One of two films called THE DAMNED that hit festivals at around the same time. The other is period thriller on distant island. This film follows a group of Union soldiers who are sent into the American West in order to guard an unspecified border.
That this film won awards and got glowing reviews is something I can't understand. There is quite simply nothing here.
There are no characters. None. We kind of know who they are by their look but thats it. There is no real attempt to build characters. Any dialog is of the sort that no one would ever say. It all feels like it was taken from journals and articles, not from life.
There is no narrative. It's a bunch of non entities wandering into the wilderness. Where they are is never explained. What they are doing beyond "guarding the border" is never explained. They are supposed to be waiting for another group to meet them, but how the hell will they find them because they are in the middle of nowhere at a place that was randomly chosen.
Don't get me started with the few events the few events that happen. The bad guys, it's assumed it's the South, but it isn't clear, attack twice, once after moving into position in front of the sentries who would have seen them. When four men wander off to check on a way through the mountains and there is snow, then there is a sequence without snow and then the snow is back.
When the film ended I literally had no idea why I bothered, because there was no context to anything. It was as if the film simply existed just to show life on the plains. But there is absolutely nothing here. Zip.
As a recreation of life for soldiers it does seem to have a place, but, I'd rather go see a re-enactment where I could talk to the guys.
Skip this film because this is a film that will leave you scratching your head if it doesn't put you to sleep.
No comments:
Post a Comment