Soeurs d'armes

"Soeurs d'armes" (Sisters in Arms) delivers a captivating story with a 7/10 rating from me, and I found it quite likable. The acting, particularly the chemistry between the two lead characters, is a standout, bringing depth and authenticity to their complex relationship in the midst of wartime chaos. The film editing keeps the narrative engaging, while its strength lies in shedding light on the often-overlooked perspective of female fighters in conflict zones. However, a minor weakness might be occasional pacing issues. The music subtly underscores the emotional undertones of the film, and the cinematography captures both the brutality and camaraderie of the battlefield. "Soeurs d'armes" is a poignant exploration of the bonds forged in the crucible of war, reminding us of the strength and resilience of women who stand together against all odds.

There are stories that do not make the news or do not seem as big as others. Maybe people are not interested in some. I mean right now most of the news cycle is about the Corona epidemic, while there are so many other attrocities commited and done. Some of them war related. Women taking up arms and fighting for what is right and oppression - it's happening and this was quite interesting to watch.

Yes you'll get some cliches along the way (or what seems like cliches), but the journey is worth it. Not an easy watch overall, but one that seems necessary for some to be reminded of certain things going on around the world we may not be so aware of.

Syria, mid-2010s. The radical jihadist group Islamic State / ISIS is gaining ground, arbitrarily murdering anyone who gets in their way and kidnapping women. Over time the people of the area start to fight back. One such unit is a group of women, who, due to the atrocities committed against women and against their families and friends by ISIS, are personally invested in the fight.

An interesting story and one that needed to be told. The fact that it is a group of women makes for particularly powerful story as the barbaric customs of ISIS saw them treating women as less than human. The women are thus fighting for more than just their homeland but for their right to exist and be treated equally. It also makes the stakes very high for the women in the unit as capture would mean a fate worse than death.

While the film has great ideals and a good central story, unfortunately the execution is quite clumsy. There's heaps of sub-plots and scenes that add nothing to proceedings. The plot is filled with trite, predictable, cheesy developments and gung ho characterisations. Some originality and grittiness would have gone a long way.

Overall, not terrible but could have been a whole lot better.

One of thousands side of a stupid religion's brutality story. I should have loved this... great acting and characters... good storyline. If you haven't watch it, go watch it!

Overall a worthwhile film. Yet half of their story (unless you're multilingual) is lost; the CC does not translate the foreign language, and this is an issue with many other films.

How are we supposed to understand the deeper message, the cultural differences, when there is no translation? Again, this is pervasive in many good foreign films, this is only one example.

So having watched this, and appreciating their struggle, we only get half of the story. I find this reprehensible; when will directors and producers finally wake up and give the rest of us the whole picture?

For this reason, I only give it seven stars, and that rating is more then generous.