The build is tense and well crafted, but the twist is more shock value than adding depth to the story

Rating: 7/10 (7 September 2019)

There's no doubting Villeneuve's skill in building tension and emotional stakes through his characters and shots. While it's in a very different way, like in Enemy the shocking twist ending doesn't really add to the story and feels forced. The difference is while in Enemy the ending was insane and left the meaning and plot completely up in the air, in Incendies what happened is entirely clear and just isn't that satisfying. The most cogent point Villeneuve makes in the film is how the atrocities of war can shape people and turn them into monsters. The alternation between the past and present put into focus how war can ravage a region and a family for decades and was very effective in gradually unspooling the plot threads. The performances were all very good, particularly those playing Nawal and her daughter.
Now, let's talk about that twist: that Nihad, her first son, is the man who raped her while in prison and fathered the twins. Undoubtedly, it was completely unexpected. It's a pretty crazy coincidence that he was the person assigned to torture her prison and that he chooses to rape her. Putting that aside, the real problem is that it doesn't add depth or explain anything about the characters or in the plot. There are no genetic problems the kids have that are explained by the incest, and there was no reason for Nawal to expect that he was anything more than a random torturer - there was no inherent connection in their roles. This doesn't make the twist bad or illegitimate, but also doesn't make it particularly impactful, and given the intense build up to that discovery, it was a letdown. Love the cinematography, love the direction, but nothing more than a good, well-crafted movie with a forgettable ending.