Audience Member
A movie a few good elements, such as a novel plot, but eventually the narrative is inconclusive and poor, to use a euphemism.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
02/14/23
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Audience Member
I loved this film, despite the fact that It’s difficult to piece together the location, time period, or just what kind of partisan group this story represents, if any. It’s equally difficult to tell what the relationship of the main character is to the harem of women and children who he reigns over with total control and social isolation. At times the Partisan is kind, benevolent, and loving as the father figure to the many small children in his care. But, his seeming kindness is completely negated by the fact that he is has trained his young son as a brutal, dispassionate assassin and sends him out to kill three different men over the course of the film. Although the audience is not let in on the reason why. The film leaves many questions unanswered, but the actors are superb, the storyline riveting, and we’re left feeling deep compassion for the women and children whose lives and psyche the Partisan has torn apart.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
06/24/20
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Audience Member
Review:
For such a basic movie about a man, Gregori (Vincent Cassel) who builds his own territory for troubled women with children, and also lives with his wife Susanna (Florence Mezzara) and young son Alexander (Jeremy Chabriel), who is a trained cold blooded killer, it really did touch me. Alexander just wants do be a normal young boy, and he is curious about the outside world and the right and wrongs of life but his father has his own ideas for Alexander, and he tries to gear him towards the secluded life that he has built. After the strange disappearance of a young boy, who turns against Gregori, Alexander becomes weary of his father's intentions and he starts to question his life as an assassin, which doesn't go down to well with Gregori. His love for his mother and there new born baby, makes him take matters into his own hands, so he can better there life and get them away from the demanding and extremely unorthodox, Gregori. This is definitely an original concept, with some great acting from Cassel, Chabriel and the little boy who goes against Gregori. The whole trained assassin element, was a bit weird and the fact that they kept on getting away with it, wasn't very realistic but the rest of the storyline was great. Scenes like when Gregori's methods were questioned by the little boy, who was totally against killing the chicken, made this film a joy to watch and the transformation for Cassel, who really did look like he had the world on his shoulders, was also impressive. For a low budget, independent movie, that didn't get the biggest distribution campaign from the studio, I'm glad that I gave this movie a chance because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great!
Round-Up:
French actor Vincent Cassel, 49, first impressed me in the movie La Haine in 1995, and he has gone on to make big budget movies like Joan of Arc, Shrek, Irreversible, Ocean's 12 & 13, Derailed, Eastern Promises, Mesrine, Black Swan, A Dangerous Method and Child 44. His next big movie, Jason Bourne alongside Matt Damon, proves that he definitely has the ability to star in big budget movies, while he still makes films for his native country but I personally think that he doesn't get the recognition that he deserves. Anyway, this movie was directed and written by Ariel Kleiman, 31, who has only made 5 shorts in his career. For his first major project, he certainly got the most out of the actors and the great script kept the movie interesting, from beginning to end.
I recommend this movie to people who are into their thriller/dramas starring Vincent Cassel, Jeremy Chabriel, Florence Mezzara and Charlotte Miller. 7/10
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/18/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Dull drama as a young boy rebels against the cult leader of his community whilst the boy is trained as an assassin.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
02/10/23
Full Review
Audience Member
The film with its dark themes and premise is passable, but given its clearly set in Eastern Europe, and full on non-English speaking actors, it feels slightly weird that this is all done in English.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Not for everyone, this is a moody piece which tends to try too hard in reaching art house standards.
The premise is interesting, but the film as a whole fails to both grip me as a viewer and stir my emotion.
I can't help but think that a lot more could and should have been done with Gregori and Alexander's relationship to at least make the ending mean more than it actually did.
And....where are the Police?? Surely a threat to Gregori's ideal world would create more tension and vulnerability.
Interesting, but fails to reach the heights i was expecting.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/26/23
Full Review
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