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Reviews
The Devil's Hour (2022)
A distinctly British BBC gem that gripped me in its first 5 minutes
I just finished watching episode 2, hence my 9 is in theory only potential, except that what I've read here from other viewers makes it already subjectively definitive. (It feels like "remembering the future" ;) I'm "floored" by this superb distinctly British production and it brings back memories, some 15 years ago, of catching unintendedly, on one of our French channels and in proper original just subtitled version, the same top quality 6-episode format, gripping me from the first to the last minute, the BBC political thriller "State of Play", with John Simms haunting it!
Side note: I was rather appaled by the very high proportion of comments that went "Impossible not to binge-watch this!!", and deem it an unfortunate and disquieting "state of things", or "sign of the times". Binge-watch any 6- or 7-rated show you choose, but when you come across such a 6x50-minute gem, recognize it and HOLD it, hold the temptation to wallow in it overnight just because your limbic system urges you to! Learn to dose it instead. This episode 2 was my 2nd session in front of it, and I'll easily savour the 4 left ones one at a time, so much filled and inspired I get after 50 minutes of this (plus needing to pause, instead of rushing to more).
The cinematography is superb on all counts (shots, effects, sound, pacing, etc.) and the acting is 1st rate from everyone, and even a notch better than that from close to omnipresent Jessica Raine, playing super-difficult mood changes and mixtures without ever one false note, and instead with even unexpected subtle twists of face or subdued wording that don't cease to amaze me!
I won't go further after watching only a third of the show, but I'm pretty sure I'll want to supplement my comments when I'm finished watching (in the afterglow of the convincingly announced climax "where all will be revealed" of the last episode {Thank you all for your substantial quality comments!}).
The Great Wall (2016)
A highly colored and entertaining moral fable on greed vs trust, if a tad linear
The most striking and spectacular aspect of this film is the treatment of the huge attacking Tao Tei crowds and of the specialised Nameless Order battalions (their specific colors and impeccable attire), pitting those hordes of, in all reason, unbeatable monsters, against the epitomy of human-chinese clockwork battle intelligence, and courage... within the momentous setting of the Great Wall, which is given by the film a more meaningful (imaginary) purpose than thought.
Behind the spectacular, it stages "meanings/purposes" in a finite human existence, the choice between to have and to be, grabbing black powder (waiting for 25 years to do so if need be) and running back West with potential power and riches vs "Sey-rin", purpose beyond the material, bearing one's share of Trust and creating shared trust and purpose for higher human benefit.
The image cinematics are very well staged: most of the action, although a tad repetitive as in most monsters movies, retain our attention for their ballet-like dynamics and aesthetics.
The acting is solid and convincing with such a cast, starting with Matt Damon, a cameo Willem Dafoe, and the seasoned chinese leading actors.
It all goes a bit predictably and no complicated tragic issue comes to blur the moral intent, but for those of us who are intent on keeping a candid look at things, it still works nicely, I thought.
The Violent Earth (1998)
A rare, captivating, very human saga, spanning one century... and hidden in the forlorn "Pacific" of filmdom / IMDb !
"Hear, hear" for Pixie463, so well-inspired in his or her praise of this 3-part saga... 20 years ago, soon after the films were shot!
I find it striking that this little piece of IMDb turf is somehow in the saga's image: lost in an ocean of thousands of referenced movies or series, a distant speck overshadowed by blockbusters continents, mentioned here by three rare commentors who reached its shores at 5 or 10 years intervals (now four, 5 years after my both eerie and touching predecessor), when you can spend a night failing to go through hundreds of dissing comments "on the continents"!
The saga is brilliantly in the "colors of life", tragic and heart-beating, deepening human history by spanning 3 generations, opportunately showing how "it all happens for a reason", and also illustrating how much character any of us needs to endure the (numerous) hardships of life and how much faith (of any color) we must kindle to maintain hope that, after all, it's all worth it and does bring us a measure of grace if we've worked to deserve it.
I caught the first part 5 years ago on « France O' » (the French public channel devoted to France' overseas territories, their current culture, their history, etc.), and it made that kind of memorable impression me. These days, France O' is rerunning the 3 parts, I taped #2 and 3, just finished watching the 2nd... and can't go to bed without lingering on it.
French actress Claire Nebout (Hélène) is charismatic as usual and I'm delighted to have discovered Claudia Kevan (Jeanne) in E2, her acting is superior all the way through.
Since we're in Australian waters or just about, I must say it brings back memories and emotions of being enthralled, decades ago, by "The Thorn Birds".
Heartilly recommended if it ever reaches one of your shores!