AFI FEST

by Ari

Days of Glory - Rachid Bouchareb
 
Wow.

I recently wrote about the lack of quality war films in my review of Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers. I went on to mention how Terrence Malick’s The Thin Red Line was “the last time the war film has been something powerful and memorable, visually masterful and thematically profound”. Looks like that’s not the case anymore thanks to writer/director Rachid Bouchareb’s incredible new World War II drama, Days of Glory. Beautifully crafted and performed, Days of Glory reintroduces the epic and personal war film that meticulously recreates a period, while developing realistic characters who have realistic emotions. While Days of Glory certainly uses some storytelling conventions, director Bouchareb never hits excess or panders to the audience. Instead of following a predictable route with the story, Bouchareb spins the usual conventions into something more emotionally involving and even liberating for the characters. Each time you expect the story to take the obvious direction, Bouchareb surprises you with something different, opting for the most realistic scenario. Realism is what makes this film so compelling and moving, intense and tragic. Because the characters are so well established and performed, Days of Glory becomes a tense and unnerving exploration into the chaos, confusion, and brutality of war. This is pure cinema - a film crafted with the artistry of a classical, natural talent.

Like the best war films of the 70’s and 80’s, Bouchareb uses wide, sweeping cinematography to present the landscapes and battles, clearly staging the sequences of violence with actual geography. You can actually tell what the hell is going on during the battle sequences, making them far more intense and horrifying than the recent surge of frenzied, confused mayhem. Once the first battle concludes, Bouchareb leaves you shaken and nervous, genuinely fearing for what will come next. This is visceral filmmaking at its finest, where each passing moment feels more and more suspenseful. And when you have characters this great, the combat will easily become something unsettling and unpleasant - which is exactly how it should be.

The story follows four North African Muslim soldiers enlisted in the French Army - aiding France against the encroaching Nazi forces. Military duty is of course unfair to the North Africans, being the minorities within the service. The North Africans fight just as much, if not more, than most French soldiers, but are hardly recognized or respected by their superiors. One Captain leads a small unit of these men, and he continually recommends them for promotions and honors. This unit reminded me of Sam Fuller’s The Big Red One, where you have a small squad of troops going on several missions and narrowly surviving each dangerous encounter. The unit is made up of the courageous and intelligent leader, Abdelkader (Sami Bouajila), the charming and quiet Saïd (Jamel Debbouze), the efficient marksman, Messaoud (Roschdy Zem), and the loyal, but tortured Yassir (Samy Naceri). Each of them have their own difficulties throughout the war, some more interesting than others. Messaoud has a romantic entanglement with a French woman during one of his breaks - a subplot that works far better than it would in lesser hands. Yassir acts as a guardian angel of sorts to his close friend, a story that works relatively well for the amount of time its given. Saïd develops a relationship with his tough, but understanding Captain and eventual Staff Sergeant (Bernard Blancan), in one of the best aspects of the story. This plot could’ve gone completely sentimental and sappy, but yet again, director Bouchareb grounds the story in realism and emotional honesty. The result is an unlikely friendship between two very different people caught in the same horrible situation.

The best material involves the lead character, Abdelkader. His character is the emotional center of the story, and actor Sami Bouajila makes every moment count with his brilliant performance. Abdelkader has pride for himself and his fellow soldiers, always standing up for his beliefs. The mistreatment of his men challenges his stance on the war several times, but his ideals guide him centered and focused. This character is developed with the most complexity - based on the lives of the veterans director Bouchareb interviewed before writing the screenplay. His year and a half of research shows on-screen, making everything feel authentic and immediate.

Bouchareb presents a grand vision with Days of Glory. When you see an image of hundreds of soldiers marching up a hillside, it’s actually a cast of a hundred extras instead of some cheap effect. Bouchareb does insert subtle visual effects at certain moments, but they actually add to the scene instead of distancing you from it. For the most part, everything is actually filmed in real locations or actual sets, producing a richly cinematic look and feel. This is how it’s done.