Review of A Very Long Engagement (2004) by Rabeea'h A — 21 May 2008

I've never been a big fan of Jeunets films. They're either narratives of hope or utter desolation. But A Very Long Engagement was surprisingly complex in its denunciation of war and the havoc it creates on the front lines and civilian life. Base-line story: a young woman's relentless search for her fiance, who had been condemned to face certain death in the no man's land between the French and German trench lines in WW1 for self-mutilation to escape state-ordained murder. But thats just the start. The juxtaposition of the imagery, the realities of trench warfare in synchronicity to the picturesque, serene French country side with Methildes hopes risen and dashed every minute (If I don't break the peel, Manech is alive.) or Tinas vow of vengeance expressed the savages and the absurdity of war to its nth.

Of course it doesn't come close to Terrence Malicks Thin Red Line in its hellish portrayal of war with all its ferocity, intensity and reality. But then maybe it isnt fair to compare the two.

Anyone who accuses this film of being feelgood or heartwarming has missed completely the point.