| psycho d |
04-12-2011 08:33 AM |
Witnesses (2003). This dark Croatian flick opens with a scene that tells the audience that something special is about to occur. But this something is not wrapped in a sugary coating and then delicately sauteed, but instead is a fresh look at the ubiquitous death of morality that is becoming of civil war.
The story has a simple basis that is heaped with plenty of complexity. Even the story's title increases in significance as its meaning stealthily widens. The timeline is convoluted and wonderful. Just as it becomes almost too complex, a dish of information comes along to reestablish our footing, only to have it knocked out from under us once again. What is notable is this never becomes frustrating, at least once it becomes obvious that the necessary information will soon become available, right when we least expect it. As a subtitled flick, be ready with the rewind button, but don't let this scare ya away, for this dark journey is more than worth the effort.
The acting was superb on all accounts. There really is no star here, at least in terms of camera time. Everybody equally applies his or her talent to support this messed up story of a war-torn land whose moral compass is spinning in circles.
The direction was simply brilliant. In lesser hands, this would have been a mess of film, a mere exorcise in frustration. But Vinko Bresan reveals his salt and daringly applies his wonderfully artistic flair to this sad tale. The photography was stunning. Long panning shots, wildly subdued color variations, and perfectly distorted angles convey all the right ingredients to bring out the necessary elements just behind the scenes. The score would hauntingly sneaking in here and there to further toy with our emotions, but for the most part it played it ancillary part perfectly.
At a mere 124 minutes, this feels like a meatier, but not longer, flick, and by its finish the need to set a little time aside in order to let this one settle in is more than requisite.
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