Lebanon (2009)
Director - Samuel Maoz
Starring - Yoav Donat & Itay Tiran
4 stars
The last time I went and saw a foreign film at the cinemas it was on the back of a five star review from Leigh Paatsch. The movie was Tulpan, a Kazakhstani drama, and although I didn’t hate it, I was lost as to locating where Paastch had discovered the perfection in it. I vowed never to be sucked in again and when I heard about Lebanon my early captivation with it was riddled with trepidation. Still, seeing review after review of near perfect verdicts ensured that there is obviously something worth seeing about this foreign war film. By the time I first heard about it, to the time it got released in Australia, a couple of months had passed and my yearning to see it had only enhanced with time. A trip to Cinema Como on South Yarra and the itch had been scratched.
Branded as one of, if not the, greatest war film of the modern era isn’t something that strikes a huge chord with me but being a fan of The Hurt Locker meant that I had to see what the fuss was about. Lebanon is based on the true events that took place during the First Lebanon War in June 1982. It follows the day and journey of a tank and it’s four crew members as they undertake a routine mission that all goes horribly wrong. It powerfully captures the raw human emotion that is so present in times of desperation and highlights the sheer violence and vulgarity that occurs on a war zone.
To make matters interesting, the entire film is shot from inside the tank. A brave and effective technique that enhances the films uniqueness. This works wonderfully because all the shots of the exterior are shown through the eyes of either the driver or shooter as they look through peephole type things. Everything the audience see’s for the first time, the character is always seeing. This allows for gripping reaction shots as the characters are reacting with the audience – a technique that humanises their existence. In a film where the importance of playing on human emotion is paramount, this contributes wholly to the cause.
It’s important to note (well I think it is anyway) that Lebanon was written and directed by one of the blokes who was actually in this platoon. Samuel Maoz lived this day back in 1982 and survived to tell the story. As it turned out, telling this story was easier said then done. It took him 27 years to pen out the screenplay as he was constantly plagued by the demons from his experiences. It was impossible for me, when watching this, not to constantly think about the fact that the man who is directing this had been there before. Is there a better way to get a true reflection of what actually transpired in that tank? I don’t think so, and that’s one of the reasons why it was such an effortless process to be sucked into each life threatening situation with the characters.
The actors were great. Their roles were incredibly important when you consider that you are shooting a film that doesn’t leave a tank. The audience’s ability to connect to the characters becomes make or break. One notion that was portrayed brilliantly was the fact that these four men were just that – ordinary men. No amount of training can prepare you for the situation where you are forced to fire to kill someone. Especially when that someone is a person you know nothing about. Why should you kill someone you don’t know? Well that’s war, and that is what these characters had to come to grips with.
If nothing else, Lebanon highlights the frailties of the human spirit when put in such a position. What these four men went through, on what was supposed to be a routine mission, was gut-wrenchingly horrific but sadly not uncommon procedure for a war. It illustrates how disgusting war is, questions its purposes and educates its audiences. It emphasises the human capabilities but also recognises the human limits. People will crash in these situations. There will be a part of them that can no longer function in this way, and that is a haunting truth.
It would be remiss of me not to mention in blatant terms (although I’m sure you would have picked it up from my words) that this is an incredibly full on movie experience. Not so much visually – but yes, there are images that will remain with me – more so emotionally. It’s an intense emotional journey that I’m glad I took. It truly is a wonderfully made, emotionally poignant film that I believe realistically captures a part of life that nobody wants to experience. It is not something I would rush to see again because… well I’ve seen it now and whatever I take out of it I will keep with me.
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