It's rare to encounter a film about climate change that leaves viewers grinning as they exit the theater, but that's exactly what director Benedikt Erlingsson achieves with the incredibly original Woman at War. The film strikes an impressive balance between fatalism and hope, acknowledging the bleakness of the future while finding joy in the present.
Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir stars as Halla, a middle-aged Icelandic woman hell-bent on slowing the country's rapid industrialization. As foreign powers consider funding Icelandic industry, Halla single-handedly cripples the nation's power grid multiple times, forming a cloud of doubt around Iceland's viability as an investment. In the middle of her fight against capitalism, she discovers that her long delayed adoption application has been approved, forcing her to reevaluate her life's purpose and the risks that come with it.
Michael Dixon is a mild mannered accountant by day and a mild mannered movie watcher by night. He will not do your taxes for you. He lives in Austin, Texas with his lovely television and collection of fine whiskies. You can't purchase his book anywhere because it doesn't exist.
Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir stars as Halla, a middle-aged Icelandic woman hell-bent on slowing the country's rapid industrialization. As foreign powers consider funding Icelandic industry, Halla single-handedly cripples the nation's power grid multiple times, forming a cloud of doubt around Iceland's viability as an investment. In the middle of her fight against capitalism, she discovers that her long delayed adoption application has been approved, forcing her to reevaluate her life's purpose and the risks that come with it.
As Halla traverses the country felling power lines and fleeing law enforcement, cinematographer Bergsteinn Björgúlfsson beautifully captures the picturesque Icelandic terrain, conjuring the feel of an epic American western. The landscape's intimidating beauty serves as a powerful representation of the movie's dual themes.
The score is performed completely by an on-screen band that hangs out amusingly in the background, unbeknownst to the characters. Whether the hero journeys to an open field, a bustling airport, or a claustrophobic copy room, the band is there, ready to add just the right accompaniment as the scene's events unfold. This unique choice provides a surreal quality to the narrative and adds a lighthearted tone to its grim subject matter.
As the film progresses, Halla realizes that she must choose between her cause and her desire to be a mother. Her acts of well-intentioned terrorism would risk sending her potential child right back into the care of the state. At what point is the fight not worth the cost? In this current chapter of human history, is it even possible to slow climate change?
As Halla ponders this dilemma, she writes a manifesto about the desperate need for this generation to act now, with the hope of creating a national discussion about the country's role in climate change. Much to her chagrin, like they so often do, government and media interests align to alter the narrative into something that drives up ratings and distracts from the real issue.
Halla's efforts ultimately fail, and she elects to turn her attention to motherhood. The film ends with a simultaneously fatalistic and triumphant shot of Halla carrying her newly adopted daughter through a flooded street - her nascent hope prevailing over her lost cause. Maybe it’s impossible for an individual to enact real change in the fight against humanity’s inevitable self-destruction, but it is possible to improve other people’s lives in the time we have left.
Michael Dixon is a mild mannered accountant by day and a mild mannered movie watcher by night. He will not do your taxes for you. He lives in Austin, Texas with his lovely television and collection of fine whiskies. You can't purchase his book anywhere because it doesn't exist.
Comments
Post a Comment