Combat pour la justice

this was a thoughtful and well-shot and directed TV movie that took on a huge subject with precision and intelligence, and gives it a film treatment that would look great on a bigger screen -- the palette is a little muted for TV. if you're looking for a war action film or "bosnia lite", this isn't for you -- it's about an ordinary woman who took on an extraordinary challenge for humanity. if you want to learn more about the conflict and how the work of one woman influenced the world in a massive way, watch this film when it comes your way. i don't see that a lot of other TV films have dealt with the issue of genocide and ethnic hatred at this level. the story avoids obvious demonization of "the bad guys", and instead shows the denial and everyday hatred that resulted in deaths of thousands. i was moved at several points, and not in some manipulative Hollywood way with driving music and flashy mise-en-scene, but allowed to discover the horror and implications along with the characters. this is a film brave enough to let the content speak for itself, and keep the visuals understated to support it with dignity.

the actors do a helluva job at bringing the intense dramatic scenes to life. the scenes where victims give their testimony before the war tribunal are powerful, and Wendy Crewson, Stipe Erceg and Heino Ferch are excellent. William Hurt's British accent is awful -- no one else has given him a chance to play a Brit, and when he finally has it, he blows it! -- and although John Corbett's body was born to play a soldier/commando, he's a little too gee-whiz nice, although he does a good job.

This movie gives a rather simplistic glimpse into war and the war crimes of the Slobodan Milosevic regime (Post Yugoslavia - Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia,etc.) and the lead tribunal At the Hague, Netherlands of Canadian Louise Arbour.

The movie is less than two hours and in that time the director is too choppy in bringing this story together. This movie does not really flow very well and because of this I felt that I did not connect well with the characters and did not feel their pain. Yet, Because I remember watching the actual trials on TV (which were actually more interesting), I knew that I should have felt a lot more compassion and empathy for the actors portraying the victims in this movie but I did not. However, having said this, I still feel the information in this movie is important and the main character is interesting but I am not sure how true to life this movie really is with regard to the actual characteristics of Louise Arbour.

This movie is badly told and awfully screened. In few scenes there's irrelevant data or information given to a public such as 'Kosovo- Macedonian border, January 1999'. Actually, that's Serbian-Macedonian border. Also, I find that it favours one side only. The atrocities done in Racak village were given without information that 2 Serbian policemen have been ambushed and killed and one seriously injured a day before this killing. Dialogues with generals in Sarajevo(in first 30 minutes of film) were silly and cannot be taken seriously.

All in all, if you haven't got anything else to do, and feeling bored, watch this movie.

While the story of the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia Tribunal, and of Louise Arbour's work at it as Prosecutor, is exciting, interesting and highly relevant, this film does it no justice. On the plus side, it does contain archival material and some location shots, which contributes to authenticity. The courtrooms themselves are accurately represented, as are -- mostly -- courtroom proceedings, in as far as they are seen. It is also clear that the case files were consulted when writing the script. However, the film is, regrettably, also replete with ludicrous mistakes and misconstruals, poor acting and clichés. Just some examples -- and as these might be budget-related problems, they are the most innocuous -- the same trio of generals turn up to plague the brave prosecutor both in the field and at NATO HQ; the same guards seem to be on duty all the time and at all trials; and one and the same interpreter seems to be at work 24/7, working from and into all languages known to man. Procedural and factual errors also abound, a Russian-speaking woman is passed off as a Croat, and there is a good helping of soppiness to boot. Watch this film only if you can't be bothered reading a good book on the subject.

I found this movie to be educational, entertaining and very moving. I was impressed when I learned of just how much Justice Arbour had contributed in during her time in Kosovo.

Wendy Crewson is highly under rated and it is good to see her again in a Canadian production. Other easily recognizable stars are Leslie Hope (24) and John Corbett (Sex in the City.)

While the story line of this movie may not be completely factual it did leave me with the desire to learn more about the word of Arbour. A great movie for inspiring young women.

I say the movie is a "must see."