AMSTERDAM : Tuesday 11th October 2022

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'AMSTERDAM' earlier this week, and this mystery comedy film set in the early 1930's is Written, Directed and Co-Produced by David O. Russell whose previous feature film making credits include 'Three Kings' in 1999, 'I Heart Huckabees' in 2004, 'The Fighter' in 2010, 'Silver Linings Playbook' in 2012, 'American Hustle' in 2013 and 'Joy' in 2015. This film saw its World Premier showcasing in New York City on 18th September and was released in the US and here in Australia last week week, having cost US$80M to produce, has so far recouped just US$12M and has garnered mixed critical reviews. 

In 1918, Burt Berendsen (Christian Bale) is sent at the insistence of his very well connected and very well to do estranged wife's parents to fight in World War I. While stationed in France, Burt meets and becomes good friends with African-American soldier Harold Woodsman (John David Washington), both under the command of affable General Bill Meekins (Ed Bagley Jnr.) After they sustain severe and multiple shrapnel injuries in battle, including Burt's loss of an eye, the pair are nursed back to health by Valerie Voze (Margot Robbie), an outgoing nurse, whom they form a close bond with also.

When Burt and Harold have sufficiently recovered from their wounds, the three move to Amsterdam, where they live together and become close friends spending their time living life to the full, until Burt announces his return to New York City to be with his wife Beatrice (Andrea Riseborough). Harold, who has fallen in love with Valerie and she with him, also leaves to return to New York City and fulfill his own aspirations, but before he leaves Valerie leaves him unexpectedly leaving just a hand written note bidding him farewell. 

Fast forward to New York City in 1933 and Burt has opened his own medical practice catering to injured veterans of the war and still remains firm friends with Harold, who is now a lawyer, while they have not heard from Valerie since they left Amsterdam some fifteen years previously. Harold asks Burt to perform a post-mortem on Bill Meekins, now a senator who served as the commander of their regiment during the war, at the urgent request of Meekins' daughter Elizabeth (Taylor Swift), who believes that he was murdered. Burt performs the post-mortem aided by nurse Irma St. Clair (Zoe Saldana). The post-mortem reveals that Meekins stomach contained an unusual amount of a grey liquid indicating a mercury laced poison leading them to conclude that this must have been the cause of death. Burt and Harold meet with Elizabeth to talk about the post-mortem results, but she is suddenly killed when a hitman pushes her under the wheels of an oncoming car. The hitman frames Burt and Harold for her death during the ensuing melee, while they flee the scene on foot as the Police arrive.

In an attempt to clear their names Burt and Harold try to determine who had led Elizabeth to hire them. This leads them to wealthy textile heir Tom Voze (Rami Malek) and his antagonising wife Libby (Anya Taylor-Joy). At the Voze residence they reunite with Valerie, and learn that she is Tom's sister and was the one who convinced Elizabeth to hire them, knowing that ultimately they could be trusted. Valerie is now under constant supervision by Tom and Libby, who claim that she suffers from vertigo, a nerve disease and various other ailments though the medications Tom and Libby urge her to take every day could just be the real issue. Tom suggests to Burt and Harold that they should talk to Gil Dillenbeck (Robert De Niro), a famous and decorated veteran who now advocates for WWI veteran's rights and was close friends with Meekins.

Burt's initial attempts to contact Dillenbeck fail, and meanwhile Harold and Valerie spend the day at her home, where they notice the hitman, Tarim Milfax (Timothy Olyphant) maintaining a watchful on their movements. They follow him to a forced sterilisation clinic owned by a mysterious organisation known as the 'Council of Five'. After a fight with Milfax, Harold and Valerie catch-up once more with Burt. Valerie takes them to New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel where they meet Paul Canterbury (Mike Myers) an MI6 spy, maker of glass eyes and an ornithologist and Henry Norcross (Michael Shannon) a US Naval Intelligence Officer, maker of glass eyes, ornithologist and partner of Canterbury - Valerie's benefactors from Amsterdam who are secretly spies masquerading under their other guises. Paul and Henry explain that the Council of Five are planning to overthrow the American government and that Dillenbeck can help them foil their plot.

The three finally are granted a meeting with Dillenbeck having got past his gatekeeper wife, and who is offered US$40K from a fat middle aged man on behalf of an unnamed benefactor to deliver a speech rallying veterans to forcibly remove President Franklin D. Roosevelt from the White House and install Dillenbeck as a puppet dictator in his place. Dillenbeck agrees and plans to speak at a reunion gala that Burt and Harold are hosting, in order to draw out whoever is behind the plot.

At the reunion event, Dillenbeck instead makes his own speech instead of the one he was paid to say. Milfax, from the rafters directly above the stage has intentions to shoot Dillenbeck for going against the plan, but Harold and Valerie spot him and are able to thwart him in time. Milfax is arrested, while the Council of Five are revealed to be four industry leaders, including Tom, who are fanatically obsessed with Benito Mussolini, Heinrich Himmler and Adolf Hitler and have designs on making America a fascist state, with Dillenbeck becoming the fifth member of the secretive cabal, or so they had thought.

Tom and the other leaders are arrested by Police, but are quickly released as such people in high places often were, and so they in turn slander Dillenbeck in the press following their release. Dillenbeck testifies about the incident to Congress and returns home to live out his life. Harold and Valerie leave the country since they cannot be together in the United States aided by a slow boat out of New York organised quickly by Canterbury and Norcross, but not bound for Amsterdam as it will soon enough be overrun with the Gestapo exclaims Norcross, to which Valerie nonchalantly responds with 'who are they?' Burt wishes them farewell and plans to reopen his medical practice and pursue a relationship with Irma, finally coming out of the shadow of his estranged wife and his over bearing in-laws.

I have to say that I am somewhat surprised by the critical drubbing that 'Amsterdam' has received, because I, and the two movie buddies I went with to see this film, enjoyed this latest quirky comedy thriller supported by an ensemble of fine A-list acting talent. The trio of Bale, Washington and Robbie share a screen presence that is a pleasure to watch and between them they rarely miss a beat, delivering their quips, comedic one liners and sight gags with aplomb, and look as though they're having a great time doing it too. The production values and cinematography are also top notch, and whilst the story line zigs and zags, ducks and weaves, it is nonetheless a work of fiction with a modicum of a true story woven into the at times meandering narrative, but it works and all comes together nicely in the end. This may not be David O. Russell's greatest ever work, but as a story of the power of friendship and love; remembering those that exist on the fringes of our society; and thwarting the enemy at the gates, this is an entertaining enough period romp that merits the price of your movie ticket. 

'Amsterdam' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

THOR : LOVE AND THUNDER : Wednesday 6th July 2022.

I saw the M Rated 'THOR : LOVE AND THUNDER' at an early screening this week, and this American Superhero offering is Written and Directed by Taiki Waititi who returns to the Director's chair following his success with helming 2017's 'Thor : Ragnarok' (which grossed US$854M off the back of a US$180M production budget) to which this is a direct sequel. This is the 29th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the fourth instalment in the 'Thor' series, and is part of the MCU Phase Four. Filming took place in Sydney, Australia at a production cost of in the region of US$250M and was originally set for release an early November 2021, but was delayed to mid-February this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then delayed once again to early May before shifting for the final time to the July 2022 date. The film has generated largely favourable Reviews. The film has so far taken US$16M.

The film opens up with a man carrying a young child through a dry, barren desert landscape with the sun beating down. He cradles the young girl in his arms as they take shelter from the sun and a sand storm behind a rock. He calls out to his gods to protect his daughter and save her. Later, the young girl dies, leaving the man distraught. He falls asleep from exhaustion and wakes to the sound of a faint whisper in the distance. He follows the whispering to an oasis in the desert where he meets his god who taunts and derides him which quickly turns him into a non-believer. Ultimately, he is chosen by a long sword, called the Necrosword, which enables him to create an army of shapeshifting shadow creatures and to use the sword to kill all gods, starting with the one who has just turned his back on him and disregarded his cries for help. 

After the opening credits have rolled we turn to Korg (Taika Waititi) telling a story to a group of gathered children giving the back story of Thor (Chris Hemsworth), and how he turned from being a Dad Bod into a God Bod, how he once loved a Jane Fonda (corrected to a Jane Foster) and how he teamed up with The Guardians of the Galaxy. After this brief recap to bring us up to date, Thor receives a distress signal from his childhood friend Sif (Jaimie Alexander) that The Guardians (Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel and Bradley Copper) need his help on some distant planet to thwart an attack, after which the Guardians depart to fight some battle in another part of the galaxy, leaving Thor and Korg looking on as their ship leaves. Sif warns Thor of Gorr, the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a being possessing the god-killing weapon the Necrosword seeking the extinction of all gods as revenge for ignoring the death of his family, and that his next target is New Asgard. 

Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) is first seen in a hospital receiving chemo therapy treatment for her Stage Four cancer. She returns to her lab to run further tests of her own in trying to find a cure, when she turns to a book of Viking myths. In it she reads of the healing powers of Thor's hammer Mjolnir. Jane takes a trip to New Asgard to see the old fragmented hammer encased under a glass dome as a tourist attraction. As she stands besides the glass dome the broken pieces of Mjolnir begin to vibrate, shake and reform as it bonds itself to Jane after sensing her worthiness and so giving her the power of Thor. Gorr attacks New Asgard at night just as Thor arrives to begin battle with his shadow creatures, and is surprised to find Jane wielding Mjolnir like there's no tomorrow as Mighty Thor. Thor, Jane, Korg and Valkyrie, the King of New Asgard (Tessa Thompson) do battle with Gorr and the shadow creatures, ultimately overcoming them, but Gorr is able to escape, but not before he kidnaps all the children of New Asgard. 

The group travels to Omnipotent City to warn the other gods and ask for their help in destroying Gorr, The God Butcher. The god Zeus (Russell Crowe) is not prepared to help and has Thor captured, forcing the group to fight off Zeus's men. Zeus reduces Korg to nothing more than a pile of volcanic rubble and so in retaliation Thor appears to kill Zeus using his own thunderbolt, which Valkyrie then steals during their get away. 

They then travel to the Shadow Realm to save the children. However, this turned out to be a diversion for Gorr to take Stormbreaker (Thor's mighty and powerful axe), which he intends to use on the Bifrost to enter Eternity and seek the destruction of all gods. Gorr manages to overpower Thor's group and successfully steal Stormbreaker. Gorr uses Stormbreaker to open the portal to Eternity. With Valkyrie injured from being stabbed by the thunderbolt, and Jane suffering from the effects of her progressive cancer, Thor is left no option but to go it alone to confront Gorr once and for all. Once he has found the kidnapped Asgardian children, he temporarily imbues them and their weapons with the power of Thor to fight alongside him. Jane joins Thor in fighting Gorr and destroys the Necrosword, so diminishing the power of Gorr which ultimately will lead to his own death. However, Gorr stumbles through the portal and enters Eternity. 

Admitting defeat, Thor manages to convince Gorr that all he wanted from Eternity was not to destroy the gods but to get his daughter, Love, back. Jane dies in Thor's arms after succumbing to her Stage Four cancer which was only sped up by taking on the mantle of Mighty Thor. Eternity grants Gorr's request to revive Love (India Hemsworth), whom he asks Thor to take care of before he dies from the effects of the destroyed Necrosword. The children all return safe to New Asgard where they are greeted by the welcoming and relieved parents. Sometime after Valkyrie and Sif begin training them combat skills. Meanwhile, Thor, now in possession of Mjolnir again, continues to go on adventures to help people in their time of need, with Love, now wielding Stormbreaker, by his side, as the pairing of Love and Thunder. 

The film also stars cameo appearances from Matt Damon, Sam Neill, Luke Hemsworth, Melissa McCarthy, Ben Falcone and Idris Elba. Remain in your seat for the mid-credits and end-credits sequences, although if the truth be told, you won't be missing much if you choose not to!

'Thor : Love and Thunder' for me is the most disappointing film out of four in this franchise so far as it trades in a lot of substance for style, wisecracks and quips that often fail to land, and a whole dollop of cheese and corn that is enough to make even Thor's Dad Bod former self belch. That said, this has all of the Waititi touchstones over it that made 'Thor : Ragnarok' so welcoming and refreshing, including the thumping soundtrack, the colourful visuals, his irreverent sense of humour, the action set pieces, and he has proven here too that he can get serious and emotional when it is called for. And whilst Chris Hemsworth glides through his role as Thor, Christian Bale as Gorr shines through in his role as a mash up of Voldemort, Pennywise and Gollum, and Natalie Portman provides a welcome distraction as Jane Foster that brings the story full circle. It's not a great film, but it's also not that bad either and at just on two hours in length it's long enough to keep you engaged and doesn't outstay its welcome.

'Thor : Love and Thunder' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

FORD V. FERRARI : Tuesday 19th November 2019.

'FORD v FERRARI' is an M-Rated American biographical drama film which I saw earlier this week, and is Directed and Co-Produced by James Mangold, whose previous film making credits include 'Cop Land', 'Girl, Interrupted', 'Walk the Line', '3:10 to Yuma', 'Knight and Day', 'The Wolverine' and 'Logan'. In early stages of development, Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt were cast in the starring roles, but those plans fell through, paving the way for Matt Damon and Christian Bale to take on the two leads. The film cost US$98M to make, was released in the US last week too having seen its World Premier showing at Telluride in late August, then at TIFF in September, has garnered widespread Critical acclaim, and has so far recouped US$63M of its initial budget outlay.

The film opens up with Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) competing in, and ultimately winning the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race when he co-drove the Aston Martin DBR1 beating out fierce rivals Ferrari. Due to an emerging heart condition that made it riskier for him to race, Shelby retires from racing following his Le Mans victory but kept his motivation very much alive to beat the Ferrari's, who had previously turned him down for a driving position. We then fast forward four years to 1963, and  the Ford Motor Company Vice President Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal) proposes to Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) to purchase the cash-strapped Ferrari as a means to boost their flagging car sales by participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in order to attract the emerging younger more affluent customer demographic. On a trip to Maranello in Italy - the Ferrari HQ, Enzo Ferrari (Remo Girone), turns his back on the deal, as Fiat counter offers him a much more attractive deal that allows him to retain his ownership of his racing team and pride and joy, Scuderia Ferrari.

Enzo Ferrari insults Henry Ford II and puts a slur on him personally and his company, which Iacocca takes back to Detroit and recounts to Fords face. As a result of this, a furious Ford II orders his racing division to build a car to defeat Ferrari at Le Mans. For this project, Iacocca hires Shelby American owner Carroll Shelby, who at first is very reluctant and sceptical, but when told by Iacocca that money is no object, he relents. In turn, Shelby enlists the help of Ken Miles (Christian Bale), a hot-tempered and highly opinionated British racing car driver and cash strapped motor mechanic relocated to southern California from his native Birmingham in England, with his wife Mollie (Catriona Balfe) and young son Peter (Noah Jupe).

Miles is also very sceptical of Ford's intentions at first and takes some convincing by Shelby to come on board, but eventually does so, with the promise of US$200 a day plus expenses as an inducement - much needed under his dire financial circumstances at the time, with the IRS having recently repossessed his mechanical workshop.

Shelby and Miles test drive the Ford GT40 Mk I prototype at Los Angeles International Airport, putting the new vehicle through its paces and one by one ironing out all of its design flaws until it is race ready. Deeming that Miles is not their ideal driver on the grounds of his outspokenness and unpredictability to mouth off, Ford opts to send Phil Hill and Bruce McLaren to the 1964 Le Mans race instead, who are much better versed in the marketing and PR protocols likened by Ford. As predicted by Miles, none of the Fords finish the race. Shelby is summonsed by Henry II who sees this result as a humiliating defeat. However, Shelby explains to him that the GT40 instilled fear in Ferrari, as it reached a record breaking 218 mph on the Mulsanne straight before it broke down.

Shelby and Miles continue working on the development of the GT40 Mk II, but Miles is nearly killed when the car's brakes fail during testing. In 1966, Ford Senior Vice President Leo Beebe (Josh Lucas) takes over the racing division, with the intent to continue the program without Miles.

On a trip out to Shelby's HQ to see for himself where his US$9M race car investment is being spent, Shelby gives Henry II a ride in the car around the test track at top speed. Henry II has never experienced anything like this before, and is an emotional wreck when Shelby brings the car to an abrupt halt. To make Henry II see sense, he bets his own company, Shelby American, on the line to convince him that if Miles wins the 24 Hours of Daytona race, then he will be granted to race at Le Mans later in the year.

Shelby American enters Daytona with Miles behind the wheel. Beebe puts a second Ford team in the race with a proven NASCAR crew supporting them in the pits. While the second team has quicker pit stops, Shelby has Miles push his car's limit to 7,000 RPM, which sees him winning the race, much to the chagrin of Beebe, and the tongue in cheek disappointment of Henry II for not winning Shelby American.

And so the 1966 Le Mans race day arrives. During the opening lap Miles has problems with his door, which won't close and so pits at the end of the first lap, and so team engineer Phil Remington (Ray McKinnon) fixes the door with a mallet. Thereafter, Miles begins to set lap records while catching up with the Ferrari's. While racing with Ferrari driver Lorenzo Bandini (Francesco Bauco), Miles experiences brake failure and has his whole brake system replaced during his pit stop. Enzo Ferrari protests the move, but Shelby convinces the race officials that there is nothing written in the race rule book that says a team cannot replace the whole brake system, at which point the official backs down.

Miles and Bandini once again battle it out on the Mulsanne Straight until Bandini blows his engine, completely eliminating Ferrari in the race. About 21 hours into the race, Miles has driven convincingly amassing a significant lead, leaving three Ford teams in the top-three positions. Beebe hits upon an idea and orders Shelby to have Miles slow down for the other two Fords to catch up with him and provide the press with a three-car photo finish. Miles is initially against this decision, continuing to set new lap records towards the end of the race, but decides to let Ford have their way on the final lap. 

The French race officials, after initially agreeing to Ford's dead-heat 'photo-finish', reneged after the fact, stating that as the McLaren/Amon #2 car had started some 20 yards behind the Miles/Hulme #1 car, it had travelled a farther distance, and as such Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon were declared the winners on a technicality, with Miles and Hulme being awarded second place. Miles is however, graceful in his defeat and grateful to Shelby for giving him the chance to race at Le Mans.

Two months after Le Mans and following almost a day of testing the new model J-car at Riverside International Raceway in the blisteringly hot Southern California desert summer weather, Miles approached the end of the track's one mile, downhill back straight at a top speed of 200+ mph when the car suddenly looped, flipped, crashed and exploded in a ball of flame. The car broke into pieces and ejected Miles, killing him instantly. Miles was aged 47 when he died on August 17th 1966.

You don't have to be a petrol-head die hard fan of motor sport to like 'Ford v. Ferrari'. The film has a true story to tell, that Director Mangold keeps grounded in the truth and the facts surrounding these moments in motor sporting history that saw the true underdog of American motor manufacturing defeat the Italian Goliath's dominance on the race track over successive years. The pairing of Damon and Bale is well matched as two close friends who overcome adversity both on and off the race track, frustrations with the corporate establishment, numerous roadblocks and questionable decisions to ultimately win through yet pay the ultimate price in doing so. The story line is compelling, well scripted, the race sequences are very well realised, the performances strong and as an overall package it's a real crowd pleaser and a throw back to those films of yesteryear of a similar ilk - 1966's 'Grand Prix' and 1971's 'Le Mans' - in terms of spectacle and emotion, but updated with all the modern gloss that Hollywood can throw at it.

'Ford v. Ferrari' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

THE PROMISE : Tuesday 27th June 2017.

'THE PROMISE' which I saw last week is Directed and Co-Written by Terry George whose previous credits include 'Reservation Road' and 'Hotel Rwanda'. Here he turns his attention to the last days of the Ottoman Empire and the Armenian Genocide, which occurred between 1915 and 1922, marking the beginning of one hundred years of modern genocide by launching the world into a cycle of violence and denial that has resulted in millions of lives lost, destroyed and displaced. The film Premiered at TIFF in early September last year, was released in the US in late April, and has been a Box Office bomb taking just US$9M of its US$90M budget outlay. The film has however, been praised for its historical accuracy and for not downplaying the enormity of the lesser known Armenian Genocide that took place.

This is the story of Mikael (Oscar Isaac), a small village dwelling apothecary and an aspiring gifted medical student who has designs on graduating from medical school in the big city and turning his chosen career path to good use back in his Armenian home village of Sirun, in the south-east of the Ottoman Empire. In order to fund his way through medical school and graduate as a fully fledged Doctor, he betroths himself to the daughter of a wealthy neighbour in the village for a dowry of 400 gold coins. This will give him the fees necessary to continue his training at the Imperial Medical Academy in Constantinople and fund his living expenses for the two years he is away. And so Michael leaves the comfort of Sirun and heads to the big city, Constantinople, fresh faced, energetic and fully of hope for his future.

Upon arriving in Constantinople, he meets Emre (Marwan Kenzari) on his first day at the Medical Academy. Emre is the son of a high ranking Turkish official, and also a medical student, although only because he wanted to dodge the draft into the Turkish Army, much to the chagrin of his father.

Through Mikael's wealthy Uncle, he is introduced to Ana (Charlotte Le Bon), an Armenian woman raised and educated in Paris and from a village not too far way from his own. Ana is romantically involved with American Reporter for the Associated Press Chris Myers (Christian Bale), and the two share a co-dependence upon each other - he for his reporting and she for her artistic sketches of his reported subject matter. With the threat of war looming, Myers is in Constantinople observing and reporting on the German influence in Turkey, and the mounting unrest amongst certain factions of the population. Myers has clout as a famous and highly regarded photo-journalist dedicated to exposing political truth.

Fairly quickly it becomes evident that there is a chemistry between Mikael and Ana, and soon their affections for each other become apparent to Chris. All of this starts to unfold as international tensions begin to boil over with the onset of WWI, and it becomes clear that Turkey intends to side with Germany. As compulsory conscription looms ever closer into the Ottoman Army, Mikael manages to avoid being signed up with Emre's help using the clout of his father's position to secure a medical student exemption.

However, Mikael's avoidance of the conscript is short-lived, as he soon discovers that his Uncle has been imprisoned during the dissident round-ups of April 1915. In his attempts to save his Uncle by bribing an official with his remaining stash of gold coins, Mikael is his himself detained, and sent off to a prison labour camp. We then fast forward six months to see the Nazi-like led camp and those prisoners doing the hard labour by laying train tracks across rocky mountain terrain for their captors, the Turks.

Eventually, Mikael manages to escape as a result of a fortunate occurrence involving weeping sticks of dynamite, a prisoner willing to give his life, and the close proximity to the ensuing explosion of many Turkish soldiers. Finally, Mikael makes his way back to his village, only to find it a shadow of its former self with the Turks having turned violently on their Armenian fellows. His parents are still alive, but are now poverty stricken having been robbed of all their wealth and valuables by the marauding Turkish Army. His mother persuades him to proceed with his promise to marry Maral (Angela Sarafyan) the girl he is betrothed to despite Mikael professing his love for Ana in Constantinople. But with the passing of time and their changed circumstances he doesn't even know if Ana still lives. And so he goes through with the marriage in a hurried ceremony in the mountains where they live in a log cabin built by his father as sleeping quarters for hired farm hands. Soon enough Maral falls pregnant, but suffering from sickness Mikael takes his wife back to the village to be tended for by his mother and father. There he learns that Ana and Chris are at a Red Cross station close by, and so he leaves to seek their help in securing an escape from the ever increasing threat to their lives at the hands of the Turks.

The Red Cross are managing escape missions for orphans across the mountains and to a nearby port where passage by ship is planned to take them to safe haven. They head back to Sirun to retrieve Mikael's family en route to the port, only to be greeted by a bloodbath of massacred bodies laid strewn across a riverbank on the outskirts of the village. Among them is the slain bodies of Mikael's father and Maral, with the unborn child ripped from her stomach. His mother is still alive.  Mikael's grieving is interrupted by passing Turkish soldiers who give chase.

The group split with Chris leading them off astray so enabling Mikael and Ana  to escape with the carriage load of young orphans. Chris is however, soon overcome and captured. He produces official papers but these are dismissed by the soldiers who take him back to Constantinople where he is imprisoned for spying - a crime punishable by death. Emre, now an officer in the Ottoman Army, visits Chris in his cell and pleads with him to sign a confession to save his life, but Chris has firm beliefs and staunch moral standards and rips up the document - sealing his fate.

At the eleventh hour, American Ambassador Henry Morgenthau (James Cromwell) gets involved with his Turkish counterpart and negotiates Chris's release, allowing for him to be deported to Malta. Emre however, was involved in contacting Morgenthau covertly, and is found out by more higher ranking officials, and consequently is shot by firing squad. Upon arriving in Malta, Chris boards the French Navy cruiser 'Guichen' under the captaincy of Admiral Fournet (Jean Reno) as it launches for the Ottoman coastline.

Meanwhile Ana and Mikael encounter a large group of Armenian refugees heading into the mountains to escape the advancing Turks. Armed with limited guns and makeshift weapons, the refugees are determined that they will fight to the death. The resistance fought off the advancing Turks for fifty-three days in all on mount Musa Dagh until Allied warships, most notably the French 3rd squadron in the Mediterranean sighted the survivors, just as ammunition and food provisions were running short. French and British ships, beginning with the Guichen, evacuated 4,200 men, women and children from Musa Dagh, amidst heavy artillery fire from the Ottoman Army, which Chris, Mikael, Ana and the orphans all come under attack from, and not without casualty. The warships then transported them to safety in Port Said in Egypt.

This film has a strong compelling story to tell and its an important one, that is still controversially denied by the Turkish people to this day. Therefore, all credit to Terry George for bringing this story to the big screen - it is just a shame that so many film goers have chosen to elect with their feet and their money to stay away from the cinemas, or watch something else. Maybe its because this tragic story of the Armenian Genocide which claimed one and a half million lives is wrapped up in candy floss and sugar coated in a melodramatic, elongated love triangle that detracts from the subject matter  of real historical and undeniable importance. The production values are strong and with the principle cast of Bale and Isaac and up & comer Le Bon, we could have expected a lot more, but here the sum of the parts is not greater than the whole. Twenty minutes less running time, an abbreviated love triangle and more about the atrocities (think 'Schindler's List' here) and we'd be talking about a different film altogether.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-