Santos y soldados

The original title of the film, Saints and Soldiers, doesn't make sense to me. From the start, this film takes a slightly different route than is fashionable for WWII-themed films. That the film doesn't have a staggering budget must be obvious to everyone after a few minutes. Nevertheless, director Ryan Little managed to handle this "flaw." With a minimum of action sequences (I'll talk about the ending later), which should probably be a part of every war film, he managed to subtly remind the audience that the film is set during a war. After a breathtaking (literally) start, the film shifts into a journey through the snowy Ardennes forests, which carries a touch of philosophical atmosphere. Most of the time is occupied by soldiers' conversations about what they are doing in such hell and how to get out of it in one piece. And on top of that, the director is flirting with something else... horror. The inner demons of one of the soldiers, triggered by a traumatic experience, are filmed using the classic devices used by horror film directors. Mysterious figures, mysterious sounds, and the appearance of ghosts. But be warned, the war atmosphere never leaves the film even for a moment, and throughout, it's clear to the audience that one of the heroes simply can't handle it. The atmosphere remains both relaxing and oppressive when the group of advancing soldiers reaches the house of a French widow. And then comes the aforementioned ending, in which everything the director has been saving for the whole film is unloaded on the viewer in the final twenty minutes. A supercharged action flick that in some passages can easily hold its own with its more expensive brethren. Formally, there is nothing to criticize; the director also stood behind the camera, and the recently modern "documentary" style of the film suits it well. J. Bateman's equally impressive score catches the ear with its occasional western motifs. I don't know why, but it suits the film. Saints and Soldiers is a film that shows that even with a small budget it is possible to make an impressive war film, and that cutting it down to less than an hour and a half doesn't hurt either. However, there is a strong risk that it might upset those who prefer two to three-hour epics filled with perfectly arranged action and deep thoughts in the minds of the soldiers and the director. (04.04.2005)

Maybe an overly human and psychological war film, whose biggest problem is its content. There is a lack of a stronger story, so the viewer will be mostly bored throughout. The actors do a fairly good job, but their characters are not well-defined, so even though they try hard, they come off more like figurines. On the other hand, the visual aspect is precise, but all those camera filters, handheld camera, and fast cuts are practically useless without a proper script. (29.01.2005)

A comedy spectacle with fine unknown actors that could have been even better if it had avoided certain strangely unexplained scenes. I'm thinking, for example, of the finding of the paratrooper hanging from a tree (How did they know to look for him? And where was he, anyway? Why didn't the Germans see him?), or being armed with American rifles taken from the Germans. Otherwise, I had a good feeling from Saints and Soldiers... Although any episode of Band of Brothers (let alone the Ardennes one) was better. (22.12.2012)

This is more like storytelling than warfare and it is quite bearable, although some viewers may miss action scenes quite a bit. But the film at least tries to say something. And even though it doesn't quite succeed, you can watch it without getting too bored. I'm quite surprised though that there are two more films. (17.03.2015)