War Blade

So, spend the next 94 minutes of your precious life watching your grass grow or your fridge cool-down rather than consume this seriously flawed WW2 war spoof. This film features low-budget, stale-scripting, and high-ignorance which is never a winning combination. Winter would have done much better to hire a military consultant to correct the scores of military tactics errors propagated through this film; but then the budget would be trashed, and the film canned. The action first lost credibility with the hand-to-hand fight scenes where the actors obviously pretend to be fighting hand-to-hand. In later scenes, our intrepid band of operators transit woods near the enemy bunker with the tactical flavor of an after-supper stroll in the neighborhood. The German SS Commandant with the flowing hairstyle added a measure of ludicrous that could hardly be overlooked. Ludicrous, too, was the same Commandant administering a disciplinary beating with the business end of a German "potato masher" grenade. But the firearm action seemed scripted by someone who arguably has never even watched a weapon operate. Yes, the weaponry appeared to be vintage, but not authentic. Our hero (Banks) repeatedly fires his revolver without hammer movement. French resistance fighters sport high-end US Thompson sub-machine guns. German rifles create peculiar sound effects with obvious squib loads. The strangest firearm action occurred at 55:48 where our red-headed bomb expert (Butcher) clearly fires his Lee Enfield bolt-action rifle in semi-auto mode. After that weird sequence, my interest waned. I viewed the remainder of the movie through drooping eyelids.

This isn't a bad movie as far as storyline goes. However, the budget obviously didn't stretch to a military advisor judging by the absence of any military protocol.

Sergeants are not addressed as 'Sir' in the military, yet this mistake is made time and time again. I also observed saluting incorrectly and inappropriately, inaccurate uniforms and insignia, ridiculous tactical decision and weapon use. Also, the expenditure of ammunition and explosives do not sound authentic at all. That isn't all but the least I expect is they get the basics right.

I may be nitpicking but I was so annoyed by the midpoint of this movie I just lost interest.

The director's storytelling in this film approaches an almost impossible mission. It's evident that he performed wonders within the budget constraints. However, the cinematography and narrative flow betray a level of experience one might not expect from an independent film. The action sequences are particularly impressive for an indie movie, and the standout performances of Joseph Millson as Robert Banks and Alina Tamara as Saskia elevate the film substantially. Both actors deliver remarkable performances; Alina, in particular, effectively conveys a range of emotions, ensuring that her character Saskia shares equal prominence with Robert. Her portrayal is nuanced, oscillating between vulnerability and strength, embodying a character whose fate-whether as a saviour or otherwise-remains a compelling aspect of the plot.

Director Nicholas has done an incredible job under financial constraints. It's apparent that with a larger budget, his vision could have been further realized, but he and his team should take pride in their accomplishment.

I recommend this movie to those who appreciate lesser-known war stories, are fans of action, or enjoy films centred around a mission. The movie's unique approach and commendable performances make it a noteworthy watch.

War Blade is a low budget film but produced with expertise and backed up with actors who know their way around a script. The story flows well with nuance and helped me care about the characters. There's no big battles or grand sweeping air shots so it keeps it simple and intimate which is appropriate for this type of film. What really makes it for me is Daryl O' Donovan's score! It drives the narrative and sets the mood as all good scores should and sets it apart from a the really poor low budget films that I have given up on after 10 minutes. There is no exploiting of female characters but people who have hearing difficulties might be critical of the character who has poor hearing as his hearing only affects those who speak to him but he has no problem hearing his own voice!!

It wouldn't be my favourite war film about French resistance but it's worth a watch.