SPECIAL FORCES (2011) - French Cinema, breaking some steretypes of the cinema world.
Movie description:
"While covering the war in Afghanistan, journalist Elsa is kidnapped by the Taliban, and a Special Forces team races against time to rescue her."
That wasn't enough to get my interest piqued. Then I noticed Djimoun Hounsou was in it. Mr "Givess us free" himself. After about two or three times of passing it over, I said "Let's give it a shot."
Right off the bat as the opening credits rolled I knew this movie was a cut above the rest. It was not your typical opening sequence, and itwas made by Studio Canal, a french production company. This was encouraging. In the past, movies produced and directed by the french have almost certainly been pleasing both to the eye and in stimulating the mind.
They introduce our group of special forces in an almost nonchalant way, none of the bravado we're used to seeing in the american counterpart to these films. It seems all business. You could almost feel the actual tension of the soldiers. As if real soldiers were equipped with HD cameras and shot. The sound was quasi-impeccable, guns sounded like guns, nothing seemed fabricated.
The way they carry out their first mission substantiates what soldiers who were interviewed in the advent of everything that happened in Ferguson, MO said, i.e. killing is not a reflex action for soldiers. You did not get the impression that any of them enjoyed murdering another human being senselessly. The first shot taken in the movie is from a sniper's eye view, the crosshairs hover over a man's chest as he paces with a gun, then it fixates on his leg, and blows out his knee. Non-fatal shot.
We are not explicitly introduced to our heroes, but they are seen as an efficient team that works like a well oiled machine.
We are then introduced to our damsel in distress. A reporter who doesn't take no for an answer, and gets into deep trouble because of it. Much like the movie Deep Blue Sea (1999) where most people end up hating Dr. Susan McCallister (Saffron Burrows) for having enhanced sharks to the point of near superhuman intelligence, you really don't like Elsa (Dianne Kruger). She takes unnecessary risks and makes you want to scream "WHY DON'T YOU JUST LISTEN!!! HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE FOR YOU!!!!" But her intentions are righteous ones. But you still want to choke her for being so stubborn. But someone has to do it. But why her! You catch the frustration? The love hate relationship you develop for a character that is complex, and well acted out.
The only stereotype that happens in the movie is that the special forces team is celebrating at a bar b cue when they get the call that means impending doom. After that, all the "norm" is thrown out of the window emphatically. The characters are complex, loving, at odds with their orders and their morals as human beings, and as soldiers.
All of them are well developed.
I don't want to give away too much of the film. These soldiers are real bad-asses. This cast is second to none. The "bad guy" is fleshed out very well. He's not entirely bad, but he's definitely not good. We think about what has been going on in the world. The invasion of foreign countries by the United States government, has been purported to be an act of terrorism. Armed forces, or journalists of another country go into another with their righteous aim, and they anger the people indigenous to the land.
But I digress... One point of note: the sole Black man in the movie, does not die first. Not to say that a man of another ethnicity didn't die first, but in this group of good guys, Kovax (Djimoun Hounsou) did not bite the bullet first. For a former colony, french filmmakers are a ways away from their US cousins' way of enforcing stereotypes.
Djimoun Hounsou is directed eloquently. Much like in Blood Diamond (2006) his character is passionate, possessed of more than one dimension. And really F#$%?&G cool! I can appreciate the baritone of his voice, the courage under fire and his passion. I really would like to be like him when I grow up. I've got the goatee already! HA! In American Cinema he is severely under-utilized. His acting grossly diminished by the directors he is under.
I remember something my Directing Actors for Screen teacher told me "There are no bad actors, only badly directed actors." This film proves her right. Mr Hounsou's talents are being extrapolated to the maximum. I am speaking about him with emphasis, because I know his work more. Not to mention the fact that it is so refreshing to see a fairly unoriginal concept so well directed and acted out.
What ensues is a systematic takedown of the "bad guys" and the rescue mission begins. Not, however, without it's share of complications. Our heroine is a beacon of bad luck for the team, and herself. It takes a whole lot to hurt her as the people around her keep on falling one at a time. It becomes more and more emotional as you get to know the characters more.
The antagonist of the film looks like he could be James Caviezl's Jesus in the Passion of Christ (2004). Only instead of bread and fish, he distributes bullets and death to followers and enemies alike. But he does not take joy in what he does. He seems like a benevolent death-dealer.
The cinematography is beautiful, they exploit their landscape ensure the spectator is given an immense scope of the challenges that not only the pursuers are giving our heroes, but the environment too. The one thing that did bother me was that it did, however, follow the stereotype of having to save the beautiful blond-haired blue-eyes white woman. We had to give them at least one right?
You are shown several days of warfare. Elements, emotional turmoil and enemies alike. At one point the journalist, Elsa says to Elias (Raphaël Personnaz) "You are really brave for doing this." To which he replies, and I paraphrase, "No, this is not brave. You want to know what's braze? There was a woman who was facing a firing squad. Do you know what she did? She unveiled herself, looked at them and smiled. Me? I gave them nothing. This is not brave." Demonstrative of a deep understanding that every life has value and meaning. Even in the light of dire circumstances that forces one to become the emissary of Death.
I can say no more without giving up the film. I strongly suggest watching it. If you're in Canada and have Netflix. I don't know how long it will be up, but of all the army based films you could watch, this is a good one.
Thank you for reading.
See you on the other side.
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Kym Dominique-Ferguson
The Jamhaitianadian
