Beau Travail

"A beautiful and odd movie with a story, which is a wisp, told mostly without speech. The story conveys the emotional surge and retreat and uses scene cuts to convey what the characters can not convey with words. I was left with the impression of magnificence of the male bodies as they are shown in motion and stasis. The core story involves jealousy and the abuse of power in a world superficially defined by honour. "

"Some interesting visuals here and there- almost like brutalist architecture in the light and desolation. However, it’s 90 minutes of almost NOTHING happening and it feels like three HOURS of nothing. If it had been a ten minute short film I feel like it would be massively improved. I didn’t need to watch this movie to understand how pointless and boring it is to be colonizing soldiers occupying land where they have no business being. Also? It’s barely gay. Needs more gay."

"4½⭐/5⭐ + Beau Travail articulates ideas in the cinematic medium in such a way that feels both simple and richly symbolic. Like some of my favorite movies it is told in non-linear fashion, tackling the story through the main character's narration of his letters recounting his time leading a small group of young men in the French Foreign Legion, but it also jumps around the timeline through flashbacks. It's built more on story and moments between the commander and his crew with the conflict centering on his irrational and unprovoked dislike for a new addition to his crew. We follow their day-to-day training and even slip into the mind of the commander as he plots to ruin the new recruit. Yet the plot is secondary, and the narrative transitions through naturalistic images that help us connect to the characters' inner states. I for one enjoyed the editing transitions. One of my favorites shows an image of a pen gliding across paper, recording the commanders thoughts, and slowly the image starts to dissolve into a translucent film over calming waves of water. It suggests the mind of the one who is writing the letter, but also helps to transport us to the setting where he trains the young men. These editing techniques give a sense of transcendental storytelling, and when taken as a whole with the directing, acting, and cinematography, there's a richness to the movie that makes the 90 minute runtime feel like it has more depth than some 3 hour epics. There is a lot of story for such a short, simple movie. Claire Denis is a great artist. Right up there with Terrence Malick and Stanley Kubrick. - The movie could have featured the new recruit more to give a better sense of the conflict between he and the commander. Sometimes I felt like I didn't have a clear grasp on their character dynamics. Some might also find the non-linear structure a little difficult to follow. NOTE: I reluctantly took ½ a star off my rating, but with repeat viewings this could easily change."

"This is one of the most beautifully shot films ever and made me a fan of Claire Denis. The acting is not over the top but the actors get the job done. I also love how this film tackles the theme of masculinity, especially since this film is made by a woman. This one is worth checking out!"

"Some of the images in this film are haunting. Like the way it insinuates it's themes almost though osmosis. And the story comes to us through disparate scenes building to a tragic crescendo. Some say it's **** erotic. While, sure it's there I think calling it that is reductionist."

"Stunning film. "