Force
Majeure (2014/Magnolia Blu-ray)
Picture:
B+ Sound: B+ Extras: C+ Film: B
Ruben
Ostlund's Force Majeure (which is Latin for 'chance
occurrence' or an 'unavoidable accident') is a intense drama about
how moments of panic can question moments of truth and trust within a
weakening relationship. This is an art-house film and even though
it's a gorgeously shot and acted piece, it that will make you feel
very uncomfortable and at times have you screaming at the screen
trying to rationalize or resolve the situation for the characters.
While all the characters in the film are all not necessarily 'great'
people, they are relatable, which can be unnerving. The film was a
big hit at Cannes in 2014, winning a Jury Prize and has been loved by
many critics worldwide. It's a surprise the Academy didn't nominate
this for Best Foreign Film.
The
story follows handsome businessman Tomas, his willowy wife Ebba and
their two blonde children on a skiing holiday in the French Alps.
The sun is shining and the slopes are spectacular but during a lunch
at a mountainside restaurant, an avalanche suddenly bears down on the
happy diners. With people fleeing in all directions and his wife and
children in a state of panic, Tomas grabs his gloves and cell phone
and takes off in the opposite direction. Once the snow settles and
its clear that everyone is okay, Ebba is left alone frightened with
the children and upon his return, Tomas acts as if he didn't do
anything wrong, shaking up Ebba even more. Soon, their friends and
even their two children start to question the strength of Tomas and
Ebba's marriage.
Force
Majeure stars Johannes Kuhnke, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Vincent
Wettergren, Clara Wettergren, Kristofer Hivju, and Fanni Metelius.
There
are several incredible shots in the piece with the most impressive
being the scene where the family see an avalanche crumble down a
mountain right towards them. More intimate moments and staging is
strong throughout including one scene with the two children lying
alone in a dark bedroom crying, hearing their parents fighting in the
hallway beyond their walls. Many scenes are in long uncut takes and
rely on performance to motivate them. The cold and icy setting for
the vacation gone wrong also suits the deep themes of the film and
reflects the situation making this a great exploration in visual
storytelling.
The
presentation on the disc is spectacular in 1080p high definition
transfer with a widescreen aspect ratio of 2.39:1 and a Swedish,
lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 that sounds excellent.
Extras
on the disc include:
An
Interview with the Writer/Director Ruben Ostlund and Actor
Johannes Bah Kuhnke and AXS TV: A Look At Force Majeure.
This
film is definitely an experience for one to watch and definitely more
of a psychodrama study of a relationship than a dark comedy, which is
what its being widely referred to as. Some may scoff at its slow
pacing and artistic merit but it leaves you thinking... and that's
what great filmmaking is all about.
-
James Harland Lockhart V
www.facebook.com/jhl5films
