Reminiscence

Author(s): Tony

Location: Pittsburgh

"Reminiscence"

Directed by Mel Gibson
Written by Mel Gibson and Keir Pearson
Produced by Ian Bryce
Music by John Debney

Main Cast

Paddy Considine as Gaspard
Paul Bettany as Foss
Virginie Ledoyen as Marielle
Nathan Gamble as Eloi
Michael Pitt as Alain

Tagline: "Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torment of man"

Synopsis: July 3, 1688
The locals gave me this carved stone and black carbon. They use it on themselves, I will too as I lay in my cell. I have to see my wife Marielle and son Eloi again, it's my strength. My troops and I were apprehended as we tried to capture Delhi from England's rule. We almost captured the Indonesian city when we were unexpectedly taken off guard by the twenty-third English brigade. We fought valiently but to no avail. Most of my men were killed, the rest of us were taken to this desert prison.

July 15, 1688
I've now been here for twelve days, but feels like an eternity. The guards treat us with no remorse, we are like cattle to them. Foss is the leader, they honor his ability to break us down by putting us through agonizing work. We are made to toil for them in the blistering sun; all day long we work tirelessly, digging trenches without much water. If we failed to keep working they would throw us in what Foss called the hot box. I hope to never suffer that.

August 3, 1688
We are still working endlessly. I was unfortunate to see my friend Alain receive a harsh treatment. While the poor soul was digging in the desert sand he fell over from exhaustion. They immediately threw him in the hot box. When they retrieved him, they found him dead; his skin had been seared off and pieces of it were sticking to the metal sides. They said it was an accident but I don't believe them.

August 16, 1688
I miss my family back home in Paris. Atleast I have the rats to keep me company as I sleep on this cold damp floor in my cell. It's hard to believe that one of the things that use to scare me is now my companion. It's been three days without much to eat. I'm reduced to lapping up the water on the damp floor, only lord knows where it came from and I don't care, it's keeping me alive.

September 14, 1688
I have lost a great deal of weight and continue to work ceaselessly. The others are not fairing well. The rats have stopped coming, I think they know what I'm up to. I need to survive, even if I have to eat the rats, I do miss them. I'm growing delirious, talking to myself, I woke up to find human bite marks on my foreman.

October 4, 1688
My escape isn't planned, but my plan to survive was. A guard came in to give me scraps, I jumped him with the remaining fight I had. I just thank the other prisoners for their loud moans and wails for covering up the poor man's screams as I killed him. His body lies in front of me, and I need food.

October 15, 1688
The guards are still trying to find out what happened to their comrade. Foss was outraged and blood was the answer, we all suffered. He came to my cell, only to see the remaining bones of his comrade. He kneed to the ground out of sickness when I attacked him, and I'm not hungry again.

November 2, 1688
We are finally freed and I'm going home. I have decided to resign from the French army and continue my deeds as a father and husband. They have missed me dearly, and if it wasn't for them I wouldn't have survived.

???
I haven't wrote in a long time, I still have nightmares. I am convinced I'm not the same man anymore, my hunger still remains. Even though my wife fixes large meals for me to eat, I don't know how long I can surpress it. My family is in danger if I don't stop it. I must do what is needed, to save them, like they saved me.

What the Press would say:

Just when you thought you'd seen everything, Mel Gibson delivers another expertly crafted epic of the soul, whether it be physically or mentally. "Reminiscence" is what we all expected. A suspenseful, authentic, appallingly gritty war drama about a man stuck in an Indonesian prison captive by the British in 1688. He tattoos his horrific ordeal on himself much like the Indonesians have done for centuries, to let all existence know what he did to survive and see his family one more time. The landscape, as always in a Gibson film, is intense and ever-present. Gibson flashbacks to the times of happiness, warmth, and comfort inbetween the harrowing trial, which only adds more fire to this astounded story. The epic battle scene at the beginning will set the tone for the rest of the film, buckle up.

Paddy Considine gives an all time high performance as Gaspard. Gaspard has such a will to outlive the unbearable circumstances, and Considine exemplifies that will with chilling conviction. It's a role that's considerably painful to watch. The weight cutting, change of dialect, all of these needs are fulfilled with Considine. Paddy conveys the passion, the fear, and the emotion we all come to admire. Opposite we have Paul Bettany, who plays the grievous guard Foss. Bettany graces the audience with alarm and fright every time he's on screen. Movie monsters eat their hearts out watching Bettany, as he provides more realistic apprehension and panic then they could ever imagine. Although the other guards admire him, you can see some distress in their eyes, knowing this man is not fully balanced, perhaps affected by the war as well. Bettany sells it and earns all our support. Finally we come to Virginie Ledoyen, the beautiful french actress that never has a dull moment. Her moments shine in the flashbacks and in the last few scenes of the film. So joyous is Marielle, a woman full of spirit and bliss, yet with much angst towards her husband leaving her family. The last few scenes solidify her as being one of the top contenders for a best supporting actress. She knows Gaspard is struggling, a torment for any wife devoted to her husband.

In conclusion, there are many ways to feel about "Reminiscence", particularly the last half hour. Most of us haven't been to war, nor some of us will ever go. We do not know personally the toll it could take on the people that have gone, but we have a general understanding it's one of the most emotionally and draining activities to ever partake in. The greatest moment in this film is the return home. To a near death, Gaspard returns to the family we've come to know and love, it was his drive and reward for his effort and fight. Realistically the experience was too much to handle and took a normal man to a fragile and unstable state of mind. We don't know if Gaspard will survive the prison, the return home is a shock of its own and heroic. The final scene leaves us with the question, "Is it harder to go to the most traumatizing part in your life for someone, or to end it all and let it all go to waste for that person?" Lastly, Mel Gibson gives us yet another spiritual and tearful epic that no man or woman should miss.

FYC:

Best Picture - Ian Bryce, Keir Pearson, and Mel Gibson
Best Director - Mel Gibson
Best Actor - Paddy Considine
Best Supporting Actor - Paul Bettany
Best Supporting Actress - Virginie Ledoyen
Best Original Screenplay - Mel Gibson and Keir Pearson
Best Original Score
Best Cinematography
Best Sound Editing
Best Editing
Best Costume Design