"Dark Heart" is a very allegoric film, blurring the lines between good and evil. The villains are shown with humanity, their motivations and back-stories are understandable, and one can even feel pity for them because they are indeed villains but they are also victims of society. What I've found intriguing is that both the main villain and the "hero" are actually very similar men, two sides of the same coin. Both men have fought in wars and have deep emotional scars. Finn sees a young and naive version of himself in Matt and Matt sees in Finn the tortured and broken man he will eventually become. Had they met on the battlefield, the two men would have probably become best friends, but in the sad and twisted reality of life they happen to became mortal enemies.
Another thing that is peculiar to this film is the absolute lack of "coolness" in violence, which is portrayed in a very realistic and voyeuristic way, often in single takes without cuts. This cinematic style puts the audience unflinchingly in the midst of the violence, and this is exactly the point of the movie: to show that there is no redeeming quality in violence. Violence is just disturbing and repulsive and "Dark Heart" makes a very powerful anti-violence statement by showing violence for what it really is, disgusting, painful and useless. The film's message is clear... violence only leads to more violence, whether it's a pointless war, a desperate robbery, or justifiable revenge.
"Dark Heart" is not an easy movie and is not for everyone. Its claustrophobic, hopeless feel penetrates the soul with surreal acid-trip images, giving the viewer the uncomfortable feeling of being held captive just like the protagonist of the film. But the movie is also bold and daring narrative work that has won numerous awards and nominations at many film festivals.
The end of this film feels like a punch in the guts. And I loved it.
