Resistance

On 16 January 1944, a reconnaissance American pilot survives a plane crash in Delahaut in the Nazi occupied Belgium. The boy Jean Benoit (Antoine Van Lierde) finds the wounded pilot and brings him to the house of Claire (Julia Ormond) and Henri Daussois (Philippe Volter) that belong to the Maquis Resistance. Sooner the Major Theodore 'Ted' Brice (Bill Paxton) is recovered and tells that he needs to retrieve a book of codes, but the airplane is guarded by the Nazis. Meanwhile Ted and Claire fall in love with each other. When three German guards that are protecting the debris of the airplane are executed, the Nazis select a group of villagers and hang them in a barn. When Henri finds that Ted and Claire are having a love affair, he betrays the pilot with tragic consequences.

"Resistance" is a nice romance with the gorgeous Julia Ormond and Bill Paxton showing a great chemistry but unfortunately in an unrealistic environment. The crush of Ted and Claire is acceptable since her marriage is ended but the situation of the couple dating in France is awfully silly and the betrayal of Henri is ridiculous and incoherent for a member of the resistance. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Amor e Guerra" ("Love and War")

An American surveillance plane crashes in a green Belgian field in January of 1944. Almost all the crew is dead. Young Antoine Van Lierde finds the injured pilot. Although despised by members of the Maquis, he gets Bill Paxton to Philippe Volter and Julia Ormond. Miss Ormond nurses Paxton back to health and they begin a passionate affair, despite her troubled marriage and the threat that Volter will turn them both over to the Germans.

It's an almost stereotypical view of the occupied countries during the Second World War. Even in France, members of the Maquis never numbered more than half a million. It's estimated that in Belgium, the Resistance -- whatever it was called -- comprised one in forty. And, of course, American pilots were irresistible to the local women.

Which is not to say that this is a bad movie. The actors are all good, and the story is, if not particularly original, a solid example of the genre, even if there are some glitches in the production.

The biggest flaw of this so-so resistance drama is the choice of an American actress to play the female lead.Julia Ormond is compelled to speak English -I guess she's not dubbed- with a French accent,which is completely absurd;besides,the story takes place in Belgium,where the accent should be different (I 've often heard Belgian people speak).When René Clément made a similar story in 1963 ("le jour et l'heure"),he chose Simone Signoret as the French woman and American Stuart Whitman for the aviator ,which made sense.And whereas Clement's movie had a dramatic progression (Signoret's character was first a woman who did not care about Resistance),this one has none.Now and then ,the German soldiers appear,just for their reprisals,hangings and tortures.There are some Belgian characters involved but their part is so underwritten that even the hubby cannot display his jealousy.Sandrine Bonnaire tries hard ,to no avail.Only Bill Paxton ,in his restrained and sensitive rendering ,shows some convincing emotion.

The film was a flop,and it is sure easy to see why:Resistance has been tackled so many times in France,Europa and elsewhere ,that ,unless you are a genius,you can't make new things out of old.

Best dramatic work by Bill Paxton since "Apollo 13" and " A Simple Plan", and Julia Ormond's ( since her limited role in "Legends of the Fall" ). Engrossing and believable WW II tale . I personally viewed this film at the kick-off of the Stony Brook film festival. GREAT choice by SB's Director Alan Inkles ! This film may appeal more to an older crowd ( with a sense of having lived through earlier wars ), but a packed house with spontaneous gasps , oohs and ahhs tells more of it's involving appeal . The young Belgian actor portraying a disenchanted child of a Nazi collaborator and a shallow mother almost "steals" the movie, as an emotional soundboard of this edgy drama. Well done ... well worth your time !

Resistance is very predictable, and this type of movie has been done many times before and much better. It comes across as a low budget B film. The script is so weak that even Paxton (miscast) and Ormond couldn't breath life into these poorly developed characters. The actions of the characters are not believable and the mediocre acting makes it even harder to tolerate the ridiculous dialog and silly choices the characters make. Did I mention plot holes? My husband walked out less than halfway through but I watched this slow paced movie to the end, albeit with a bit of fast-forwarding. With so many better movies out there this is just not worth the time, In My Humble Opinion! July2020