1 • Favourite Film Review

What would you do, if you were sitting with your family having a  relaxing lunch in a ski resort when suddenly an avalanche starts falling straight for you. Would you save your family or save your self?

~ Film Poster ~

Welcome to my film review of ‘Force Majeure’ (original title ‘Turist’). Directed by Ruben Östlund, starring Johannes Kuhnke, Lisa Loven Kongsli and Clara Wettergren. Force Majeure is a Swedish film that answers this very question. And is personally is one of the most thought provoking and well crafted films of 2014.
The avalanche is the moment that changes everything, even though no one dies, or suffers physically in any way. This critical incident occurs and the whole movie is set in motion.
 A simple premise that leaves an unsettling question in the viewers head. What would you Do? 
With Ruben Östlund there’s normally so much happening in an scene. But with Force Majeure It seems he has taken a more simple approach. His film unfolds over a five-day skiing holiday in the French Alps, in a pricey-looking getaway. 
Tomas and Ebba and their two children.

~ The Family ~

seem to be the perfect family. Two beautiful Swedish people and there two kids. But right from the start point we feel a sense of conflict between Tomas and Ebba.
The film is constantly bringing us back to this battle for control, and the passage of trust between these four characters. One amazing example of this evolution of trust, Is when Östlund uses this simple scene, of the four of them all brushing there teeth together to show us this evolution of trust.

We see in this scene that the two parents are being split by the kids. The way that Östlund has constructed the scene shows us that there is an issue between Tomas and Ebba. Throughout the film this scene is constantly changing. Later on in the film when Tomas loses the trust of the family, he brushes his teeth by himself. 

But although this is a great example, the films main theme throughout is this idea of sacrifice. Tomas in the heat of the moment put himself before his kids. The avalanche is approaching and Tomas grabs his cell phone and his gloves and leaves the table. Meanwhile Ebba grabs the two children and hides under the table. 

Leaving his children and wife behind, Tomas (in the 'blue jacket) uses his raw instinct of survival. But everything in this shot is designed to be emphasising his decision. The camera is positioned in such a way that we feel Ominous. We are viewing what is happening but without control. But the Tomas runs towards us. This gives us the feeling of being secure, Making us side with Tomas. Even though what he has done may be wrong. Ebba and the children are left behind and we feel detached from them. For all we know they could be dead. Further more Tomas is wearing a bright blue jacket. This is to make him stand out but also with the connotations of blue being trust, intelligence and wisdom. We see this amazing use of contrast with what the character is supposed to be doing to what he actually is doing.
Also Sticking with the idea of colour connotations Ebba in this scene is wearing white trousers to symbolise innocence, purity and goodness. Which is not something until now we associate with the character of Ebba, We see in the scene bellow. Ebba mocking Tomas, by saying "you are not crying for real" She is a mean spirited person.

But she will still put her kids lives before her own. After the avalanche Ebba is left doubting her husband. And this creates tension that builds up throughout the movie.  
When Ebba decides to confront what has happened she does it over dinner, with another couple not only facing, but trying, feebly, to pretend the lapse isn’t as bad as it sounds. Tomas does the same, claiming that his recollection of the crisis is entirely different from Ebba’s. But the film isn't letting him get away with it. We all know what we saw. The truth of his unlovely abandonment begins to eat away at their marriage.

After this scene, We get a real sense of the conflict between the two characters, and Tomas begins a conflict with himself. He keeps trying to prove that what he did was not wrong. 
But we can't help but feel sorry for the man, The film so crystal clearly against Tomas that we become even more attached to the guy. Yeah he messed up. But after what he has done he loses the trust of his wife and children.  


The film although shot simply and Purely is one of the most highly detailed pieces of cinema that I have ever seen in my life, from first appearance it may seem, too simple. But I am going to go against what I said at the beginning of this review Östlund has not dumbed down his directorial style, He has just become for subtle. And I believe that with every film a director makes he gets the message across to the audience without having to use millions of things in a scene, Östlund is the kind of director that will never use a close up. He does not need to tell the audience what is important because everything in every shot is just as equally important. Although this may be his greatest strength as a director it is also his biggest downfall. There seems to be too much information for us to always compute. 
But if you ever end up putting Force Majeure on, just once in a while press pause, and study the scene. Because with Östlund he can make a scene of four people brushing there teeth a piece of cinematic art.
And just think, If you watch the film with your partner ask them the question...

     

Created By Henry Russell

Edited By Henry Russell

~ Sources ~

IMBD

YouTube

Gifs.com

13th September 2015

Hurtwood House