writestuff-1

This is the type of film that I would love to love. The cast are remarkable - Lubna Azabal and the actress that plays her mother in particular. The subject is a complete reversal of what one would expect of Algeria. It's also a film with very strong female roles. So in theory, everything is in place to make an explosive combination.

So why does it drag so much? "Viva" is curiously dispassionate, despite the best efforts of the cast. Longish midrange shots film the actor's movements, without letting us get into their heads. We understand what they are doing and why, without really becoming involved.

With a firmer hand, this could have been an explosive story, à la Almodovar. As it is, I get the feeling it's a great script and cast being put through the motions.

I also have to add a word about the highly distracting plinkety-plonk piano music that adds to the lethargic direction. I presume the director wanted to avoid Arabic music to avoid clichés. But puh-lease! This sounds like a low-budget auteur chamber soundtrack when what was needed was something to drive us towards the next scene.

...whatever happened to the director of "Leon"? "Banlieue 13" is a lightweight re-run of "Escape From New York". Fast, stylish, loud; it has everything in it to become an action classic - except a script.

The two main actors try their best with the clunky dialogues, but "Banlieue 13" digs itself into a mid-range B series far too quickly. First-time director Morel seems to be more comfortable planning the (stunning) chase sequences rather than talking to actors, as the second roles in particular are not too sure if they're playing in a parody or not.

So the spectator is brought from a chase to a fight to another chase without being bogged down by character portrayal or plausibility. The snappy editing skillfully skips past the numerous plot holes.

Fun.

But at the the end of the day, we wonder how the maker of "Leon" could conceive of co-writing as cartoonish as "Banlieue 13".