MovieChat Forums > Secret défense (2008) Discussion > Ugly propaganda film (slight spoilers)

Ugly propaganda film (slight spoilers)

posted 11 years ago by PoppyTransfusion
4 replies | jump to latest

The story is unpleasant, if implausible, and the situations of the characters wretched, which makes it ugly. The film left a bitter taste as everyone was used and some were abused and all justified in the name of thwarting terrorist attacks.

Completely suspending belief, the film was quite good although the character developments were rather shallow. Ahmed and Pierre/Aziz were the most interesting characters. The scene between Pierre/Aziz and Lisa/Diane was good, I wish it could have had more screen time.

Never test the depth of the water with both feet

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PoppyTransfusion 11 years ago

I didn't feel I got to know any of the characters very well and too much superficial focus was placed on the woman and her boss while the more interesting characters, Ahmed whose loyalty is tested most brutally and Pierre who converts, are given too little screen time. I found it ugly that time was devoted to showing Ahmed being beaten and the woman, forget her character name, being sodomised.

Keep silent unless what you are going to say is more important than silence.

[–] spookyrat1 9 years ago

The story is unpleasant, if implausible ...

Definitely not implausible, though yes, people may find the content unpleasant.

... some were abused and all justified in the name of thwarting terrorist attacks.

I think that was one of the points the film was making about Alex who says himself ... he will do whatever it takes to protect France and (IHO) agents were only weapons to be used against the enemy.

Completely suspending belief ...

In what ways? I think it was extremely realistic, such as with the grooming of Pierre and his recruitment into the terrorist cell. There were absolutely no set action pieces of any kind, It was all about suspenseful parallel stories that ran and converged in the end.🐭

[–] PoppyTransfusion 9 years ago

Suspending disbelief re-the internal machinations of the French security services.

A bird sings and the mountain's silence deepens.