La donna che canta

The main attraction into seeing 'Incendies' was that it was directed by Denis Villeneuve, having loved 'Sicario' and really liked 'Prisoners' (apart from the ending). Reviews for both films recommended 'Incendies' highly and with people calling it one of Villeneuve's best, so seeing the film was definitely on the cards.

Seeing it, 'Incendies' turned out to be every bit the great film as touted. Although more needs to be seen from Villeneuve, 'Incendies' to me does contain some of his best work seen thus far and my second favourite after 'Sicario'. It is a tough watch, often incredibly hard-hitting, and will have things that people will love and others won't (some will, and have done, find it contrived and melodramatic), but again to me 'Incendies' was so exceptionally well made all round with such a strong emotional impact throughout that although it is not perfect it was hard not to be hard on it.

'Incendies's' weak point is the ending, it is certainly unexpected and has some power but also seemed rather contrived and like it went on far with the number of coincidences, almost as credibility-straining as the ending of 'Prisoners' if not quite.

However, 'Incendies' is superbly made visually, especially in the stylish and brooding cinematography, with deft use of close-ups and long shots, that captures the horrors of the story wonderfully, even if Roger Deakins did it just a little bit better. The scenery is similarly audacious while also highly atmospheric. The music is suitably haunting, with great use of Radiohead's "You and Whose Army".

Villeneuve's direction is some of his career's best, he specialised in giving his films a darkness that was beautiful and brutal but also a hard edge that didn't hold back for the better. That can be seen in 'Incendies'. While not as tight as the script in 'Sicario', the script has a lot of emotional impact and provokes thought.

When it comes to the story, 'Incendies' is also hugely successful. It really hits hard without overdoing or sugar-coating things, it's very much authentic, and is also very moving. The bus massacre in particular is a highlight that shocks one to the core. The parallel split-time structure of the story is very interesting, neither story line is hard to follow and they tie up neatly at the end, while the numerous revelations and twists could have been credibility-straining and illogical if not done right but Villeneuve keeps it all under control. Anguish, confusion and regret has not in a while been seen by me so poignantly on film.

Performances are strong across the board, with powerhouse turns from Lubna Azabal and Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin. The film does a particularly great job in creating sympathy for the protagonist, who is developed beautifully, one where she is easy to root for every step of the way and comes over as a compellingly real one.

Overall, great film, a near-masterwork though the ending is not as good as the rest of the film. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This film is extraordinary on just about every level. The script is terrific, the actors are perfect, the direction and cinematography are all you could hope for. I recommend it without hesitation.

Anyone who has seen any of Villeneuve's previous work--or Andre Turpin's Zigrail--knows that these filmmakers have bodies of work that are almost without peer in contemporary cinema world-wide and are unparallelled in the history of Canadian cinema (until seeing Incendies, Maelstrom was my favourite Canadian film). Incendies does not betray that "legacy". You should absolutely see it.

In a film as stunning as this one it's odd to single out one aspect, but I must say that Lubna Azabal's performance is among the best I've ever seen. Though I've watched a few films that she's been in in the past, she never really stood out for me. She is devastatingly good in this picture.

I do hope that this film gets submitted to the AMPAS for Oscar selection as it is definitely the best film I've seen this year and a shoe-in for the foreign picture Oscar.

My only complaint about the film was the use of music by Radiohead, which took me out of the film each time it played. The rest of the music cues were spot-on and quite excellent, but Thom Yorke's voice belonged nowhere near this film.

To be honest, there is nothing left to say story-wise after this film. The tragedy, atmosphere and everything...

As an admirer of Dennis Villeneuve's filmography thanks to his work in past years, I was already familiar with how much of a brilliant storyteller he is. Yet, Incendies is no different. Beautifully structured script, visuals, soundtrack...

Lastly, the intro, along with Radiohead's "You and Whose Army?" is probably the one of the best I've ever witnessed easily.

Want to see where one of the modern era's hottest directing streaks started? If you do, then Incendies in the film for you.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve, who went from this French/Canadian co-production to move onto Prisoners, Enemy, Sicario, Arrival and last year's brilliant sequel Blade Runner 2049, Incendies is the Oscar nominated film that put Villeneuve on the path he finds himself on now and remains a film of substantial power these years on from initial release.

Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad's play of the same name, Incendies is a multi-layered narrative that spans both numerous countries and numerous characters over various timelines but Villeneuve controls his film perfectly as the mystery that lays at the heart of this tale about family, war, life and death never gets muddled as we're drawn further and further into a film that wraps us up in its web and refuses to let us go.

There's not the abundance of filmmaking and visual flair that Villeneuve has started to become known for over his more recent Hollywood productions but Incendies power comes almost exclusively from Villeneuve's deft hand with his performers, his handling of a script that other filmmakers would struggle to bring to life and his ability to slowly ebb out more information as we go, that by the time we come to realise just what lays in store for the films characters, the power of Incendies becomes even more apparent.

Saying to much about this story would be a disservice to a film that takes many various turns and pivots. Essentially at its core, a story of both twins Jeanne and Simon Marwan trying to uncover the secret of their father they've never met and find a brother they never knew they had after their Middle Eastern born mother Nawal passes away, Incendies becomes so much more than a typical family drama as it showcases time in the conflict of the Israeli and Palestinian Holy Wars, as well as the twins journey back to their country of nationality.

The film in many ways showcases a different side to Villeneuve and proves the director is just as at home handling a $150 million plus Sci-Fi for a major Hollywood studio as he is behind the camera of a small intimate drama that is driven purely by its narrative and characters. Proof the filmmaker is a man of many talents and a director to be cherished by those that love cinema.

Final Say -

For any fans of Villeneuve's work, world cinema or powerful character driven dramas, then Incendies should be a film you seek out as soon as possible. Losing none of its power since its initial release, this sometimes hard to watch but always enthralling film is standout filmmaking and the official blasting off point for one of the modern era's great filmmakers.

5 swimming pools out of 5

Denis Villeneuve has created nothing less than a masterpiece. This film is revealing a great Director, especially when given an original story with such powerful dimensions.

Despite being skeptical as first of the film being shot in Jordan, when dealing with the very specific, multidimensional Lebanese drama, the geographic distance with the land of Lebanon is detaching the film from the strict reality of the place and taking it to whole other level of significance. Jordan's landscape especially with the film's photography, are somewhat surrealistic, as if the story was taking place in a deep level of the region's sub-conscious.

Villeneuve has managed to delicately craft a story with dimensions that a human mind in its normal condition is not prepared to understand and confront. And yet these things did happen, many times during the war and retelling them is a very not an easy task. Actually a quasi impossible one and yet Villeneuve did it.

This has to be the film representing Canada at the Oscars. And it will win.