identity · 27 December 2017]

Even though it's quite clear from reading the premise that the film is surely not for everyone, that is still an understatement. The filmmaking here is incredibly detached of emotion, cold, and very, very clinical. That's part of the genius of it. A film like this needs to be executed this way, or else wavering too far into one side would be controversial, either being labeled as a film too forgiving of its protagonists and wanting us to sympathize with them, or portraying them as completely evil and not adding enough layers. In that respect the film works. It is mostly without a musical score, and scenes play out in long stretches in ways sure to infuriate many, but also impressive in their commitment. I think it's a fascinating, powerful film, but not an easy one to like.

Stylish, intelligent, and thematically challenging

[ccamp89 · 7/10 · 28 February 2018]

A stylish and thoughtfully-executed thriller about a group of young adults who execute a terror attack in Paris. Nocturama is a difficult film to review because its intent is somewhat elusive. The filmmaker's approach is uncompromising in his choice to tell this story and explore its themes largely through visuals alone. He challenges the viewer by refraining from explicitly spelling out the details for you: the exact motivation for the attack, the details of the political climate that provoked it, the overarching themes and intent of the film etc. It simply shows you the events, even endears you to its terrorist characters, and then forces you to sit in discomfort as the credits roll without a clear idea of who you were supposed to be siding with and why. Rather than using these characters and this fictional setup to offer a more straight-forward thriller with a narratively satisfying story, the film instead seems to be using this scenario more to explore larger, more universal themes: the relationship between citizens and government, consumerist culture, the disillusionment of the youth, and the psychology of rebellion. I appreciated this approach, even if it personally left me feeling a bit unsatisfied or puzzled (which is something that may be remedied with future viewings). Regardless, the film was frequently a joy to watch. It has a clean, icy feel somewhat reminiscent of a David Fincher film and employed a lot of clever editing that played with the passage of time in interesting ways. Overall I feel it could've been a little tighter and perhaps more impactful with its themes, though it's certainly worth a watch for the strong, intelligent execution and visual prowess alone.

3.5/5

Warnings, My Rating and Thoughts

[cortrightal · 9/10 · 22 August 2017]

This film truly lives up to its description as a thriller. For much of the first part, and almost all of the second, I was biting my nails and sitting on the edge of my seat. Additionally, the scenery is very beautiful as it takes place in Paris and then an extravagant department store. My thoughts are these: Firstly: BE WARNED if you don't speak French. I do, so I could understand without the subtitles. However, my friend who was sitting next to me often had to ask for translation because she didn't understand what was happening, due to the fact that the subtitles are often inaccurate. As in, whole chunks of dialogue just left out. Secondly: A few of the other reviews mention how the terrorist's motives are unclear (as in, we have no idea why they did what they did). However, I didn't see this as a flaw: It allows you think about possible motives and identify with the characters more easily. Thirdly: For anyone who cares: I would rate this movie R (it's not rated last time I checked) for: Cursing (In French and English) Some nudity (two butts) Violence - not for the sake of being violent though.

Overall though, I really enjoyed this movie. I am still thinking about it for days afterword.. a good adjective is PROVOCATIVE. Don't be scared away by the long run time - it wasn't boring at all. Bonus points if you speak French, that would definitely help your understanding.

not so bad

[chera_khalid · 6/10 · 28 September 2023]

"Nocturama" emerges from the shadows with a 6/10 rating, finding itself in the "wasn't bad" territory. This enigmatic and unsettling film showcases some commendable strengths, particularly in its audacious exploration of societal discontent and the consequences of rebellion. The young cast delivers convincing performances, capturing the uncertainty and tension that permeates the narrative. Film editing creates a sense of disorientation that mirrors the characters' disquieting journey. However, the film's weakness lies in its elusiveness; it doesn't offer easy answers or clear-cut resolutions, leaving viewers to grapple with the ambiguity of its message. The music, or lack thereof, plays a crucial role in amplifying the film's eerie atmosphere, while the cinematography masterfully captures the stark beauty of Paris. "Nocturama" isn't for everyone, but for those willing to delve into its shadowy depths, it offers a thought-provoking exploration of the disquiet that simmers beneath the surface of modern society.

A promising material for short story/movie – a psychological portrayal of how terrorism is born

[kaptenvideo-89875 · 4/10 · 7 May 2017]

I love the Metacritic summary for „Nocturama": some young folks, tired of the society they're living in, plan a bomb attack over Paris before to take shelter for a night in a shopping center... So simple, so elegant. Unfortunately, I can't say I loved the movie itself. „Nocturama" is artsy in a bad way, all high concept and lacking in every other aspect. Also, at 130 minutes, there's nearly not enough going on to justify the length. Sure, it's a promising material for short story/movie – a psychological portrayal of how terrorism is born. On paper, any summary of "Nocturama" would seem rather captivating... but, sadly, the result is frankly dull and lifeless. The screenwriter-director Bertrand Bonello's approach to storytelling is alienating (the characters are emotionally distant from the viewer and each other), and he likes to stretch many scenes, however empty, so long that it tests the endurance of the viewer. Some filmmakers use this conceptual aloofness and emptiness very effectively, such as Jim Jarmusch, who can make the most trivial on screen actions or details seem meaningful. Sadly, Bonello is not one of those filmmakers. The emotional distance makes sense as (part of the) general message of „Nocturama" – modern life has made us cold and empty – but constantly testing our endurance without payoff does not. At least not to me.

Nocturama - film review

[starimomak · 9/10 · 9 May 2017]

"Nocturama" is a French film written and directed by Bertrand Bonello. Bertrand Bonello is an acclaimed French director most notably known for being a part of the "New French Extremism" film movement. Unlike his earlier films, "The Pornographer" and "Tiresia", "Nocturama" deviates from conventions of the French Extremism movement and delivers a fresh and authentic vision. "Nocturama" is set in Paris and is about a diverse group of 10 young people ranging from 16 to 30 years, all of whom are from different social and racial backgrounds, yet they are all united under the same goal: to commit bomb attacks on 4 different locations in Paris. Once they've executed the plan they hide in an closed shopping mall for the night. This is where the second half of the film takes place.

Upon hearing the plot this film may seen like an ordinary thriller. But, although it has elements of the thriller genre, its focus is not on the plot but rather on the atmosphere and the state of mind of the characters. The film bends the norms of film language, and tells this type of story in a different manner then it usually would've been told.

The film opens up with different young characters roaming the streets of Paris and riding the subway. Their paths cross but they only exchange glances. For the first seven minutes of film there is no dialog, which is a great example of show don't tell style. Even though they don't say anything we know they are up to something, and we feel that something big is about to happen. The story is told non linearly, not only does the film jump form the past to present but we also see the same moments from different points of view. This style is especially reminiscent of the film "Elephant" by Gus Van Sant, a film about a high school shooting based on Columbine High School Massacre. Like "Elephant", "Nocturama" is also filled with shots of characters walking with the camera following them from behind their back. This style of shooting a character evokes a feeling of participation in the viewer which heightens the tension. Another interesting aspect of the film is that there is no main character, but all members of the group are treated equally. We observe them as a collective. Unlike an average thriller this film is not burdened by the need to tie all loose ends. It does not explain how the group came together nor how they came to the idea to commit a terrorist act. We are only given glimpses and hints about these elements of the narrative. The manner of withholding information in telling a story usually leaves the viewer unsatisfied, because he is not given the whole picture. But I personally like that style, for it is expected of the viewer to put all the pieces together and understand how and why it all happened. Once they executed the plan, and the bombs go off, they hide in a closed shopping mall. Here they anxiously wait for the danger to blow off, even though they believe their plan was flawless. Hiding in the hallmark of capitalist consumer society our rebels slowly relax and spend the night trying out new clothes, eating, drinking, playing music, goofing around and following the aftermath of their act on many television sets. Yet even though there seems to be nothing to worry about, we are constantly given the feeling that they are not going to get away with it.

In the end the police find out where they are, and even though our characters are unarmed, the police kills them off one by one. How the police tracked them down is left unknown. The idea of "Nocturama" is obscure. The film asks many questions yet doesn't bother to give any answers. It shows the general discontentment that young people have with the government and social conditions. It portrays them as unified even though there are racial and class differences between them. Their attack was not aimed to kill any civilians, rather to damaged certain government buildings and certain corporation headquarters. Therefore, was their act morally unjust? Or is the question of moral in todays society relevant? At the end when the police arrive they are portrayed as merciless, yet clean and very professional, almost non human. The ending gives out a nihilistic vibe, and leaves the viewer wondering whether any form of rebellion against the government is possible.

Day and Night

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 4 May 2018]

Violence is not the answer. Something that many have been taught, but these kids either never heard of this or didn't listen. So while they plan and execute their "plan", we get a weird mix in the aftermath. Mostly we see them "waiting it out". There are glimpses of (social) media reports and how what they did affected people. But overall this is something that feels cold and meant to be detaching from the main characters.

As much as they are detached from life. It doesn't really give us too much insight into the mindset though, there are too many characters for that. Unless you are able to read between the silences (and there are quite a few of them throughout the movie). But while it is a slow movie, it also has glimpses of violence. Something you have to be aware of, just in case you are appaled by it or can't handle it

Nocturama Drama Rama

[osloj · 3/10 · 24 February 2019]

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

*Plot and ending analyzed*

An overlong and extended pretentious foray into the metaphysical aspects of violence, this film is not without its interest, yet it fails ultimately.

A group of youth, who seem to be idiotic, as well as without any clear ideals, wander what seems like forever in the Paris subways and streets. You can tell right off that they're up to no good. No one pays them any attention.

Bombs explode and they all rendezvous at some shopping mall. There they become even more disinterested and fatigued. More dull scenes fill in the gaps until the fateful ending.

Could have been a five minute film treatise, instead, Director Bertrand Bonello drags it to past the 2 hour mark.

Extras include Director Bertrand Bonello's 'short films', equally tedious, and an interview with another pompous and overblown Frenchman (interviewer) praising Director Bertrand Bonello's 'merits'.

Chef d'oeuvre

[melfantastic · 10/10 · 28 December 2021]

The film is perplex, poetic and meaningful. It is the tale of symptoms of modernity. A group of young people try to find meaning, depth and strong bonds in an individualistic, decadent and desolated world. They rebel, but we never know why.

We are only made to guess against who, when and how.

A masterpiece.

Apathy is not appealing... at all.

[Avwillfan89 · 6/10 · 28 March 2017]

"It's amazing how much time you can spend with a person and still know nothing about them." A quote from the Fifth Estate, where you actually DO get know the characters.

In this film which is over two hours long, is long and tension-filled, but incredibly vague. A group of young Parisian terrorists, from all different backgrounds, plant bombs in different parts of the city, and take refuge inside a luxurious department store.

We never find out why the kids did what they did, why and what locations were targeted, what led them to all come together to do this and what their feelings are about it. They all act indifferent, and are willing to kill anyone who finds them out. Some are more emotional than others, but the feelings are shown to a minimal extent.

In the end, a squat team enter the building and literally gun down every single one of them in cold blood, including ones who are surrendering, and even a homeless couple mistaken for their part in the kid's crimes. It's a horrible disturbing picture coming out too soon after the 2015 Paris attacks.

I never really like things that are too vague, and offer very little sympathy for characters. And this is no exception.

Enter the void

[jasonradar · 1/10 · 28 December 2018]

Bonello obviously wanted to deliver a generational hit, a formal jewel with a shock plot, young actors and a well-made soundtrack. Despite this letter of intent, the director misses his target. Let's cut to the chase, the film is super boring. Protagonists keep walking and walking, in streets, stairs, hallways, corridors. And that's almost all they do. Okay guys, you know how to use a stabilizer, but do you know how to build tension and unforgettable characters? Actors deliver their lines, like brats from banlieue. Most of the time, they lack belief in what they're supposed to do. Their characters have no dimension at all. We don't expect to root for terrorists, but these ones are so empty, we finally do not care at all about what may happen. The "climax" is like the rest, boring and above all, really ill-made. SWAT Teams shoot firecrackers. Ok. Maybe to make us accept this movie is just a dud. The result is limp and boring. A pure disappointment from an ambitious filmmaker. Sometimes it's better to play with heart and guts rather than apply a formula.

Unidentified Filming Object

[searchanddestroy-1 · 4 September 2016]

I did not expect anything special with this movie but certainly not this I just watched. And I was not disappointed at all. But surprised, yes. A very interesting point of view about terrorism for sure, and different from the MADE IN France aspect. Here, a group of young men and women in their early twenties, and also from different race and class origins, not ISIS prototypes, decide to pull four different bomb explosions in Paris, and simultaneously. And just after this done, they shelter in a big and fancy department store. The first part in breath taking even not spectacular at all. It is a really weird film, I warn you folks. It won't please to every one. The second part could a sort of tribute to Georges Romero's DAWN OF TH DEAD - without zombies. The big department stores means the today consumerist society, and a short scene may also be a little tribute to SHINING. The true surprise is the ending, very unusual but after all not so for a French film. The way the authorities and politic power decide to fight against terrorist threat is a real shock to me. A film that makes you think a lot folks. A lot. But, one more time, most of you may not like it.

Some men (and women) just want to watch the world burn

[karimbhs · 6/10 · 10 October 2020]

This movie tells the story of a group of young adults / teenagers who planted bombs throughout Paris, burned a symbols of the past - a statue of Jeanne d'Arc - and then took refuge in a prestigious shopping center at night - les Galleries Lafayettes. The characters haven't stated any clear motive for their actions, and they had no plan after the attacks. In fact, their escape plan was naive and improvised, as if they didnt care about what happens next. The true reason of their actions is left to the viewer interpretation. Maybe they were dissatisfied with their situation and saw no political movement that could channel their energy and give them hope for the future. Maybe they couldnt articulate the true reason of their frustration and could only lash out violently. Maybe its something else, but there is certainly a reason, and this isnt just meaningless. The theme kinda reminded me of Donnie Darko, although the mood/style are vastly different. I think that both express the anger and confusion that we can feel at that age, without understanding its cause. This movie is not without its problems but its definitely worth a watch. Do not expect any kind of conventionnal storytelling going into this movie - which isnt a bad thing.

It could have been deeper...

[RosanaBotafogo · 8/10 · 17 July 2022]

At first confused, with several characters wandering and wandering around the city, until in a second and final act they fit together, and we understand the young people's desires, or not, because the rebel enterprise lacked a better justification in order to create bonds by the young terrorists. And cheering for them, especially because the scenes at the mall leave us with an even more burned impression... And the real, raw, hard, cold and expected outcome... It could have been deeper...

Better than people think, but...

[carkol2005 · 7/10 · 1 June 2021]

I can understand why they have their reservations over this movie. Some essential plot points are barely touched upon, the central motivation of the characters is kinda bland and underdeveloped and the lack of realism is really annoying, specially towards the end. But this movie hits a fair amount of highs as well. The cast is interesting and nuanced, the direction is bold and it works, the score fits the movie quiet well and, in the first half of this movie, it never ceased to intrigue and weird me out. It's true that the second half has its mentioned problems, but it was kinda interesting too. The fact that the characters have such a ball in the mall when it's a total contradiction of their values... is it not hilariously ironic? And the movie never verbalized this, which it's a very clever way of conveying information. But, of course, that makes me wonder something as well: Why these characters are so dumb? I mean, so dumb? I know they are young, but come on! They make some (well, almost all) inexplicable actions in this movie!! That drags the movie down in my opinion. But, overall, I think it's more than decent. 6.8/10.

This is a joke! Don't waste your time!

[alexiovay · 1/10 · 25 February 2018]

I just watched it on Netflix. There is NOTHING happening in this movie. The whole thing feels like filmed by a YouTuber. Scenes aren't even supported by music to build up tension. It's just like you watch messed up (and ugly) teenagers having a bad day. They all just get shot in the end, movie stops, WTF? What's up with the other reviews here? Did you all never watched a good movie or is this your very first movie you ever watched or what?

It Made a Willow Smith Song Horrifying...

[yourfavoritecritic · 8/10 · 24 December 2021]

Nocturama is written and directed by Bertrand Bonello and tells the story of a group of young adults who plan and carry out a series of bombing attacks across Paris. The film follows the adolescent radicals as they take refuge in an abandoned shopping mall overnight. The film sparked controversy in 2016 as it was released no less than a year after the very real Paris attacks in 2015. While the story told is fictional and many movies that display terrorism do it in a bastardized way, Nocturama uses this plot point tastefully and is interwoven into the main themes of the story even if they are not made absolutely clear.

On the surface, Nocturama can come across like an insensitive film that doesn't have a lot to say, with minimal dialogue and characters sort of manoeuvring about one area for an extended period of time, but that is part of the movies beauty. It is certainly not a film for everybody however if you're willing to go into it with an open mind and reflect on decisions made by the characters and how they might translate to the real world the film can truly become an impactful experience. While the act of terrorism is a horrifying decision and the story doesn't establish a clear motive for the characters carrying out such a heavy choice, Nocturama unveils this subtly during its over two-hour runtime. From the way some characters respond initially to the crime they just committed to their actions taken during the extended overnight stay at a mall; some are remorseful and think they have broken brains while others it just comes across as an everyday event, nothing they did was out of the ordinary. This characterization, while not spelled out, is precise and almost requires the viewer to place themselves in that character's shoes and really try to figure what they are exactly feeling. Bonello is a master at elegantly portraying these subtleties that contribute to the larger theme.

Nocturama is a film that may seem like it doesn't have a lot going on but the filmmaker tasked himself with managing several characters in one space and trying to give each enough screen time to tell their story. Even though at times I found there to be one too many characters, I thought Bonello mostly pulled this off. Likewise for a film of this runtime to take place in practically one setting and for it to be as entertaining as it was, is an accomplishment of itself - Nocturama not only sucked me in but was also a great lesson in filmmaking on how to make a self-contained film work. While the film does slow down once the characters arrive at the mall and there are moments that were a little monotonous to get through, Nocturama had me on the edge of my seat the entire time waiting for something to go wrong. Right from the beginning to the very end, I was incredibly tense and the film does a wonderful job at maintaining this sense of uncomfortableness.

As I mentioned earlier Nocturama is not for everyone and I am not expecting others to feel as positive about it as I did, but if you are interested in the film just know that its themes are not made clear and it mostly serves as a movie that requires you to think. While not everything about the film works I do appreciate the risk Bonello took with telling his story and I feel he achieved what he set out to do. Nocturama is a film that's going to stick with me for a long while and is one of 2016's best, and for that reason, I am giving Nocturama an 8/10.

Limp

[FrostyChud · 4/10 · 9 September 2016]

NOCTURAMA starts with a thrilling lesson in pure cinema. For fifteen minutes we follow ten different characters as they silently navigate Paris. We know nothing about them. There is no dialogue. Yet it is gripping.

Bonnello takes his first wrong turn when the bombs go off. The explosions aren't nearly big enough.

The film devolves into mush as soon as the characters end up in the department store. All of the tension that Bonnello built up in the first part of the movie evaporates and the story becomes a heavy-handed critique of capitalism. I hate directors who try to push a political agenda. Bonnello did the same thing in his whorehouse movie. I don't think I'll be seeing another of his movies.

From an ideological point of view, NOCTURAMA swims in bad faith. Today's terrorism does not resemble this. It is much less glamorous and much less innocent. It is not perpetrated by people like Bonnello's good- looking United Colors of Benetton cast. It is perpetrated by schizophrenics and religious freaks. By distorting reality in this way, he robs his story of the power that only fidelity to life could confer on it.

At least we get to see each of these repulsive young fools shot in the end. I think Bonnello wants us to identify with them. "Whoa...this is like...a metaphor for our society...they give us all these luxury consumer goods...but we lose our souls, man...and when we attempt to rebel...we finally understand that we're powerless against the faceless pigs with truncheons and laser scopes!" He ends the film with a pathetic appeal to sentimentality, by having a young black boy (probably supposed to represent Syrian immigrants) beg the SWAT team to help him. All I can say is that I cheered inside when they put a bullet in his heart. Bonnello, you chose propaganda over reality and for that you are an enemy of art.

Does a great job of making the young terrorists seem sympathetic, and relatable.

[Hellmant · 8/10 · 26 January 2018]

'NOCTURAMA': Four Stars (Out of Five)

A French-language dramatic thriller about a group of young multiracial radicals that commit a terrorist attack in Paris. It was written and directed by Bertrand Bonello, and it's one of the best reviewed movies of 2017. The film stars Finnegan Oldfield, Vincent Rottiers, Hamza Meziani, Manal Issa, Martin Guyot, Jamil McCraven and Rabah Nait Oufella. I found it to be long, and disturbing, but definitely interesting and well made too.

The story is set in Paris, when a group of young multiracial adults decide they're fed up with the current government and need to do something about it. So they stage multiple bombings; on a government building, an office tower, and a statue of Joan of Arc. The group then hides out in a shopping mall, while they wait for tensions to die down outside. As they wait, the stress among them builds to extreme levels.

The movie does a great job of making the young terrorists seem sympathetic, and relatable. Of course most of us would never do what they do in the film, but still the filmmakers paint a very understanding picture of their reasons and motives. You have to respect a film that can make the viewer respect those that are usually seen as the most deplorable among us, and that's what this movie does. It's a bit long, and definitely dark, but it's still more than worth a viewing.

Disappointing. Missing information about the group of saboteurs, what binds them together and their reasoning why they did what they did

[JvH48 · 5/10 · 7 February 2017]

Saw this at the Rotterdam film festival 2017 (website: iffr.com). In a word disappointing. The screenplay went very different from what I assumed beforehand given the synopsis on festival website. But what bothered me the most were the stupid repeats, often completely out of sync. It was not boring, however, and the diversity of the protagonists compensated a bit for the lack of real contents and missing insights in what made them tick. Anyway, the average festival visitor was not impressed. This movie ranked at a lowly 122nd place (out of 172).

Much running time is devoted to assembling the group before they came into action, however without telling anything about their plans, why they did it this way, and how this group came together in the first place. The group is a peculiar mixture of colors, backgrounds, education and everything else that could have worked as binding element, which I would a priori assume as useful information given their intentions. The synopsis on the IFFR website warned beforehand for a "non-political hole" as the "abyss the characters gaze into". My own conspiracy theory is that the film makers wanted to avoid any link to religion or right/left-wing politics, in a desperate attempt to prevent viewers from being affronted or insulted.

Apart from the void political stance, the reasoning about hiding in the warehouse overnight is puzzling too. We amply observe with our own eyes that it is a huge risk, given the size of the warehouse and the many temptations inside, let alone that some group members take enormous risks of being exposed or get detached from the group. Take for instance the one who desperately wanted a smoke after being warned several times by fellow group members for smoke detectors inside. So he had to leave the building, where he even invited an apparent hobo inside to relieve him of the cold weather.

The news fragments we saw on TV's inside the building foreshadowed the outcome of this sabotage deed. It was stated with so many words that these terrorists were declared enemies of the state, and that there was no obligation for any negotiation. A happy ending seems thus far away.

Had some potential here and there, but so much of it was smothered in a cold and distant approach

[brianberta · 4/10 · 12 September 2020]

This film brought to mind questions on whether you can enjoy a film if you don't know what the director is going for, to which I'd answer yes. For instance, "The Color of Pomegranates" and "El Topo" sailed over my head, but I still enjoyed the mood and feel to them. With this film though, I was frequently wondering whether I was getting anything out of it.

Before I go any further though, I'll state that there are some aspects and scenes which, in a vacuum, worked really well. For instance, I liked that the violence was used sparingly and had a direct, matter-of-fact approach which resisted excitement or awe and how the minutes before the final act made for a strong slice of buildup, with the scenes of the terrorists trying on clothes or listening to music taking on a different feel than they did beforehand. Also, certain scenes stuck with me for a while such as David's nighttime walk through the city which raised a couple implications towards the motives of the terrorists or Yacine wearing a wig and makeup during his rendition of "My Way", which, due to an early conversation where Yacine, thinking he was being treated as a clown, refused to sing for the group, seemed to be masking something deeper. Overall, there's some bits I really like and some competent filmmaking here and there. This potential though was smothered so much in an approach which left me cold and distant.

As said, so much of this film left me wondering whether I was getting anything out of it and the opening 50 or so minutes are a prime example of this. In spite of all the visual and editing techniques Bonello utilized here (cross-cutting, flashbacks, split screen effects), this sequence ultimately failed to connect with me. I found it to be mostly lacking in suspense given it failed to establish stakes or threats which could've potentially disrupted the terrorist plot for a number of the characters involved or by cutting to flashbacks that occurred before (?) the bombing, sacrificing much of the narrative momentum in this sequence in the process (which wasn't even a lot to begin with). As it stood, the sequence really dragged and didn't leave much of an impression on me. Unfortunately, the second half didn't fare much better. One reviewer made a case for it by writing "Why pigeonhole these characters by allying them with a specific political ideology when you can let their actions...speak for them?" Giving the characters a political ideology wasn't what I was looking for. Rather, watching them interact with the various material goods in the department store didn't mean much to me. As stated earlier, Yacine's rendition of "My Way" was effective, but the rest of their actions lacked the interesting motivations that Yacine's sub-plot had and so much of what went on didn't interest me much and felt like filler for something which never occurred. Finally, the ending felt like brutality for brutality's sake. The only interpretation I have for the ending in order for it to make sense is that the terrorists carried about their plot as a response to the unethical behavior of the police in the city, except I can't find enough evidence to back up that interpretation. If this was Bonello's intention, this theme would've had to been hammered into the film more for the final act to hit as hard as it could've. As it stood, while I appreciated it somewhat, it didn't seem like it was making a coherent point and left me, like so much of what else happened in the film, cold (I also thought the shootings were portrayed in an awkward way, but that might just be me). Really, a lot of this film felt like a shell of what could've been a great film.

A bunch of other aspects annoyed me as well. For instance, there was a recurring motif of presenting a scene several times from multiple angles and perspectives, and this worked well enough at some points (showing the bombs exploding in this style, for instance), but more often than not, this made for some distractingly annoying editing which seemed kind of pointless. Secondly, the flashbacks were integrated into the film in a pretty awkward manner that took away from the film, like the aforementioned flashbacks in the first 50 minutes or David's flashback after his nighttime walk through the city which seemed unnecessary. Finally, some scenes stuck out as being exceedingly bad, like one of the aforementioned scenes shown from multiple perspectives during the ending sequence, or a randomly placed, tonal breaking nightmare which bordered on the supernatural with how it seemed to blend into reality (which, if that's the case, is even more egregious).

Really, while there's a few quality scenes and aspects mixed into this film, they're buried in such a myriad of flaws that I just can't recommend this. It's a shame, really, because this is such a unique approach to the genre which is rare to come by and Bonello had a good framework to tackle this approach with, but after watching it both times, it just sort of came and went by and, once the credits rolled, I didn't retain much of my experience with it.

A Surprising Dichotomy

[ObscureFilmLover · 5/10 · 16 September 2020]

After watching this movie, I turned to critics for some context. The guy writing for Roger Ebert compared it to achievements of past legendary directors. I wondered what I missed.

Apparently some people believe that this movie has a grand stylish message. It may have. However, the story needs to make internal sense for the viewer to suspend disbelief and accept the movie's inherent points.

The first part of the movie was flawless. The characters engaged in a highly co-ordinated well planned well rehearsed plan to blow up four different areas of Paris at the same time. This comes off almost perfectly. The disbelief then sets in. Instead of melting back into ordinary life to hide in plain sight, the terrorists for unknown reasons hole up in a department store. As the night goes on, it becomes more apparent that there is no leader (who planned and practiced the bombings) and no discipline resulting in the deaths of most of the terrorists.

Its a farce. One guy was supposed to tie the guards up and instead kills them. When asked why he says: "Dunno." There is one terrorist who waunders outside the store periodically to smoke a cigarette. He's blown up half of Paris but yet he's obeying the smoking laws. He encounters a young woman on a bicycle who observes that the bombings had to happen. Why? We are not told.

The one big discovery is the actress, Laure Valentnelli. She is a striking presence with this film as her only credit. Although its been five years, hopefully she will surface in another film soon.