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EDITOR'S PICK
`Special
Forces` - a French cinema with global ambitions
Rating: 3/5
Propaganda films come in many shapes and sizes and for many issues. Some, like
the one about Prophet Mohammed that is causing global outrage right now, are in
absolute bad taste and repulsive. Some, however, tow the line of decency and if
they are aided by decent direction and execution, you don`t mind it at all.
French film "Special Forces" is one such decent effort at black and
white propaganda that is alleviated by good action.
After French War correspondent Elsa (Diane Kruger) is kidnapped and taken
hostage by Taliban in Pakistan, the French government sends out a team of
special forces to rescue her. They manage to do so, but are not able to exit as
the Taliban attacks them. Forced to retreat and their radio out, they play a
constant cat and mouse game with the enemy. As days pass, their chances of
survival diminish.
The major flaw of the film is a one-sided and lopsided view of the Taliban
conflict in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Every Asian with a gun in the film is
demonized, and the ones who are not demonized, are shown to be butchered by the
demons. The ground reality and the politics are a little different than what we
are shown in the film.
On the good side though, there is enough adrenalin pumped by well shot action
sequences to keep the interest going. There is an extremely `Ramboesque` element
in the film that action junkies will take a shine to. Indeed, one can obliquely
look at the film as "Rambo" meets "Saving Private Ryan".
On another level, it looks like an "Expendables" film. The only
problem is that the expendables will not do this film because it requires them
to die one after the other.
Where the film might hit a jarring note for action fans, is when from a tale of
military rescue, it becomes a tale of survival against a wild, treacherous
nature. The simple linear film moving from an action oriented one to an
emotional roller-coaster is also a bit disconcerting.
The characterisation also leaves a lot to be desired. Better characterisation
could have made the film much more appealing that it currently is.
However, this is French cinema doing a Hollywood action film. And the results
are just fine enough for people to indeed believe in it and enjoy it.