Quite a beautiful and sad tale, but beautifully told without hefty dialogue.
What costs, what risks is Alexei willing to take to become a French citizen? And what costs, what risks is Jomo pushed to take to save his village? Are these men a reflection of each other, a manifestation the same human spirit? Udoka, the mystical and spiritual dancer of the tribe is the thread that weaves them together.
A strong focus on the characters' experience and struggles draws you in to the story. The acting is excellent, faces and expressions telling the narrative here. The imagery further supports the characters outlook and experiences through the film. The visual effects (such as a fight scene through IR goggles) convey the gravity of strong scenes without being gory or graphic, as well as relaying beautiful artefacts of nature as though painted with neon lights. They are excellently employed to highlight a tale about a technological society up against humanity's reliance on the natural realm. This is where Vitalic's soundtrack really comes into its own - utterly technological and synthetic, yet soulful, human and sympathetic. The soundtrack is exhilarating and at times crushing, but really well woven into the stories.
A wonderful and beautifully crafted film.
