Review of Polytechnique (2009) by Steve S — 21 Aug 2009

Arguably the best picture about the 1989 Polytechnique Massacre that could ever dream of being shot, Polytechnique is a rough but thankfully minimally exploitative watch. I suppose that its most valuable reason for existing is because it conjures visuals on an atrocity that, beyond having taken away the lives of several young women, has shocked an entire nation and wrecked the minds of many survivors. There's nothing really softened about the way the horrific event is presented, but the proceedinds remain both tasteful, convincingly acted and very effective.

Denis Villeneuve lenses the film with an unusual elegance, one that smartly contrasts with the aberrant ongoings but still provides a few iffy symbolic images-- ones that I presume the film could have done fine without. Most importantly, Polytechnique is a film of few words, and even if I am not completely convinced there had to be a film like this one produced, that decision of letting the visuals speak for themselves works a lot in its favor. I really wouldn't call it essential viewing (hearing about it is enough, thank you very much), but I'm relieved this one didn't end up as the mawkish catastrophe I was seriously dreading.