In the Land of Blood and Honey

There's something in the air these days with military related, history based dramas about conflict hitting our shores all at the same time. There's Act of Valor and its war on terror against a fictional opposition, and both 5 Days of War and The Land of Blood and Honey take on a look back at the 2008 Russo-Georgian conflict and the 1992-1995 Bosnian War respectively, weaving a fictional story in front of an historical backdrop, the former aligning itself closer to an action film, and this one being a more dramatic take that deals with a forbidden romance.

Written, directed and co-produced by Angelina Jolie, one wonders what went through her thought process when she decided to take up duties and responsibilities from behind the camera instead of in front of it, and to have one's directorial feature debut deal with such a heavy topic about genocide, sexual violence, and the inner beasts that mankind has the propensity to turn into when fighting for beliefs, regardless whether right or wrong. I suppose being a UN ambassador had exposed her to various peacekeeping and charitable causes around the globe, and something must have triggered that spark within her to come up with a troubled romance story set amidst one of the worst times in human history. She doesn't shy away from graphic portrayal of the many atrocities committed by the aggressors, and showed how humanity can crumble into nonchalance through murky politics, and when it decides to sit back from the outside and do nothing.

That's the macro picture, and the film balances it with a micro look at a more personal level through the eyes of the protagonists, Serbian Danijel (Goran Kostic) and Bosnian Ajla (Zana Marjanovic), who begins the film looking very optimistic and expectant of her date with the former, at a time of peace and tranquility if not for a bomb blast to signal the end of harmony, and a prelude of the unimaginable and inexplicable violence to come. Not before long the land is plunged into civil war, with Bosnian civilians bearing the brunt of it in what would be genocide and ethnic cleansing. As it turns out, Ajla and her family become victims, while as fate would have it for Danijel to actually be a Serbian captain under the strict, uncompromising orders from his military father, and their paths to cross when Ajla got arrested and forced into labour in a camp, if not for Danijel to come to her aid, claiming her to be his property to starve off any sexual advances from his men.

The romance here is something that drifted into mediocrity with this protection accorded not going down well amongst the ranks, and Danijel getting into a love-hate relationship of sorts with Ajla, where in times much better than the present, would have evolved into something more beautiful than forceful. It's an open secret love affair that grew, and brought to life only by Zana Marjanovic's strong performance as a woman out to survive her ordeal. Marjanovic brings about a balance in both vulnerability and steely strength in her character of Ajla, who has to decide on her emotions, whether or not she can literally fall in love and be sleeping with the enemy, while Kostic's own performance deals with the ability to show compassion, or be seduced by a master-slave power that overwhelms, and slowly but surely corrupts and spirals into obsessive suspicion and paranoia.

What became more intriguing as the narrative wore on, was the similarities with Ang Lee's Lust, Caution in the second half of the film, where a woman found herself tasked to do a job to make a stand for the oppressed and her people, given her natural charms and close proximity to do so. The conflicts of emotions, and the suspense, especially since how a scheme sans details got mooted served as an inflection point, and will leave you guessing whether will she, or won't she, and even then, how it can actually all take place since she's isolated almost all the time in a fortified location, and we aren't in the clear of any details if any were discussed at all, given the apparent vagueness. The final scene between Danijel and Ajla is intense and will serve as a talking point given the quick, convenient and inevitable way to closure.

But like 5 Days of War, this film is fairly lop-sided in its politics, so focus not on that but on the relationship that is Romeo-and-Juliet-ish involving star crossed lovers from opposite sides of the land trying to keep the flickering flame of their love affair alive amongst the chaos and destruction around them.

The story was sequenced without actual lead. No reality was involved, in one scene Aila was brutally raped in next she looks happy and having sex with her loving man etc. There are traces of true but whole story of Bosnian war was completely simplified. This looks like a bad copy of Emir Kusturica movie "Life is a miracle" 2004. Angelina Jolly should look this movie and she wouldn't probably never made this film. At the end it looks like somebody ordered cheap story for daily use. Pity! On the other hands actors did professional job. Scenes and environment are very realistic and authentic. Music is somehow out of story. I think that scenario had potential but with lot of changes and adjustment.

Everyone's been fuzzing about this movie, reviewing it and commenting (mostly bad things) about it, so I wasn't very eager to watch it. A very good friend of mine with whom we have similar taste in books and movies told me that it was not worth the time, so I didn't bother to watch it, because honestly I don't think that it's a good thing when actors become directors, singers - actors etc... But, when I finally decided to see this film, I wasn't expecting very much and was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it very much. I felt it. I know that most of the audience (especially the one from the Balkan) is thinking that an American actress don't have anything to do interfering with the Balkan history, but I think that Jolie studied her subject on the matter and did an amazing job presenting it to the worldwide audience. The thing about this story being a fictional one set in war that actually occurred is also a fact that shouldn't bother the audience and stop it from enjoying this great film, because I don't think it's fair to enjoy a fictional story about Jack and Rose, two love-birds on Titanic, and criticize this well written story about Ajla and Danijel. My point is, Angelina Jolie proved herself as a great director and producer, and others who say otherwise are just not happy with this film because it touches one serious matter that is still going on in Bosnia, even though the war is over.

It's not a bad movie. Actually it would have been a pretty good if it was a Bosnian movie, but it does not live up to the expectations of a Hollywood movie of a major movie star.

The story was weak - the main characters meet once, then they meet again when she is kidnapped by Serbian soldiers and they are suddenly in love. It feels like they were in a relationship before the war but the movie never makes that clear.

There is no background on the war, no explanation why any of these events are taking place, no reason where the all that hate is coming from.

The characters stroke me as emotionless. I understand that some of that could be attributed to being used to seeing death and atrocities during the war, but there is little war footage and it feels fake.

There is some character development, the Serbian commander has some second thoughts about the reasons behind the war, but overall he simply goes along with everything with little to no emotion and giving very little insight in his thoughts reasoning.

The cinematography was good, the acting was pretty good, the story is original and engaging even though it's not developed well.

"No Man's Land" is much better movie on the Bosnian war in my opinion.

This is a well intentioned film about the Bosnian war but unfortunately it doesn't work that well. Despite the powerful message it wants to deliver it doesn't draw one into the story.

Firstly the good points. Angelina Jolie makes a good attempt and achieves a good on location feel. The battle and destruction scenes are quite effective - realistic not exaggerated. It is interesting to see the war from 2 sides with lead characters on both sides of the conflict.

The main problem is in the story and screenplay itself. Maybe Jolie was taking on too much by both directing and writing. There have been more main stream movies about the Balkan conflict eg Flowers for Sarajevo and Behind Enemy Lines. I understand she was trying to make a very Un Hollywood movie but maybe a bit of a more traditional dramatic narrative would have been more compelling. Continuity in the story is lacking as the story is broken up between the love and scenes of fighting and other brutalities. The romance is unconvincing. Needed some serious editing.

The main actress is good but the main actor is a bit cold. Their scenes together are awkward and painful to watch.

Overall feels schizophrenic, disjointed and self indulgent.