schreck-42434
Joined Jun 2015
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schreck-42434's rating
The first part is warm and humorous. The second part when he arrives in France is emotionally overwhelming and profound. The short dialogues between Brosnan and Juergen Prochnow and between Brosnan and John Amos are deep, complex and unforgettable. I thought of my father and uncles - who grew up under Hitler, escaped in 1938, and returned to fight Hitler in Europe. They had lost so many friends and family. They went on to live full lives, but they were traumatized by the Holocaust and the war. Let us not forget ... or we will be doomed to repeat the mistakes of history.
It gets better and better - so stick with it past first hour. Sure it could have been a shorter Twilight Zone 50 min episode - but that's irrelevant. It's basically an "escape room" mystery. Or is it a complete fantasy? Or is it an alien invasion? No spoilers here. The film has some profound messages for our time - if you are willing to consider them - ranging from the "complexities of interpersonal relationships" to "the dangerousness of science." Hope, "sacrifice," love, fear, despair, and perseverance are all there. The movie might not deserve a 9 as a great film - but it certainly deserves it for one viewing.
I watch lots of police procedurals ... partly because I taught Criminal Law and Procedure in Law School for over 25 years. This series doesn't raise legal issues of great import. But it follows police procedures and investigative techniques with careful detail. There are enough plot twists to keep you on your toes - and anticipating multiple twists that don't pan out. It also presents investigators, perpetrators, suspects, and victims with psychological depth and humanity. There are mixed motivations. Actors operate in various "grey zones" of criminality ad/or complicity. The use of flashbacks also requires close attention, and flashbacks in later episodes ultimately illuminate plots and motives that happened earlier. Like a good Raymond Chandler novel, there are sometimes more questions than answers. But that gave me more to think about after the episodes, and the series, ended. The incredible beauty of Austria, Germany and the lush mountain landscapes are a plus. Perhaps, at its core, it explores the basic question: 'Why do people commit crimes?" And it provides the simple, but obvious, answer: "Because they want to ... and they can get away with it."