Imagine When 1 + 1 Doesn't Equal 2

Rating: 7/10 (25 June 2011)

This film is recommended. Imagine there's no countries, It isn't hard to do, Nothing to kill or die for, And no religion too. -Lyrics from John Lennon's Imagine Religion has always been a unifying and emotional force to some and a polarizing and divisive one to others. It has shaped and guided our world with the holiest of words and actions and also destroyed and misled many under the philosophical guise of good and godliness. It has provided insight and strength to one group while blinding and weakening another with overt powers over its most devout believers. This dualism is ever present in the thought-provoking Oscar nominated foreign film, Incendies, directed by Denis Villeneuve. We are forced to examine the far-reaching effect of religion and its aftereffects in its tale of two siblings who begin a spiritual journey to fulfill their mother's last wishes. The plot involves a twin brother and sister who are forced to confront their mother's past deeds and secretive life. Jeanne and Simon ( Melissa Desormeaux and Maxim Gaudette ) are given two letters from their dead mother, Newal ( Lubna Azabal ). They are asked to locate their brother who they never knew had existed and deliver an envelope to him and also find their lost father. This request takes Jeanne to a Middle Eastern country as she tries to unravel the mystery while Simon looks elsewhere. Told in flashback, mostly from Newal's point of view, we learn about her unknown past and her loves. Just as Jeanne and Simon unravel the threads of her lifestory, we discover the impact that politics and religion formed upon her mother and Newal's ultimate choices that led her to a violent conflicted existence. The film takes its bleak depressing subject matter and immerses itself directly into the world of civil wars, martyrs, violence, and religious zealots. Director Villeneuve successfully shows this clash of cultures between Christians and Muslims and the consequences of hatred and pointless bloodshed throughout the years. However, he weakens his own film by allowing some scenes to go on too long, causing less tension and suspense with his narrative. With his cumbersome flashback structure, he also divulges key evidence in the ongoing investigation to the movie audience before his present day characters can unravel the intricacies of the mystery itself. ( I, for one, figured out the supposedly shocking climax with a half hour left before the film's end credits appeared. ) Still, the film contains powerful images, mostly when dealing with the film's violent nature ( a bus and its passengers set afire, close-ups of battered and bruised legs of political prisoners, a frightened child cold-bloodedly shot as she tries to flee for safety ) and strong performances by its cast, especially Lubna Azabel as the sad and tortured woman whose death begins this tale. Incendies presents both worlds with a haunting clarity, one steeped in traditions and servitude and another trying to break free of its bonds. This is serious and fearless filmmaking that leaves one feeling moved and helpless at the same time. The moviegoer leaves the theater hoping the world will live as one, even if the equation can never be solved. GRADE: B