Deathwatch

Foxbat

None The Wiser
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Joined
Jul 24, 2003
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10,413
Location
Scotland
Starring Jamie Bell – the same that starred in that film about the young boy who wanted to be a ballet dancer (I can’t for the life of me remember its name).

Set in the trenches on the Western Front in 1917, it tells the story of a squad of British Soldiers who, separated during a night battle from the rest of their force, come across a German forward observation trench. They quickly overpower the terrified inhabitants (killing all but one). As they secure the area and attempt to contact their command, strange and unusual things begin to happen. The interrogation of the prisoner reveals a garbled story of evil within the stronghold and a warning that they will turn on each other. The network of trenches becomes positively claustrophobic and resistant to change, which adds to the sense of foreboding which invades the soldiers’ psyche as much as the damp which seeps through their uniforms. Within this maze of trenches stalks a nameless horror.

Set in a sea of mud and corpses with an almost incessant downpour of rain, this film positively reeks authenticity. The men cannot escape – they are almost permanently wet and cold, surrounded by rats, skin and bone. Barbed Wire is everywhere – framing shots, enmeshing broken bodies and forming barriers that are more than just physical.

As the film moves on, we get to know the characters and their positions both within the squad and the world in general – we have the inexperienced captain, the strong and experienced sergeant, the bible basher, the sadist – all a bit clichéd. But this is more than made up for by the strength of acting present. Within the ocean of grey mud and wire there are some fine performances that drive both character and story along.

I suppose there is a certain irony in this film – to set a horror within a horror of war. But there is also hope. We are left with the feeling that, somehow, someway, no matter what faces the Human Spirit, we manage to preserve a little bit of our Humanity. Not a bad way to bring about a conclusion.

The major faults of this film are its relatively slow pace and predictability. Within about the first ten minutes you can fairly accurately work out the general plot. This is a shame because it certainly has the effect of making the film a bit more of a drag as you sit and wait for certain things to be revealed. It’s not a bad film and it is saved by some excellent casting.

If you are the owner of a Dolby Digital 5.1 then you are in for a treat – and I don’t mean big explosions. The rear stereo speakers in particular are used very effectively with sounds delivered with a pinpoint directional accuracy which really pumps up the tension. Turn this one up but don’t expect Crash Bang Wallop! It’s much more subtle than that.

Ultimately, I suppose the acid test is – would I watch it again? Yeah, I probably would.
 
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