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'Under the Volcano' (2024) is a really powerful piece of European cinema, a slow burn that hooks you in quietly and leaves its mark long after. The film follows a Ukrainian family stuck in Tenerife after the war breaks out, forced to watch their lives shatter while the world around them continues on like nothing's changed.

What makes this film brilliant for me is how it captures that feeling of everything falling apart while everyone else just carries on with their lives, almost as if nothing's happened, and you just can't comprehend it. It's so surreal, and I'm sure a lot of us can relate to it in one way or another. For me, a part of myself that I'll never get back has died during that time, and this film brought that feeling to the surface in a way I wasn't expecting. It's heavy, but so real. There's also an 'Aftersun' vibe to it - little memories that stay with you forever, like fragments of a time that you can't fully process but that stick with you, haunting in their simplicity.

Irony can provide both spice and substance to a story when blended with skill and dexterity. But, if that mix is off, the narrative can fall apart quickly, as happens, unfortunately, in this offering that draws from headlines of the recent past. Writer-director Damian Kocur's second feature outing focuses on the experiences of a Ukrainian family of four on vacation in the Canary Islands. But, just as they're preparing to board their flight back to Kyiv, they learn of the invasion of their homeland by marauding Russian forces, and, with the breakout of hostilities, they're left stranded on Tenerife. The irony in this is that, while things are falling apart in Ukraine, they're not only safe, but also in a beautiful island paradise. They're even extended free meals and accommodations by their resort hotel for as long as needed until they're able to make arrangements to return home or find sanctuary in a secure location. But how can they realistically enjoy themselves, even under conditions as pleasant as these, with so much uncertainty hanging over them? Indeed, what does their future hold? The stress of this situation soon leads to all manner of conflict among family members, not to mention tense relations with other guests (particularly in encounters with vacationers from Russia), as their lives take on a metaphorical warzone quality of their own. On the surface, this might sound like an intriguing premise for a film, especially in light of its contemporary relevance. And, for a while, it works. However, the picture steadily runs out of steam - and material. About 45 minutes into the film, the story begins to lose its way, meandering aimlessly with no apparent direction and unable to effectively hold viewer interest. In essence, the filmmaker loses control of the room as his production limps along toward its unceremonious conclusion. Over the remainder of the film, an array of domestic conflicts and redundant footage of ocean waves crashing onto the island's shoreline come to dominate the visuals, symbolism that becomes a little too obvious and repetitive after a while. The irony that provided the foundation of the picture fades away, as little is done to make effective use of it, replaced with trite, recurring imagery and an utter lack of focus. It's truly a shame that this release couldn't find the means to sustain itself throughout its runtime. Had it done so, this might have been one of the more engaging and insightful productions to have come out of late. Instead, the result is a vehicle that's ultimately as deflating as the circumstances surrounding it.

There are no spoilers here.

Far removed from any current conflicts a Ukrainian family is about to return from an all inclusive vacation in the distant middle of the Atlantic. But history and reality intervene. The return home becomes uncertain. The nature joins in. The ocean and the volcano become increasingly threatening. Disturbing the false peace and seeming to warn of some unspecified disaster.

They must make decisions which will determine their future and the lives of those in their care.

The crisp episodic scenes are subtle and masterful. In a short time their reality becomes ours.

Sofia Berezowska and Damian Kocur deserve particular praise for making us care about this family unit and making us realize our similarities. A great movie. Thank you.