Krigsseileren

Structured like a sweeping epic, Krigsseileren tells about the efforts of Norwegian commercial sailors in the Atlantic theatre during WWII. Two of Norwegian cinema's best actors over the past 10 to 20 years, Kristoffer Joner and Pål Sverre Hagen, play Alfred and Sigbjørn, two friends and conflicting personalities who deal with the pressures of the war operations and their ensuing effects on their personal lives after the war in each their own way. Left behind in Norway are Alfred's wife and children - and a whole nation with a lacking understanding of the war sailors' efforts and experiences. Writer/director Gunnar Vikene (Himmelfall) clearly has made it his personal agenda to tell the story of this oft-forgotten group of people, and although such passionate drive sometimes leads to indulgence, the film's strong sense of humanity and compassion elevates it and carries it through even in parts where the narrative staggers. A combination of authenticity, technical brilliance, and a clear artistic framework makes this into an all-encompassing viewing experience. That's Joner's own daughter Téa Grønner Joner playing his character's oldest child after the war.

A superb war movie!

What a pleasant surprise this film turned out to be. The cinematography, editing, effects and music are all top notch and help tell a story about some great characters. I feared it would be a Michael Bay-ish, bombastic, humorless action fest. It's not.

This is a somber film about the horrors of war, both for the men and their families back home. Joner and Hagen both give superb performances, but the strong supporting actors are the real surprise.

I spoke to a war historian after the screening, who also loved the film, and his biggest complaint was the lack of hair cuts and one piece of clothing in one scene. I'd say that is pretty good.

This is a human story, so the language barrier shouldn't be a problem. I urge you to check it out if you're interested in war history or human dramas in general. Also, the fact that they made this on what is a shoestring budget in Hollywood, is impressive!

No wonder this is Norway's candidate for best Foreign Language Film at next year's Academy Awards. It's a tough one to beat. Two thumbs way up!

Just when we thought nothing of quality is left, nothing worth our time, what we have left of it. War Sailor shows up on Netflix. As real a depiction of events which shaped our world as you are likely to see. Transportation to another place and time at a historic moment in history, for the price of your Netflix subscription. Driven by a massive budget, insightful direction and powered by a screenplay that at times seems as if the words spoken were transcribed as they were overheard. Empowering performances that transcend the ordinary. Your mind tells you these are actors but your eyes and heart tell you differently. You come to believe this is real flesh and blood torn by events unfolding in Europe as the spreading war takes its toll. Highly recommended.

One of the best war movies I've seen. I thought I'd seen so many war and catastrophe movies I'd become numb to the emotional drama and could only be stimulated by history lessons and battlefield action but this one gripped me. The storytelling and cinematography was oddly neutral and engaging at the same time, avoiding over the top melodrama and anticlimatically predictable climaxes, sticking to the point over a nonlinear plotline for three hours. The lack of cliche and subtelty made the movie seem lifelike and relevant unlike so many other historical dramas. For instance the way you learned of the sinking of the first crew or the reaction to being dropped in shallow water from the oily survivor. The life and the sadness in every scene made this movie worth watching.

I'm partial to films based on historic events and facts. The dramatizations give us a glimpse into how those events affected individual lives, lending a better understanding of the past and the present.

The high quality production values of this series include a delicately understated script (always a favorite), compelling performances, and sensitive direction. The friendship between the two main characters struggling to follow their better angels is a haunting backdrop to the horrors of war.

The heartbreaking denouement is a reminder of the persistent scars and lifelong consequences for veterans and the society at large. The film is not an indictment of war, but rather the aggressor.