Raven-1969 There are those who fight and even kill for something as little as wounded pride. As ridiculous as this may seem, there are many situations and places where revenge the only option. Revenge is not just expected, it is demanded or even mandated. It takes an extremely strong and courageous person to break the cycle of violence."Far From Men" takes viewers into the misty Atlas Mountains of Algeria in 1954 and the lives of two men who are trying to break the revenge cycle. It is the beginning of an uprising against the French. Daru, a local school teacher as well as a World War II veteran, is tasked with transporting a prisoner, Mohamed, to a nearby town for trial. Daru chides Mohamed for weakness and cowardice in not attempting to escape or doing much to resist those who hound him. "React!" screams Daru, "aren't you a man?!" Yet things are not so simple. As the two men travel in the moonlight, rainfall and cold of the night, Daru gradually understands the difficult and challenging choices that Mohamed faces. Daru may be able to help Mohamed, yet at what price?Viggo Mortensen plays Daru and represents him extremely well. I really enjoy the roles that Viggo plays. Usually, as here, Viggo's characters struggle for justice, truth and dignity against formidable odds. All the actors do a fine job in this film. The film images, organization, dialogue, depth, directing, themes and storyline, are also very well done. Really the only things lacking are a fabulous soundtrack, a certain amount of depth to each nuance of the film and, perhaps, a love interest. Far From Men became available on Netflix this week.

Sergeant_Tibbs Sometimes it doesn't take much to win me over. Pair stunning vistas of the Algerian desert with a melancholic score from Warren Ellis and I'm there. Far From Men boasts a rugged aesthetic, and despite its frequent violence it has a big heart. Geared to highlight the moral compass of its protagonist played by Viggo Mortensen, his moments of anguish are the film's most tender and compelling moments. Perhaps director David Oelhoffen is a little too kind to his characters, giving the killers so many redeeming aspects that it breaches sentimentality. It quickly retreats from sappiness however, and finds a sweet spot, if not quite as complex as it could be. Though on the other hand, I don't know much about the Algerian war to understand the culture conflicts but the themes of justice are universal. Though some of the moral dilemmas are a little stilted and it spends too long just trekking in the desert at the expense of a tight economy, the narrative development is noticeably well-structured. None of the flaws are clunky enough to hold the film back and it's a well- executed marriage of sensitive compassion in spite of prejudices with tense action sequences.7/10

hond-92064 This is an action movie of the mind, of the soul. Based on Albert Camus's short story The Guest, this in effect sums up the writers philosophy with clarity and insight. It was shot in Algeria which presents a perfect backdrop - both because it was where Camus grew up and because the stark but beautiful scenery fits perfectly with the story.(It even hints at Camus's own life in Algeria. He was of the working class - real working class, like working with their hands - and with Spanish heritage.) It takes the Camus story a bit further - but always with elements that was in fact part of Camus's life. For anybody who fondly remembers existentialism and how it analysed our human predicament, this movie will be a reason to celebrate. For those who does not know it, but is clever enough to agonize over our predicament - like how do we save our humanity when life forces us into situations that show that we are NOT " fully in control of our destiny" - start here. The acting is superb and the directing is brilliant - and obviously done by someone who understands Camus. Do not expect special effects or action hero stuff. This story goes deeper than that. Far deeper. It is in French but as the dialogue is on the sparse side, the subtitles for English speakers are easy. A movie of a great idea wherein the message, the dialogue and the filming merge together into a powerful statement.

ms-04658 I have been to Algeria a few years ago, so I was compelled to watch this movie. The movie starts slow, which was not a problem. The mood of the film didn't capture me right away, so I postponed the viewing of the second half of it. But it didn't get better, it got worse. The more sentimental conversations between the two main characters I had to witness, the less I was able to feel interested about their lives or their history. The movie seems to try to use everything - desert, music, story - to make us feel sorry for Mohamed and emphasize with Daru, but it just didn't work for me. Most of the movie seems to be about the two companions staring into the wide landscape with a melancholic look on his face. The last Mortensen movie I watched was about a male character who had to lead his son, a young boy, through a post-apocalyptic scenario, into safety. It was hardly watchable due to it's sentimental onslaught. This movie is the same, just in the Algerian desert.