Alexander, a boy who has been raised in a sequestered commune, finds that his increasing unwillingness to fall in line puts him on a collision course with Gregori, the society's charismatic and domineering leader.
Director:
Ariel KleimanWriters:
Sarah Cyngler, Ariel KleimanStars:
Vincent Cassel, Jeremy Chabriel, Florence
Mezzara | See full cast and crew »
Storyline
Alexander, a boy who has been raised in a sequestered commune, finds that his increasing unwillingness to fall in line puts him on a collision course with Gregori, the society's charismatic and domineering leader.
User Reviews
Richly Layered
This film presents a microcosm of a society governed by a strong patriarchy. Ostensibly it's a haven for those who have suffered at the hands of the wider world but, as the movie slowly reveals, the line between the safety of a haven and the exclusion of fascism is hard to draw.
The most common complaint against this film appears to be that it is 'ambiguous'. However, in my opinion, the film is not ambiguous at all, rather it is 'ambivalent', which may have confused some. The film swings between dichotomies - love and aggression, truth and lies, freedom and control etc. Beautifully summed up by a shot in which Gregory carries in one hand bandages and in the other scissors, perhaps also emblematic of the Eagle in the US federal seal (olive branch in one claw, arrows in the other, literally meaning peace and war).
In my view this film presents us with a social philosophy, one which examines how the sins of our past are passed down onto the children of our future. Even with the best intentions the patriarchal harem that 'Gregory' has created, with its goal of protection, relies on his ability to be totally benign which, owing to the vicissitudes of human nature, is impossible. Thus the ideal of fascism becomes a facade behind which repression and hypocrisy reside.
The micro-society depicted is a partisan one. However, the true follower of its values himself becomes a partisan and ironically is therefore in transgression of his autocratic ruler.
There are rich visual metaphors throughout which support a fully animated subtext. All elements of this film are superb, including the acting and the directors gradual unravelling of the pervasive ambivalence in relationships is masterful. The message here can be translated both socially and personally and because of that, like many great films before it, it has a multiform impact and can be watched in many ways. It's not quite genius, but it is extremely good.
