Essential Killing

I can't say that 'Essential Killing' is essential viewing. It's about a man named Mohammed (Vincent Gallo), a terrorist on the run from the US army in Afghanistan. Mohammed is captured and detained in a Guantanamo Bay facsimile, where he is given the treatment we've all read about. But en route to being transferred, perhaps extradited, the car he's in crashes on the snowy roads of Poland where he makes good his escape. The rest of the film is a chase.

One thing the film tries to do is humanise Mohammed. Recurring visions of his unveiled wife and child, and excerpts from the Koran, influence us into believing that Mohammed himself isn't a threat, but the fascistic ideology he subscribes to is ('Allah killed those men', his thought-process reassures him after he's killed a number of innocents).

Watching this film I kept wondering if Gallo was the right choice. I won't say it would have been better for a Middle-Easterner to play Mohammed because that would betray the very idea of acting. But one thing's for sure: Gallo doesn't convince as an Afghan.

There are too many conveniences. Mohammed is rendered deaf by an explosion, so can't respond to people. (Would it have been that difficult to learn a few words of Pashto?). It's apocryphal that he'd be such an efficient killer in his emaciated condition. And would being attacked by feral dogs, caught in a bear trap, crushed by a tree, starved and submerged in sub-zero waters not be enough to kill you? Apparently not mighty Mohammed.

The disjointed score is a distraction. Clearly that's the point, but it would have made what little suspense there is no less palpable to have no soundtrack at all. Director Jerzy Skolimowski might have realised from the absence of dialogue that silence is often the loudest noise.

It's a demanding role physically, and Gallo gives an almost animalistic portrayal of a man whose only dilemma is kill or be killed. What's both good and bad is that Gallo doesn't appear to be acting. The film features a few harrowing scenes, including one where Gallo, desperate for nourishment, sucks the milk from a pregnant woman's breast while she's breastfeeding her child. I'm sure I've never seen anything quite as grotesque. If any actor was going to do that, it'd have to be him.

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You've rarely seen a movie like Jerzy Skolimowski's "Essential Killing". Vincent Gallo (of "Buffalo '66") plays an escaped POW from Afghanistan who roams the European countryside in midwinter hoping to be able to survive in this unfamiliar setting. The absence of dialogue - except for a few lines - gives the film an especially surreal feel. There's no particular political message. The message is: when you're on your own, you'd better have your wits about you.

This is the first Skolimowski movie that I've seen. I'm impressed. I hope to be able to see more of his movies. In the mean time, I recommend this one.

Also starring Emmanuelle Seigner (Roman Polanski's wife).

An Afghan POW attempts his escape , but he is captured by the US military in Afghanistan , he is named Mohammed (Vincent Gallo) and is transported to a secret military black site somewhere in the Eastern Europe , being transferred for interrogation (David Price as interrogation officer) at a installation similarly to Guantanamo . When the armed convoy which transports to him suffers a crash accident , Mohammed manages to getaway from his captors , as he escapes across a steep hill, among snowy outdoors and freeze landscapes . Relentlessly chased by an army that officially does not exist, , Monhammed attempts to survive when he finds a countrywoman named Margaret (Emmanuelle Seigner) .

This frenzied movie contains pure action-packed , thriller , suspense , frozen hell and thought-provoking moments . This exciting picture results to be a co-production between Poland|Norway|Ireland| Hungary and deals with an interminable chase in which the protagonist finds himself suddenly free and on the run behind the enemy lines , being relentlessly pursued by American troops on a continent he does not know , that seems to see somewhere in the Eastern Europe . Awesome interpretation by Vincent Gallo as Mohammed , a man who must constantly confront the need to murder in order to survive . Gallo is superb as a real Taliban as physical as playing . Vincent Gallo's role demanded him to do things like walk barefoot on the snow with the temperature reaching minus 30 degrees Celsius. In the breastfeeding scene, Vincent Gallo insisted on getting a real lactating woman for the role. Furthermore , there appears in a secondary role Emmanuelle Seigner , Roman Polanski's muse and wife . While some characters are named in the end credits, no names are used in the film itself . Very good and colorful cinematography by Adam Sikora , showing splendidly hostile, snow blanketed forests and cold landscapes . Emotive and sensitive musical score by Pawel Mykietyn . The motion picture was compellingly directed by the Polish Jerzy Skolimowski . He is a prestigious director, playwright, scriptwriter, painter and actor . And one of the best Polish filmmakers along with Roman Polanski and Andrzej Wajda , both of them are good friends . As Skolimowski has directed good films such as ¨Adventures of Gerard¨ , ¨Deep end¨ , ¨The shout¨, ¨The lightship¨ , ¨Success is the best revenge¨ , ¨Torrents of spring¨ , among others .¨Essential Killing¨ rating : Good , better than average , worthwhile watching .

Refreshingly unlike a lot of Hollywood's products where one is fed the director's opinion and invited to swallow it whole. Here a simple story is told without the usual, clearly identified good and bad characters. We watch a story thread its course and are invited to decide for ourselves who, if anyone, is guilty or innocent. Mahommed, the main character, could easily have been portrayed as the stereotypical Jihadist instead he is depicted as frightened and confused which one would suppose are the normal reactions to the situation he finds himself in. It is set in stark but beautiful environments and one can vividly feel the pain and deprivation which is depicted in a most understated manner. This film is different, it is in a league of its own and will be appreciated by anyone with a mind of their own - essential viewing for those who don't.

I saw this film today. While not perfect, it is a very good film. This is about a character that does not want to kill at all, feels horrible about it, but has no other choice. Gallo's performance is his best yet, very convincing and telling. The cinematography is stunning. The music is also quite good, adding more to the tension. (I didn't like the end credits song very much though). It's a very simple story, but it is told well. I appreciate this kind of film, where there is not a great deal of dialogue, just a simple story, good acting, and great photography. I don't need a ton of action, plot twists, subplots, or overindulgent dialogue. So something like Essential Killing is a film I can enjoy. Of course that doesn't mean it's for everyone.

There are a few small weaknesses (I found the ending felt very abrupt - maybe there could have been a way to make it feel less so), but overall I would rate the film an 8.5. It is a compelling, revealing and rewarding experience.