One of the Dogme 95, this is the story of a bus load of people who end up lost in the African desert thanks to a non-functioning compass. Stranded at a deserted mining camp the group decides to put on a production of King Lear to pass the time. Tempers and passions flair as emotions become raw and exposed in the burning sun.
As with all Dogme films this is low tech and in your face. The people and the emotion are the story. These are films that allow actors to show you how good they are. These are also films that can irritate the hell out of you because very often they come across as extremely contrived. This film is an example of both being a really good actors showcase and being contrived.
The problem for me with this film is that at the outset I didn't care about anyone. I found the group to be a bunch of high maintenance people who are now in a situation where they can whine some more. The feeling lessened as time went on and things begin to happen, but it took awhile. I think part of the problem was that I disliked the set up, which seemed far too artificial, though certainly it's plausible.
I also wasn't that keen on how some of the film was shot. Like all Dogme 95 films its shot using only hand held cameras so the film has an odd feel at times. It mimics, as some people have pointed out, the look one would get if one had shot the film using a camcorder, which lends a sense of being an actual record, but at the same time it seems careless and jarring, and less than natural, despite the fact it strives to be.
I liked this film. I didn't love it. I think I would have liked it more if I had come in a few minutes late and could have thought that I missed something. It's a rather bleak film with some people I didn't care for. It's a hard film to warm up to for that reason. If you're interested in an off beat dark drama I'd give this a try, though I would suggest you weigh your decision against how you feel about any previous Dogme films you've seen.
6 out of 10 (your mileage may vary)
As with all Dogme films this is low tech and in your face. The people and the emotion are the story. These are films that allow actors to show you how good they are. These are also films that can irritate the hell out of you because very often they come across as extremely contrived. This film is an example of both being a really good actors showcase and being contrived.
The problem for me with this film is that at the outset I didn't care about anyone. I found the group to be a bunch of high maintenance people who are now in a situation where they can whine some more. The feeling lessened as time went on and things begin to happen, but it took awhile. I think part of the problem was that I disliked the set up, which seemed far too artificial, though certainly it's plausible.
I also wasn't that keen on how some of the film was shot. Like all Dogme 95 films its shot using only hand held cameras so the film has an odd feel at times. It mimics, as some people have pointed out, the look one would get if one had shot the film using a camcorder, which lends a sense of being an actual record, but at the same time it seems careless and jarring, and less than natural, despite the fact it strives to be.
I liked this film. I didn't love it. I think I would have liked it more if I had come in a few minutes late and could have thought that I missed something. It's a rather bleak film with some people I didn't care for. It's a hard film to warm up to for that reason. If you're interested in an off beat dark drama I'd give this a try, though I would suggest you weigh your decision against how you feel about any previous Dogme films you've seen.
6 out of 10 (your mileage may vary)