Partisan (2015) Review!!

Synopsis – Alexander, a boy who has been raised in a sequestered commune, finds that his increasing unwillingness to fall in line puts him on a collision course with Gregori, the society’s charismatic and domineering leader.

My Take – Oh I love Sundance films! And yes, I’m a fan of the actor Vincent Cassel so that was enough to get me to go see the movie. Unlike what is portrayed in the trailers, this isn’t really a thriller, it is more of a drama/coming-of-age story as there is not a lot of action, rather the atmosphere is thick, and an overall feeling of dread looms over the entire film. Director Ariel Kleiman has produced a stunning yet shocking first feature debut drama that lives of visual storytelling, rather than dialogue. Very little of the action in the movie is explained outright and its slow pace may leave the viewer at times confused with the narrative. Rather than exploring the amazing looking outside world that has been created, the film focuses more on how this world has affected its characters. While I feel a bit divided about the film, there is no denying that it is technically sound, with the locations, camera-work and soundtrack all of extremely high quality. Whether you will like this or not will boil down to whether you like this fresh approach to making a film, as it does come close to being too ambiguous for its own good. Personally I liked it, as it is unlike most movies, though it does smell ever so slightly of lazy writing. But the world within the film is so intriguing that it works, as long as the viewer is willing to participate in the experience. I cannot shake the feeling that this is a brilliant concept that is not fully explored, but the film’s universe is unforgettable; both the desolate outside world and within the compound, where Gregori’s word is law and children are encouraged to be creative, whether it includes face-painting or karaoke. The story follows Gregori (Vincent Cassel), a mysterious yet very charismatic man who has formed his own self-sustainable community in a feral and decaying bunker including a wild courtyard, sheltered from the dangerous and morbid distopian world, accessible only by tunnels and a locked off gate. Gregori lives in his self-created community with eight women and their children; he is the educator and benevolent protector of his brood, indoctrinating them “to protect the ones you love”.

Susanna’s (Florence Mezzara) son, 11 year-old Alexander (Jeremy Chabriel) is the strongest and best “student”, leading the gold star chart in Gregori’s classroom. He is highly praised for his achievements, trustworthiness and abiding by rules. Daily task of the children’s education include gardening and cultivating vegetables in their courtyard, Gregori’s teachings of what is right and wrong, and playful training to kill, with instruments such as paintball guns, dart blasters and the shooting of balloons. The children all adore and love Gregori. Alexander tries to please his father, executing set assignments in the outside world where he operates as assassin. However, Alexander’s curiosity about the outside world augments especially once the new boy Leo (Alex Balaganskiy) arrives, who questions Gregori’s orders. Alexander’s perception of his father and the world changes, he drifts away from him and starts to think for himself. Alexander commences to unravels Gregori’s idyllic world. Hence, Gregori’s authority is in trouble. Most of the film’s run-time is spent inside this compound, which at first confused me, as the barren world that is created outside the compound’s walls is extremely striking. I wondered why this world wasn’t explored further. A world in which Gregori has not only built a compound where his word rules, but also a world where he sends child assassins out to do his dirty work. However, I believe this was the intention, as the focus is on the daily lives of the people inside these walls, and on the way Gregori seems to be a husband to so many woman while also being a father figure to so many children. These children love living in the compound so much that they cannot see the violence that resides in Gregori’s heart. He is a flawed and complex man, whose personality is a direct result of the desolate outside world. Or, one could ask, is this only the way he perceives it? Director Kleiman cleverly transforms the viewer’s confusion into suspense and thrill, once rebellious boy Leo challenges Gregori’s world. Don’t be surprised if the first half hour of Ariel Kleiman‘s remarkably atmospheric and diabolical thriller, leaves you off-balance. That seems to be the point conjuring up as many unanswered questions as possible, creating a mental fog that disrupts the senses. Who is the mysterious, charismatic man in the maternity ward who both seems to belong there and yet, strangely, does not seem to belong there? Why does he have such a control over the woman about to give birth? Years later, why is he the only grown up man in a community of women? And where in the world is this isolated, rocky commune located? Through the ambiguous ending Kleiman ensures that the viewer walks away with thoughts about mind control, manipulation, child assassins and psychological seduction.

The film’s greatest achievement is dropping the audience into a world of peculiar construct and providing little in the way of a lifeline. Kleiman, who co-wrote the screenplay with Sarah Cynglar, keeps information at an absolute minimum, which as it turns out is exactly how it should be. Gregori is one of the better characters I’ve seen in a film for a while, as is Alexander. They both have complex character arcs, as does their father-son type relationship. Do I think it was lazily written? Yes, to a small extent. The dialogue could have been better and there could have been more action, but ultimately I feel the filmmakers wanted viewers to think, to ponder, to contemplate on what they have just seen. In this regard it succeeds, but with a little more energy in the dialogue and with more meat on the bones of the story, this really could have been quite something. I guess the budget constrains would be a strong reason for the hindrance. Youngster Jeremy Chabriel plays his role as cheerful, naive and curious young boy successfully; the viewer is led to perceive the world and reality through his eyes. Vincent Cassel is the impeccable match to play the mysterious and authoritarian lead role of Gregori; the cult leader who indoctrinates young children and fosters a culture of dependence among st the women. The movie is a must-see for all visual art lovers and food for thought enthusiasts. As a visual mood masterpiece it provides the viewer with open space for interpretation. A great film to watch, for everyone, who loves to think about and interpret a movie – even days after it has been viewed. On the whole, ‘Partisan‘ is a visual and powerful artistic yet equally disturbing drama that definitely requires decent stamina to watch, as it is not to recommend for the light-hearted or for anyone looking for a Hollywood blockbuster. Australian director Ariel Kleiman’s feature debut captivates the audience, portraying intelligently the psychological power and influence adults have on children, as the movie captures a generated “hit or to be-hit world”, in which children are trained to become skillful assassins.