Partisan

Review: For such a basic movie about a man, Gregori (Vincent Cassel) who builds his own territory for troubled women with children, and also lives with his wife Susanna (Florence Mezzara) and young son Alexander (Jeremy Chabriel), who is a trained cold blooded killer, it really did touch me. Alexander just wants do be a normal young boy, and he is curious about the outside world and the right and wrongs of life but his father has his own ideas for Alexander, and he tries to gear him towards the secluded life that he has built. After the strange disappearance of a young boy, who turns against Gregori, Alexander becomes weary of his father's intentions and he starts to question his life as an assassin, which doesn't go down to well with Gregori. His love for his mother and there new born baby, makes him take matters into his own hands, so he can better there life and get them away from the demanding and extremely unorthodox, Gregori. This is definitely an original concept, with some great acting from Cassel, Chabriel and the little boy who goes against Gregori. The whole trained assassin element, was a bit weird and the fact that they kept on getting away with it, wasn't very realistic but the rest of the storyline was great. Scenes like when Gregori's methods were questioned by the little boy, who was totally against killing the chicken, made this film a joy to watch and the transformation for Cassel, who really did look like he had the world on his shoulders, was also impressive. For a low budget, independent movie, that didn't get the biggest distribution campaign from the studio, I'm glad that I gave this movie a chance because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great!

Round-Up: French actor Vincent Cassel, 49, first impressed me in the movie La Haine in 1995, and he has gone on to make big budget movies like Joan of Arc, Shrek, Irreversible, Ocean's 12 & 13, Derailed, Eastern Promises, Mesrine, Black Swan, A Dangerous Method and Child 44. His next big movie, Jason Bourne alongside Matt Damon, proves that he definitely has the ability to star in big budget movies, while he still makes films for his native country but I personally think that he doesn't get the recognition that he deserves. Anyway, this movie was directed and written by Ariel Kleiman, 31, who has only made 5 shorts in his career. For his first major project, he certainly got the most out of the actors and the great script kept the movie interesting, from beginning to end. 

I recommend this movie to people who are into their thriller/dramas starring Vincent Cassel, Jeremy Chabriel, Florence Mezzara and Charlotte Miller. 7/10

Vincent Cassel stars in this Australian film as Gregori. He has a harem of women who all have children – mostly it would appear – with him as the father. They live in an isolated community where they seem to lead a happy life with the children learning yet enjoying their childhood. Gregori is the only man. His eldest son is Alexander and at first we see true paternal love and the reflected devotion.

However, all is not as it seems as we learn that the outside world is not a nice place and Gregori is training his children to be 'hit men' or hit kids more appropriately. As Alexander learns more of the world forbidden to him he slowly starts to question what his father's motives are and their way of life.

Now this is extremely well made being in part made by Animal Kingdom 'It Follows' fame. The actors all seem to be unknowns but all do brilliant jobs of what was a very physical film in terms of what is expected. Cassel is just as good in an English language role as he is in his native French and puts in a stellar performance. The plot was apparently inspired by child soldiers of Colombia. It is a very thoughtful film and despite the violent undertones is actually fairly responsible in avoiding the actual gore but still addressing the issues head on. It has had mixed reviews but I for one found that it stayed with me long after having seen it – which is always a good thing. This is for people who like to think about their films and who appreciate an original film delivered in a realistic way.

Vincent Casel plays Gregori, the King and leader of his self created Utopia, made of damaged women and children groomed for a life of crime and control from Gregori. The children are made to commit horrendous crimes, including murder. Gregori considers himself a figure akin to a religious leader, instead he's a spider at the centre of a web. One of his boys 'Alexander' has the mental ability to look beyond Gregori's brainwashing, he begins to question the life he's living and soon starts challenging Gregori. Alexander also has a natural curiosity for life outside the commune, his mind is inquisitive, naturally so at his age. As the film goes on it becomes apparent that Gregori and Alexander will never see eye to eye and the commune will never be big enough for the two.

A very intelligent movie, it's one that will make you think and ask do similar events happen in the world. It is a very original movie, I can't think of many similar movies I've seen.

The movie is hugely character driven, there are some long dialogues, deliberately there to show the motives and conflicts of Gregori in particular.

Some moments where you're not quite sure what's going to happen, Alexander's trip to the shop being one. In my opinion the story is actually very strong, it's all about Gregori creating his own mini world, adding what he wants, and ridding what threatens it.

Brilliance from Vincent Cassel, as is often the case, he manages to make Gregori manipulative, powerful and somehow dangerous, he put in an excellent performance.

Just Excellent. 9/10

The movie provides a safety of anonymity over its characters by never giving away the location of the setting, an isolated dream taking place beyond the pale of society with its own mechanism, but sometimes a lucid dream gives life to what is kept in the deep hollows of the collective consciousness.

Alexander, a young boy of sensibility, lives among a community of children and women overseen by just one man, Gregori. The film documents the manipulation that takes place as the group exist to function for a cause of its own and juxtaposes the fanaticism, of a controlled and ultimately an abusive nature, with the open wonder of the innocence of childhood.

The mechanisms of Oedipal crisis is at work and Alexander opens his eyes to the world around him, made significant with the arrival of a baby brother. However, the much debated theme, commonly based on the Freudian concept of repressed sexuality, makes its transition much quicker to the stages of puberty and adulthood as the boy begins to realize his actions must now carry the consequences of social responsibility, or the lack thereof.

The film ends abruptly to prevent something really serious from happening. Instead, it leaves us on a poignant note of a scene, reminding us of Ezekiel 25:17, with boy Alexander emanating a plea for deliverance through his being as he stares down the only responsible man in his eyes.

Dream-like, painstaking and most certainly a unique film experience that's put the young director on my radar.

I'm a fan of the actor Vincent Cassel so that was enough to get me to go see the movie.

He plays a cult-like leader of a small hidden society made up of woman and children in a dystopian future, when his warp Mister Rodgers charms is not working on one of the boys it threatens to untangle what he created.

Past this, I could not tell you what the movie was about. Though they gave some clues of what cause whatever apocalypse they were living in, most of what's going on is left to the imagination.

So the movie relies on the abilities of Cassel and his interaction with his strange tribe of children. It was noteworthy to see the emotional conflict bouncing back and forth with Cassel to the rest of the cast.

Especially, the lead boy who basically is realizing that the life these people are leading is wrong and not for him, and it's setting him aside from his mother.

It can be very distracting from the fact that the movie has a plot I don't fully understand.

But I did like it.