Review of Triage (2009) by Dave C — 09 Sep 2010

There are definitely some really great elements to Triage. However I think the end product falls a bit short. And I think the majority of my disappointment comes with my expectation. I had anticipated seeing a film that would utilize the unique art of the still, photographic image to help us journey into the emotions of a war photographer and what they experience and bring home with them. I think Farrel's efforts to embody this as a character is vulnerable enough, but I was let down by the absence of actual photographic images. I really wanted to see what he saw from that perspective.

I think what makes this a shortcoming is the fact that part of the performance assumes that we will kind of journey into those images and see what he saw, his experience lived out in what is often reffered to as the eternal memory. And by giving us less rather then more of an opportunity to kind of sit in the haunting realism of the images we miss out both on a part of what makes the character (his skill and job and artistry), and also a portion of what makes up the depth of his souls turmoil and anguish.

However, the examination and exploration of Farrell's character as someone who comes back from his experience carrying what he saw and what he went through as something that is virtually impossible to let go of is powerful. Seeing how it causes him to spiral into a state of depression and build massive walls allows us to grab on for dear life to the possiblity of redemption and forgiveness that he desperately needs to offer himself. This part of the story really works.

Overall this is a film with a great idea, a strong performance, but my expectation I think hampered my ability to really enjoy it fully.