Incendios

During the reading of the will of their mother's, a twin brother and sister learn of some unusual last wishes. Amongst other requests, two envelopes need to be delivered to respectively the father of the two and a brother whom are both unknown. The quest leads the twins through the Middle East where they slowly learn of the horrific tales which is the life history of their late mother.

The movie tells a very graphic but endearing story, perfectly shot and acted allowing the viewer to get fully immersed into the journey and findings of the twins. Through flashbacks we learn about the hardship of the mother and, eventually, the fate of the father and brother. As a treat, there is a great twist at the end which is really the icing on the cake.

Highly recommended.

92/100

The main attraction into seeing 'Incendies' was that it was directed by Denis Villeneuve, having loved 'Sicario' and really liked 'Prisoners' (apart from the ending). Reviews for both films recommended 'Incendies' highly and with people calling it one of Villeneuve's best, so seeing the film was definitely on the cards.

Seeing it, 'Incendies' turned out to be every bit the great film as touted. Although more needs to be seen from Villeneuve, 'Incendies' to me does contain some of his best work seen thus far and my second favourite after 'Sicario'. It is a tough watch, often incredibly hard-hitting, and will have things that people will love and others won't (some will, and have done, find it contrived and melodramatic), but again to me 'Incendies' was so exceptionally well made all round with such a strong emotional impact throughout that although it is not perfect it was hard not to be hard on it.

'Incendies's' weak point is the ending, it is certainly unexpected and has some power but also seemed rather contrived and like it went on far with the number of coincidences, almost as credibility-straining as the ending of 'Prisoners' if not quite.

However, 'Incendies' is superbly made visually, especially in the stylish and brooding cinematography, with deft use of close-ups and long shots, that captures the horrors of the story wonderfully, even if Roger Deakins did it just a little bit better. The scenery is similarly audacious while also highly atmospheric. The music is suitably haunting, with great use of Radiohead's "You and Whose Army".

Villeneuve's direction is some of his career's best, he specialised in giving his films a darkness that was beautiful and brutal but also a hard edge that didn't hold back for the better. That can be seen in 'Incendies'. While not as tight as the script in 'Sicario', the script has a lot of emotional impact and provokes thought.

When it comes to the story, 'Incendies' is also hugely successful. It really hits hard without overdoing or sugar-coating things, it's very much authentic, and is also very moving. The bus massacre in particular is a highlight that shocks one to the core. The parallel split-time structure of the story is very interesting, neither story line is hard to follow and they tie up neatly at the end, while the numerous revelations and twists could have been credibility-straining and illogical if not done right but Villeneuve keeps it all under control. Anguish, confusion and regret has not in a while been seen by me so poignantly on film.

Performances are strong across the board, with powerhouse turns from Lubna Azabal and Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin. The film does a particularly great job in creating sympathy for the protagonist, who is developed beautifully, one where she is easy to root for every step of the way and comes over as a compellingly real one.

Overall, great film, a near-masterwork though the ending is not as good as the rest of the film. 9/10 Bethany Cox

When people watch the Oscars, they don't usually care about the Best Foreign Film nominees. Incendies provides so many reasons why people should actually get to see those nominees at all costs. Incendies is the kind of film that one walks away from feeling emotionally drained, one where it stays in the viewer's mind for days on end. Like an intense personal experience, it takes a lot to come to grips with the film's story, a moving plot full of twists and catharsis. At the New Directors/New Films Festival in New York, at which I saw this last night, Denis Villeneuve explained that he has made four films in Canada, but this is the first one to be released in America. Right now, I see no reason why Villeneuve, or any of the actors for that matter, shouldn't have a great future ahead of them.

Based on the play Scorched by Wajdi Mouawad, Incendies follows a non-linear plot that spans two generations. In the present day, Jeanne and Simon are twins who have lost their mother, Nawal. Nawal has stipulated in her will that Jeanne and Simon must return an envelope to the brother they didn't know existed who is currently living in a fictional Middle Eastern country. Only then can the twins give Nawal a proper burial. Jeanne feels obligated to return the letter, so she goes to the Middle East, only to realize some of Nawal's nastiest secrets. As Jeanne uncovers more about Nawal, the viewer is shown Nawal's story. The film builds up to an unforgettable ending that is sure to rock any viewer.

Incendies already had great source material. I've praised the plot enough, but one thing I must add is that the play is apparently four hours long, according to Villeneuve. It's impressive that this movie succeeds so nicely because I can't imagine that anything was cut. But to back up that source material, there's some really great acting. The entire cast plays their parts with such an emotional vigor that it seems impossible that this work of art wasn't autobiographical.

Furthermore, Villeneuve has made a film that relies on great filmmaking to impact the viewer. The cinematography is beautifully bland, surely a nod to some of the deserts in the Lebanon- like land where the movie takes place. Color scheme is also used to Villeneuve's advantage to show the parallels between Nawal and Jeanne's lives. Villeneuve seems to love working with extended zoom shots that shock the viewer with their overwhelmingly long silences. Why Villeneuve didn't receive critical acclaim (in America, at least) before Incendies is a mystery.

There are many movies about the Middle East. Some have failed miserably in their attempts to strike an emotional chord with critics and viewers alike (Redacted, Rendition), but others have been extremely successful (The Hurt Locker, Lebanon). Incendies could very well be one of the best films ever made about the conflicts in the Middle East. It has its flaws which keep it from being a masterpiece (maybe it could've lost five or ten minutes), but it is that rare type of film that really resonates beyond the initial viewing. Hopefully, Incendies will be remembered for years to come as the little, brilliant film that spawned the great fame of Denis Villeneuve.

There are secrets to be uncovered now she has passed, the undiscovered stories, that she'd amassed, a father and a brother, you didn't know, could there be others, it's time to lift the bedrock, of the past. You make a visit to a country, in the east, where friction, conflict, war, chaos, have seldom ceased, walking footsteps left in shadow, as you plough a lonely furrow, a record slowly forming, piece by piece. You discover revelations, tragedy; events of circumstance and shocking gravity, an uncontrived coincidence, implications beyond immense, that point to why your mother had to run and flee.

One of the best films you'll come across, brilliantly directed and performed, heart wrenching and packed full of emotion and turmoil.

Want to see where one of the modern era's hottest directing streaks started? If you do, then Incendies in the film for you.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve, who went from this French/Canadian co-production to move onto Prisoners, Enemy, Sicario, Arrival and last year's brilliant sequel Blade Runner 2049, Incendies is the Oscar nominated film that put Villeneuve on the path he finds himself on now and remains a film of substantial power these years on from initial release.

Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad's play of the same name, Incendies is a multi-layered narrative that spans both numerous countries and numerous characters over various timelines but Villeneuve controls his film perfectly as the mystery that lays at the heart of this tale about family, war, life and death never gets muddled as we're drawn further and further into a film that wraps us up in its web and refuses to let us go.

There's not the abundance of filmmaking and visual flair that Villeneuve has started to become known for over his more recent Hollywood productions but Incendies power comes almost exclusively from Villeneuve's deft hand with his performers, his handling of a script that other filmmakers would struggle to bring to life and his ability to slowly ebb out more information as we go, that by the time we come to realise just what lays in store for the films characters, the power of Incendies becomes even more apparent.

Saying to much about this story would be a disservice to a film that takes many various turns and pivots. Essentially at its core, a story of both twins Jeanne and Simon Marwan trying to uncover the secret of their father they've never met and find a brother they never knew they had after their Middle Eastern born mother Nawal passes away, Incendies becomes so much more than a typical family drama as it showcases time in the conflict of the Israeli and Palestinian Holy Wars, as well as the twins journey back to their country of nationality.

The film in many ways showcases a different side to Villeneuve and proves the director is just as at home handling a $150 million plus Sci-Fi for a major Hollywood studio as he is behind the camera of a small intimate drama that is driven purely by its narrative and characters. Proof the filmmaker is a man of many talents and a director to be cherished by those that love cinema.

Final Say -

For any fans of Villeneuve's work, world cinema or powerful character driven dramas, then Incendies should be a film you seek out as soon as possible. Losing none of its power since its initial release, this sometimes hard to watch but always enthralling film is standout filmmaking and the official blasting off point for one of the modern era's great filmmakers.

5 swimming pools out of 5