Nocturama

 

Nocturama 2016

Director: Bertrand Bonello

• Based on book: no
• Cast: Finnegan Oldfield, Vincent Rottiers, Hamza Meziani, Manal Issa, Jamil McCraven, Rabah Nait Oufella, Laure Valentinelli, Ilias Le Doré, Robin Goldbronn
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Vincent Rottiers – Les femmes de l’ombre
• Why?  Possibly interesting, won awards.
• Seen:  13 June 2023 

Paris. One by one a variety of young men and women converge. Slowly we realise that it’s all choreographed. They are planning a huge attack. Assassinations and explosions. Minutely planned, coolly rehearsed, calmly executed.

We aren’t told how they first met, what their motive is, what their goal is, how they learnt to make explosives, where they got their guns. We don’t even know all their names, but each individual is strongly portrayed by to me unknown actors.

What a very odd film. And oddly suspenseful. Often quiet but always visually dramatic. Ultra realistic and at the same time surrealistic. Minimalist and extravagant. Terrorists for whom we hope things go well.

This is a work of art. 

5 * of 5