Reviews
John Chard

John Chard

April 2, 2016
8.0
The war they tried to ignore! L'ennemi intime (Intimate Enemies) is a raw picture looking at French conscripts during the Algeria War. It was a war that was fought for 8 years between 1954-1962, it was also a war that France failed to even acknowledged had existed until over three decades later. Pic picks up the thread in 1959 and the focal point is the relationship between Lieutenant Terrien (Benoît Magimel) and Sergent Dougnac (Albert Dupontel). The former is the new guy, idealistic, while the latter is the grizzled and battled scarred veteran. The Barbarian Hordes. With the French locked in battle against the Algerian rebels, the film runs the protagonists through the psychological mangler. The horrors of war are born out, with both sides of the conflict depicted with a barbarity that's harrowing in nature. As the pic progresses you can see Terrien being worn down by what he observes, the key being he is losing his idealistic heart. Moral dilemmas are deftly inserted into the screenplay, but disappointingly the political thrum that was driving the conflict is given short shrift. From an action stand point director and co-writer Florent-Emilio Siri strikes hard, with two particular sequences - one a field of fleeing soldiers and the finale involving air-strikes - outstanding in construction. Siri also knows when to tighten the emotional noose, bringing to us poignant scenes that leave a lump in the throat. Giovanni Fiore Coltellacci's cinematography is also to be applauded, muted colours mingle with stark framing compositions to really give the sense of realism that the screenplay demands and deserves. Aside from the lack of political basis (we need to know more about this war), the only other real problems with the piece is the conventionality, and that it inevitably is filled with war film stereotypes. However, this is very good film making and the makers bring the story to vivid life, always remaining fascinating and certainly unforgettable. 8/10

Recommendation Movies

6.2
Comedy
View
6.2
Louise-Michel
Louise-Michel2008
6.4
Action
View
6.4
Cash Truck
Cash Truck2004
6.2
Comedy
View
6.2
Locked Out
Locked Out2006
4.8
Comedy
View
4.8
Agathe Cléry
Agathe Cléry2008
6.9
Drama
View
6.9
A Perfect Man
A Perfect Man2015
7.1
Thriller
View
7.1
The Connection
The Connection2014
7.8
Documentary
View
7.8
Blackfish
Blackfish2013
5.8
Adventure
View
5.8
The Brothers Grimm
The Brothers Grimm2005
8.2
Drama
View
8.2
Capernaum
Capernaum2018
6.1
Action
View
6.1
Hitman
Hitman2007
7.4
Drama
View
7.4
The Best of Me
The Best of Me2014
6.8
Horror
View
6.8
Barbarian
Barbarian2022
7.5
Drama
View
7.5
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button2008
6.9
Drama
View
6.9
The Witch
The Witch2016
8.2
Action
View
8.2
Top Gun: Maverick
Top Gun: Maverick2022
7.9
Action
View
7.9
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Spider-Man: No Way Home2021
8.4
Adventure
View
8.4
Interstellar
Interstellar2014
8
Drama
View
8
Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer2023
8.5
Comedy
View
8.5
Parasite
Parasite2019
7.4
War
View
7.4
Dunkirk
Dunkirk2017
© 2024 MoovieTime. All rights reserved.Made with Nuxt