Intimate Enemies (15)

Reviewed,Anthony Quinn
Thursday 24 January 2008 20:00 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Florent Emilio Siri's horrifically disturbing story concerns a platoon of French soldiers fighting National Liberation Front guerrillas over rugged Algerian terrain in 1959. A raw young lieutenant (Benoît Magimel) tries to impose his humanitarian principles on the conduct of the war, a modus operandi his battle-hardened sergeant (Albert Dupontel) knows will fail amid this savagery.

The moral fascination lies in the film's inquiry into national identity: the "fellaghas" and the French fought on the same side 15 years earlier against the Nazis. (One powerful scene has a guerrilla who, before a firing squad, asks to be allowed to wear his French army medal.) This would make an instructive double bill with last year's Days of Glory.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in