El bar

Seen at the Berlinale 2017. Turns out to be a knockout competition, something like And Then There Were None (aka Ten Little N****rs) by Agatha Christie. Since the whodunit becomes clear after 15 minutes, further proceedings are very different from said book in all respects, except for the fact that someone dies at regular intervals. Key question: How far will you go to save yourself at the expense of others, especially when those others are strangers. And is the choice very different when it involves someone who nauseated you at first sight, or had some prejudice against for whatever reason?? We see it all happening, in many variations, in this tense thriller. There are a few comedy elements to alleviate the tension from time to time, but the depressing core conclusion is that humans are self-serving by definition, and only care for others when they expect to get something in return.

The starting point is nothing out of the ordinary. A random collection of people, most of them strangers to one another, who happened to pass by and came into the bar for a variety of reasons. They suddenly find themselves against a common but initially unknown enemy. Our religious upbringing taught us that everyone is basically good, and prepared to help others in need. But our natural attitude changes in reverse as soon as we feel threatened. So this becomes the very opposite of a "All for one, one for all" story. Of the most remarkable observations in this movie is how drastically people change when they get hold of a loaded gun. We see that a few times, each time with other people, but the net effect is similar for all of them, even for people who we thought to be above sheer egoism.

There is no need to spoil what is going on and what will happen after that. Trust me that subsequent events are unpredictable, and makes one wonder if even a single one of the bar visitors will survive. And to test your own conscience: if there would be one survivor, who would you prefer to be the lucky one, versus who would you consider not worth living any further and better die in the process?? Prepare yourself for a very tense 1h45min. The whole running time is full of surprises. There is no time to consult your watch, as not a single minute is wasted. The final question is left for the viewer: would you have behaved much better than anyone in this group??