Rent Battle in Heaven (2005)

like it or loath it - Battle in Heaven review by Drumhum

You can read the plot outline elsewhere I'm sure. This is what I thought as as someone who looks for films that are "different".

This film could never be called "glossy". You will not be sitting back admiring glorious cinematography and sumptuous vistas. Its an intimate film about ordinary folk in extraordinary circumstances. The aspect of kidnapping happened before the film starts so don't expect any "action" from that aspect.

Read the reviews and you'll find a very mixed bag of opinion. Discuss it with another viewer and you may well end up arguing, with one saying it was "just c**p" and the other saying it was "genius"!

The acting is not what would normally be termed "good" as the actors are not professional, but there is an honesty there that is typically missing from other films. Its like the actors are the actual people that this story is about. You are unlikely to associate with the characters, or particularly like any of them, but you are somehow rewarded by being able to view them or "be with" them during the story.

It seems the director/writer has given great thought to every millisecond of this film. He's worked with perfectionism every step of the way from casting to editing and we can judge whether he is any good because of this. IMHO he'll never achieve the household name status of Spielberg or Kubrick etc but then I suspect he'd never want (or admit to want) to be. I can imagine those household names watching this film with interest though.

Its clear that "guerrilla" film making has been employed. the scene involving a large crowd is not a load of extras but the real thing. The camera was mounted on a wheel chair rather than a dolly etc etc. If these sorts of details interest you then the movie is heartily recommended.

I find it hard to say whether I liked or not but I'm glad I watched it. I'm not sure I would recommend it to many but I might find myself suggesting it to some. It would suit those that watch film for more than just "entertainment". If the explicit sex it contains (which, trust me, is about as erotic as watching paint dry) is in any way an issue for the viewer then I feel the whole film is simply not for them. The slow pace, short script, the bleakness etc is the stuff most films purposely try to avoid, but here its almost the whole point.

Even under the exceptional circumstances, the people are just people, life can overwhelm and we feel sorry for them perhaps for this reason.

Watch it with an open mind, forgetting other's opinions, and you may, like me, find reward in this film.

About as much fun as a root canal... - Battle in Heaven review by Abann

Play this film on 8x fast forward and it's almost watchable. Of its 98 minute running time, 95 of them are spent watching traffic, pedestrians passing by and the deadpan looks on the actors faces. While I'm sure it was intended to be deep and thought provoking, the crippled slug's pace will ensure that no one remains awake long to discover what the point is, if in fact it actually has one. Save yourself the trouble - go watch grass grow for 98 minutes and consider yourself lucky you didn't waste your time on this excruciatingly ponderous film.

An experience - Battle in Heaven review by CP Customer

This film does contain explicit scenes, imagery and themes. Perhaps not to everyone's liking, it concerns a man at the crossroads of his life. All his misdemeanours seem to be encroaching upon his daily existence and its time to resolve the issues. Yes, the film does heavily feature driving but the main character is juggling every problem he has, whilst working on the side as a chauffer of sorts. Throughout the film manages to maintain mystical or spiritual quality, its hard to describe but it does ensure the Battle In Heaven lives up to its name.