Review of Athena (2022) by Tvjerry — 14 Oct 2022

After the release of a video showing police killing a young Algerian boy, the titular (fictional) neighborhood erupts in an angry protest. The action revolves around 3 of the boy's brothers, each of whom has different goals from stopping the riots to ramping up the violence.

While the subject certainly remains relevant, it's the impressive skills of director Romain Gavras that gives the film its bravura. He's the son of Costa-Gavras, best known for Z and Missing, and his ability to creating drama out of chaos is simply brilliant.

While some of the scenes go on too long, Gavras' impressively staged riot scenes (esp. the extended opening sequence) and the probing camera that offers human insight combine to create a stirring story with ominous consequences.