In an attempt to humanize the horrific visuals that many soldiers witness while serving in a time of war, Ari Folman has created a unique and fascinating picture out of Waltz With Bashir. Full of life and sacrifice, Folman mixes emotion with humor, creating a unique, and highly effective feature that will enlighten more than actually entertain.
Originally set in the present, the film details a man, director Ari Folman, and his attempt to rediscover all that he has forgotten about his service in the Israeli Army during the first Lebanon War. The forgotten years, though a dark time in his life, hide the missing link to his outlook on the world and those who comprise it. But as he begins to speak with old friends and comrades, he quickly realizes that not all actions are meant to be remembered.
While most war films feature brutality and life-like action, Bashir attempts to bypass the bloodshed, concentrating more on its characters with the use of unique animation. The colors, vibrant as could be, help bring to life the visual descriptions of the time period and the war; however, it is never a main focus for the film, or its central story.
Instead, audiences get to focus on Ari and his unfortunate journey back through the gates of hell. His mind, treated much like a sponge, absorbs the actions depicted to him by his colleagues, often raising question to his whereabouts and his inability to remember such vivid details. But, as the film progresses and audience begin to foresee exactly what Folman chose to forget, they begin to understand and acknowledge the heavy weight of emotions, loss and ultimate sacrifice that go along with the rigors of war.
Still, even with the cascading events, nothing could prepare us watching on for the film's final minutes. Hit with a catastrophic blow, viewers are taken on a whirlwind of a journey as for the first time, real footage from those fateful days during the Lebanon War are used. The innocent victims, shot on sight, bare the resemblance to both you and me. Their faces, full of despair and fright, hit you like a time bomb, waiting to explode, sending chills up your back time and time again.
The method of filmmaker is unique, that is an understatement. However, the effect that the closing scene has on the audience, that is truly priceless.
*This film is presented in Hebrew with English subtitles.
