Les sanguinaires

This movie finally clawed its way to U.S. distribution as part of the "2000 Seen By" series, six movies from different countries containing the (almost instantly outdated) visions of different filmmakers of what the end of the 20th century (not the real one, but you know what I mean). No doubt someone was sleeping with someone. Les Sanguinaires is a very boring movie about a group of people (French, obviously) who decide to avoid all the hype of the new millennium and spend that time on an isolated, rustic island. Like any good Lord Of The Flies type movie, the predictable sexual tensions and jealousies emerge, along with some semi-mystic events. The problem is that not only is this kind of thing a tired concept, but that it's played at the slowest pace possible, that the characters are none-too-interesting, and that the dialogue is all too realistic. Watch Hal Hartley's Book Of Life instead.

For a débutant director this is a great film and an indicator of great things to come.Indeed the career of Cantet is composed all very good films and I found this his earliest long film to be quite competent and well directed.He creates a infuriating situation pausing to empathize with all his characters while offering a unique perspective on the millennium hysteria.Seeing this film in 2011 has its own unique rewards and allows one to rewind and reexamine ones own millennium experience. If you have already seen and enjoyed his later works you will not be disappointed at all.Even as a standalone film it works very well indeed.