Reviewed by Michael Edwards
Stars Ari Folman, Ron Ben-Yishai, Ronny Dayag, Dror Harazi,
Yehezkel Lazarov, Mickey Leon, Ori Sivan, Zahava Solomon | Written by Ari Folman
UK cert 18 | UK RRP £15.99 DVD; £19.99 Blu-ray | Runtime 87min DVD; 90 min Blu-ray | Directed by Ari Folman
One of those movies that has film fans salivating from the moment news of the standing ovation at Cannes breaks out, Waltz With Bashir is a monumental moment in cinema that deserves every word of praise that is being lavished upon it. If you think it'll be one of those "overrated films" that gets talked up a lot but doesn't live up to expectations then this review is for you. I want to take you through, step by step, why this film is great without simply layering adjectives onto a few spoilers of the best scenes (I hate those reviews, don't you?) So here goes:
The crux of the film is that its genre-busting format is, in itself, an important innovation in the history of cinema. As an animated documentary it can transcend a series of difficulties that have arisen following the recent glut of films and documentaries about conflict in the Middle East and the relentless output of documentaries that use a 'personal angle' to make the content seem more valid as well as engaging. By animating it, Ari Folman's journey to discover his suppressed experience of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 and the subsequent Sabra and Shatila massacres that followed the assassination of Bashir was made far more interesting and exciting than other output on similar subject matter, and his journey made far more complete than gimmicky products of the Moore and Spurlock clans. Instead of using tired cutaways or leading montages in between 'events' and interviews, Folman can paint the rich inner world of dreams, memories and thoughts that are the binding force of his journey of discovery.
But beyond the implications of this formal development, this is a movie that packs a punch by providing content that is at once sincere and surreal. Where we are normally provided with "facts" and "analysis" (or opinion disguised as such) in the majority of pieces about the Middle East, Waltz With Bashir creates a whole world within one man. The images and interviews all relate to individual stories within a particularly nasty period of the conflict, and by relaying intimate personal experiences in the exact abstract, unnerving and distorted way in which they are remembered and described we are treated to a more complete picture of the reality of conflict than has ever been allowed before. We are all far too accustomed to media images for the usual documentary tactic of using real footage, and too used to Moore and Spurlock to believe "interviews"; it is thus only this pure expression of an individual's search for their own truth that we can understand how people comprehend and come to terms with the tragedies of postmodern warfare.
And now, if you will forgive me, I will lapse into a final moment of indulgent hyperbolising. The animation itself is a stunning achievement, with a beautiful hybrid between CG and classic animation work that succeeds in bridging boundaries of perception in every way that the format demands, and it is accompanied by a score that is so beautifully composed that you are drawn seamlessly between the past and present, and between reality and fantasy, as they are dissected on screen. The overall effect is intelligent, impressive and deeply moving. A hugely important and enjoyable film.
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