This psychodrama follows a Swedish family on a ski vacation and how the panic of husband Tomas (Johannes Bah Kuhnke) in a situation has him facing some hard feelings about himself while his wife Ebba (Lisa Loven Kongsli) is visible shaken by it (and wondering why Tomas can’t face what he did during that moment where he panicked and left his wife and children in what could have been an avalanche).  I didn’t see the humor in the movie, but I do see the drama in it as I reacted to how the characters as I think Ebba is the man of the relationship and Tomas needs to be bitch slapped.   Then you have their friends Matis and his girlfriend who come up.   Ebba reveals what happened to them and I think the girlfriend of Matis shouldn’t keep bringing up later as you know that you will think about if someone tells you not to think about it.  FORCE MAJUERE has a good music score and stunning cinematography that captures the beauty of the ski slopes around this French ski resort.   I don’t know how I really feel about the drama of this movie as I want to slap some characters and side with others.  It isn’t easy viewing and it might not be on your repeat viewing list.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Interview with actor Johannes Bah Kuhnke and writer/ director Ruben Ostlund as they talk about how the movie was inspired by a Youtube clip, how the script came together, production stories, and getting the avalanche explosion right.

 

AXS TV: A LOOK AT FORCE MAJEURE which is a three minute promotional fluff featurette

 

Theatrical trailer and a few previews including trailers for A BIRD IN THE WHITE BLIZZARD and PIONEER

 

FINAL ANALYSIS:  FORCE MAJEURE is a movie more for the arthouse crowd, but I did want to slap a couple of characters in this movie.   I can say the music and cinematography are breathtaking.

 

This review is ©2-7-2014 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

 

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