annelauremilleville

I was expecting a long-winded film about life at the Vatican, but I ended up watching a captivating political thriller! In fact, religion is only incidental to the film's real societal topics tackled. The plot twists come one after another but are never the same, especially the final surprise which, I believe (and hope), claims to be feminist more than provocative... A reflection on the nature of Man in a patriarchal world for which modern times are bringing inevitable change .

The cinematography is polished, supported by a chilling score and an original direction full of symbolism, and the performances of the actors (in particular Ralph Fiennes and Lucian Msamati) are all nuanced and flawless!

I appreciated the script's consideration of the cultural, hierarchical and dogmatic complexities of this opaque and silenced world. Here, traditionalist and liberal visions can't help but clashing, which echoes our prevailing political tensions worldwide. It's a pity, however, that the filmmakers' opinion on this matter so easily shows through.

Yet another proof that when the cast is too attractive, the film turns out to be disappointing... I'm left with a mixed impression of this Oliver Stone's work, which offers beautiful moments, but also endless boring passages.

First of all, Colin Farrell as Alexander, although a good actor, didn't convince me (because of his peroxide-blonde hair, perhaps?). Then there's his mother, who looks about the same age as him. Although Angelina Jolie is beautiful in it and gives a breathtaking performance, once again the veracity isn't there. On the other hand, I loved the subtle and moving Hephaistos/Alexander relationship, with a touching Jared Leto whose lines sound true and sincere, as well as Anthony Hopkins' character whose intro gives an interesting narrative.

But for me, this 3-hour film remains a collection of battles that are meant to be epic, but whose linkage, relevance and strategic spirit are not always understood. Similarly, the complexity of certain characters is skimmed over, such as Roxanne, Alexander's father (whose villain traits are very caricatured) and even Olympias, whose spirit of revenge mingled with love for her son would have deserved further development.

Great surprise, in particular when you know that it is Jarand Herdal's first feature film! We right away get into the swing of things, even if the context remains slightly confused. We easily become attached to this family who is struggling to survive in this apocalyptic world and we understand their choice to go to this "cabaret-hotel". There is no doubt that the atmosphere (or should I say the atmospheres!), the score and the direction pay tribute to the genre.

The overall acting performance is remarkable but I was particularly enthusiastic and impressed about those of Gitte Witt (Leonora), Thorbjørn Harr (Matthias) and Trine Wiggen (Raquel).

In my opinion, the only downside is the narrative that seems to get lost at times and leaves us with many questions and an ending that fell short on my expectations.