Review of Of Gods and Men (2010) by Jens S — 23 Nov 2016

Of Gods and Men is not for everyone. It is thought-provoking, revealing, and merciless in its portrayal of the struggles of 1990â²s Algeria in the midst of its civil war. It follows the life of eight monks in a catholic monastery. There are a number of conflicts between the members and muslim-terrorists who want the doctor to heal his men from battle wounds. These conflicts become more aggressive as time goes on. They eventually decide to kidnap all the members, save two who cleverly hide themselves.

The making of the film largely emphasizes the type of life these men choose to lead. They have virtually n0 contact with the outside world, and do almost nothing every day except pray and sing. The way they live is eye-opening to say the least. They are completely isolated, except for the visits they receive from the Muslim terrorists. The main monk holds several meetings to decide if they should leave or stay and tolerate the continued treatment. Each one struggles with the choice, wondering if their mission where they currently are is worth becoming martyrs for. Some almost leave, but they all choose to stay by the end.

The film makes the viewer really experience the sheer loneliness and mindset of the monks. There is no background music and virtually no additional lighting. The dialogue is infrequent, mainly focusing on their quiet reflections. It feels very much like a documentary with the lack of conventional filmmaking techniques and infrequent use of dialogue, but the individual performances of each monk will make you care about each one, and make you feel all the more saddened at their untimely fate.