After watching this movie, I turned to critics for some context. The guy writing for Roger Ebert compared it to achievements of past legendary directors. I wondered what I missed.
Apparently some people believe that this movie has a grand stylish message. It may have. However, the story needs to make internal sense for the viewer to suspend disbelief and accept the movie's inherent points.
The first part of the movie was flawless. The characters engaged in a highly co-ordinated well planned well rehearsed plan to blow up four different areas of Paris at the same time. This comes off almost perfectly. The disbelief then sets in. Instead of melting back into ordinary life to hide in plain sight, the terrorists for unknown reasons hole up in a department store. As the night goes on, it becomes more apparent that there is no leader (who planned and practiced the bombings) and no discipline resulting in the deaths of most of the terrorists.
Its a farce. One guy was supposed to tie the guards up and instead kills them. When asked why he says: "Dunno." There is one terrorist who waunders outside the store periodically to smoke a cigarette. He's blown up half of Paris but yet he's obeying the smoking laws. He encounters a young woman on a bicycle who observes that the bombings had to happen. Why? We are not told.
The one big discovery is the actress, Laure Valentnelli. She is a striking presence with this film as her only credit. Although its been five years, hopefully she will surface in another film soon.
Apparently some people believe that this movie has a grand stylish message. It may have. However, the story needs to make internal sense for the viewer to suspend disbelief and accept the movie's inherent points.
The first part of the movie was flawless. The characters engaged in a highly co-ordinated well planned well rehearsed plan to blow up four different areas of Paris at the same time. This comes off almost perfectly. The disbelief then sets in. Instead of melting back into ordinary life to hide in plain sight, the terrorists for unknown reasons hole up in a department store. As the night goes on, it becomes more apparent that there is no leader (who planned and practiced the bombings) and no discipline resulting in the deaths of most of the terrorists.
Its a farce. One guy was supposed to tie the guards up and instead kills them. When asked why he says: "Dunno." There is one terrorist who waunders outside the store periodically to smoke a cigarette. He's blown up half of Paris but yet he's obeying the smoking laws. He encounters a young woman on a bicycle who observes that the bombings had to happen. Why? We are not told.
The one big discovery is the actress, Laure Valentnelli. She is a striking presence with this film as her only credit. Although its been five years, hopefully she will surface in another film soon.