Vaincre ou mourir

A beautiful movie for a low-budget film shot in just 18 days!

A big unexpected success in France

A film about a very sad part of the history of France that the french republic has always sought to conceal.

Go and watch it, so that the massacre of hundreds of thousands of Vendeans will not be forgotten in the face of a republic which organized a real genocide (which is tried to be hidden...)

I hope that this theme will be discussed again because this period of history should not be forgotten.

Many other great Vendée generals also deserve a film about their history.

We will not forget all those who fought to defend their king, their religion and their freedom against the barbarism of the republic.

I know I have used that before - though I reckon I do like Her Story - more of a pun! Speaking of which - no pun intended of course. I did not know of this man and the story the movie is telling us. Everyone knows about Napoleon and other people (though even with them I doubt many know all the details - movie knowledge aside), but if you are not French (and even then) you will get a "new" story here.

I quite like the setting (time period, clothing/costumes and so forth), the action ... and it is always nice to root for the "little man" (not Napoleon in this case - sorry not sorry). So if you care about history (and his story), you will enjoy this either way. But if you like costume movies in general and don't care much about that ... you still will have a good time ... well you know what I mean ... the inevitable end will come as with every movie (well not literally) ...

Vaincre ou Mourir is a unique and captivating project from Puy du Fou Films, who launched it as their first production with a remarkable low 5 million euro budget and no public money contrary to the totality of the other French cinematographic productions. Despite the lack of press and media attention, it achieved great success, becoming one of the top box office films of the year and amassing over 300,000 admissions. The movie is a powerful retelling of François-Athanase Charette de La Contrie's extraordinary journey during the Vendée War, combining beautiful visuals, a dramatic score, and an emotionally engaging narrative for an immersive experience. Rod Paradot stars as Charette, a figure of great perseverance, as viewers are taken through his struggles and his commitment to his path and convictions. While there is some over-the-top dialogue, Vaincre ou Mourir succeeds in capturing the spirit of history and the resilience of the people of the Vendée region. It was a great success, though unfortunately not all cinema networks were keen to show it, because of the subject of the Vendéen genocide orchestrated by the idols of the French left.

Two potential criticisms of this documentary include the limited number of extras, which requires the camera to use close shots, and the prominence of the voice-over by Charette.

It is worth noting that the filmmakers consulted different historians with varying opinions, rather than just using the title of historian to legitimize the film without taking their perspectives into account.

This film really looks stunning. In terms of art direction and realism, French films are superior to the plastic junk from Hollywood. However, if Vaincre ou Mourir had listened to one well-known American maxim: 'Show, don't tell', the film would have succeeded. Unfortunately, viewers are not allowed to experience history, we must listen to it and understand it.

The fact that at the beginning of the film a number of specialists start to indicate what is yet to come, does not bode well. We are then presented with a number of colorful characters. Unfortunately we are not allowed to get to know them, but they are explained and that is a killer for any drama.

Many films that tell an unexposed part of history have an enormous need for framing and interpretation. The result is a story that limps on two legs, in which facts are more important than drama. And let it be precisely drama that ensures that facts stick. There were probably too many correct or educational captains on the ship of this production. A good screenplay and a good director would have sufficed.

Some left-wing people would have us, French citizens, think that revolutionaries were saints and that French History began in 1789. This movie reminds us that all was not black and white, and that there were heroes, and bad people and good people, in both camps, royalists and catholics as well as revolutionaries.

I don't know how much of Charette's private history is known to historians so I would call this movie a biopic rather than a documentary. And this movie was first meant for television before making it to the screen, so maybe it will disappoint the cinema viewer. However, I didn't find it without merit and ambition compared to the usual french comedies and societal movies. And I should say that the viewers' rating in France goes far above the critics' rating and the movie was applauded when I went to see it.

So... give it a try and make your own opinion.