Partisan

Colorfully decorated sets and Art-Design paint a cheerfully bleak existence of a "Family" of self isolated misfits and victims of a larger Society that have isolated themselves from the "Hurt" of reality.

Likable but verging on insanity, charming like most Cult-Leaders, Vincent Cassel is slowly shown to be a manipulative maniac giving refuge to single Women with Children. What transpires is a depressing scenario.

This offbeat, low-budget Australian Movie has Philosophical, Psychological, and Societal things on its mind and delivers engaging but erratic implications of the Human condition, its strengths and shortcomings.

Worth a watch for its Artistry but the deep subject matter is never fully thought out and seems a shortcut with its ambiguous storytelling. Much needed background to make it convincing and insightful is never supplied to the viewer and that does this ambitious little Film a disservice.

Because in the end the extremely interesting and always good to look at Movie is big on display but does not have what is most needed in this type of thing, information for involvement.

I've seen this movie a few times and each time I'm more troubled and impressed. It appears to be about an independent community, certainly a cult but ALL I see is a rare and brilliant reflection about religions. It may have not been intended this way but this is my perception. I can hear your bashing but I have to say it: central figure demanding total submission from the parishioners, total control of the leader, believe and don't research, ideological excuses for horrific crimes against disobedient parishioners and humans, second rank status for women, lies, fabricated reality, extreme manipulation, polygamy, pure deprivation and no moral standards, etc.The movie show them all in a very subtle but direct way. he casting is amazing. Jeremy's instinctive resilience to the abuse is unique and central to the movie. Movies are supposed to make you feel and think and not offer you on a plate solutions and closure. So-called critics: shush! It may be just my pre-disposition for deeper analysis and thoughts but the link to my reality is so strong and I can't ignore it. On top of my preferences and I've seen thousands (I have a taste for movies that really say something meaningful about the human nature). Be gentle!

Vincent Casel plays Gregori, the King and leader of his self created Utopia, made of damaged women and children groomed for a life of crime and control from Gregori. The children are made to commit horrendous crimes, including murder. Gregori considers himself a figure akin to a religious leader, instead he's a spider at the centre of a web. One of his boys 'Alexander' has the mental ability to look beyond Gregori's brainwashing, he begins to question the life he's living and soon starts challenging Gregori. Alexander also has a natural curiosity for life outside the commune, his mind is inquisitive, naturally so at his age. As the film goes on it becomes apparent that Gregori and Alexander will never see eye to eye and the commune will never be big enough for the two.

A very intelligent movie, it's one that will make you think and ask do similar events happen in the world. It is a very original movie, I can't think of many similar movies I've seen.

The movie is hugely character driven, there are some long dialogues, deliberately there to show the motives and conflicts of Gregori in particular.

Some moments where you're not quite sure what's going to happen, Alexander's trip to the shop being one. In my opinion the story is actually very strong, it's all about Gregori creating his own mini world, adding what he wants, and ridding what threatens it.

Brilliance from Vincent Cassel, as is often the case, he manages to make Gregori manipulative, powerful and somehow dangerous, he put in an excellent performance.

Just Excellent. 9/10

For all intents and purposes Partisan neither feels like, looks like or acts like an Australian film despite it very much so being one. It's a rare thing for an Australian film to achieve that feat of not actually feeling Australian and while it's hard to know whether in the case of Ariel film here if this is a good thing, it's not hard for one to feel that Partisan is a sadly frustrating experience to witness.

Filmed in a dark, gloomy and atmospheric fashion by first time feature film director Ariel Kleiman, Partisan looks the part and while it's never stated where or at what time this film takes place it has an almost 1984 feel to proceedings that gives it a universal feel that this is a tale that could be happening anywhere in our great big world. The troubling thing about Partisan is that this non-disclosure of where the film is taking place is just one of many things that it never lets the audience into.

Kleiman's whole film feels eerie, almost an Oliver Twist gone bad type feel as Vincent Cassel's Gregori looks over and trains his not so merry band of children to go about some pretty confronting missions, but Partisan never cares to absolutely let us into its mindset, although it's clear Gregori is some type of saviour to women in need.

You keep watching in hope of finding out more behind the whole thing but sadly the answers are never forthcoming, which is a shame as young actor Jeremy Chabriel handles himself well despite his character of Alexander not being an overly endearing one and Vincent Cassel (a last minute replacement of Oscar Isaac) acquits himself well. Kleiman also shows enough to suggest his future endeavors could be quite the treat and the films soundtrack by Daniel Lopatin (aka Oneohtrix Point Never) is easily one of the year's best.

It's all fine and well to have your film remain shrouded in some mystery but unfortunately for Partisan there's just too much mystery and not enough answers and the film suffers emotionally for it and fails to engage in the way in which it so easily could've. A unique Australian backed effort with moments of genuine greatness, Partisan has wins but far far too many losses to compensate for.

2 upside-down chickens out of 5

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.

Personal, relevant and very well made.