Review of Merry Christmas (2006) by Spangle — 02 Dec 2016

Joyeux Noel is a film sculpted out of the spirit of Christmas and of unity. A film about highlighting our similarities in the face of so many differences and animosities, Joyeux Noel is a beautiful film celebrating the kinship of humanity. Telling the real life story of the Christmas truces of 1914 in World War I, Joyeux Noel is a film with great scope, as it focuses on the French, British, and German soldiers in equal measure. With good cinematography, gorgeous music, and an infectious Christmas spirit, Joyeux Noel is an undeniably remarkable work by director Christian Carion.

Blending bloodshed with tears, Joyeux Noel's great breadth really both elevates and harms the film. By showcasing the stories of all three sides and their similarities and all of the elements that make them human, the film expertly creates sympathy on all sides. When the bureaucracy shows up to condemn the actions, both in a religious and war sense, it leaves the audience feeling angered. Yet, it does nothing to undo the brotherhood on display beforehand. From shots of the three troops in their own trenches to the three sides meeting in no man's land to celebrate Christmas, the film is well-served by treating all sides equally. There is no bad, only good. In juxtaposition to the words of their superiors, the soldiers at battle know the truth: there is more that unites us than divides. For this, Joyeux Noel is a phenomenal work that serves up a striking and moving message to humanity: drop your arms and join together, forgetting our petty differences, and unite under one umbrella. This message is not restricted to religion either, though it does heavily depict Catholicism. As shown, the Catholic Church rebuked the priest who conducted the Christmas mass for the soldiers. Thus, religion is like nationality. It is merely something that serves to divide us. It is only when we are truly human with no barriers - such as in joining together to celebrate Christmas or burying our dead - do we find unity with one another. However, all of this said, its breadth hurts it in the character development department. With so much going on, names get lost in the shuffle and stories blend together. While the stories are all moving and serve to further unite the characters, it feel all too much for two hours. That said, this is a nitpicky concern, given the power of the togetherness in the film. In fact, it could be argued that by giving little attention to character development, the film is aiming to create a sense of realism. Essentially, we know as much about these characters as they reveal to the opposing sides. By the end, this is numerous and reveals a lot about who they are. However, it is only very little information, but it information with great impact that drives home the point that these are humans with lives and wives who, for all intents and purposes, is the exact same as yourself. Thus, we do not really need more character development because it would create an affiliation for certain characters over others when we should instead feel attached to all of them. This is fair and, obviously, I do agree. However, in a longer film, delving further into some stories on each sides would have been a great addition.

However, nothing can match the chills of Anna Sorensen (Diane Kruger) or Private Nicolas Sprink (Benno Furmann) singing for the troops as all sides play the accompanying music. Moving, stirring, and entirely breathtaking to watch, these moments repeatedly gave me chills due to the way in which it truly captures the spirit of Christmas and why this season is the best of the year. One of the few times we all come together, Joyeux Noel is about coming together at all odds. Here, music and a love of God bring the characters together and, even if you hate music or do not believe in God, it is hard to deny the power of the film in these moments.

Though called sentimental by some (and it certainly is), Joyeux Noel is a breathtaking and beautiful work about Christmas and what the season truly means. A film about dropping your arms and differences in order to join one another in celebration of the season, Joyeux Noel is a gorgeous work that is wide in scope, but never loses sight of its main purpose: to bring joy.