Indigènes [2006] Movie Reviews on CinemaClock

Like Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima, Indigènes portrays the mistreatment of WWII soldiers at the hands of those in power. All three films are told mostly from the personal point of view of a handful of soldiers who the audience comes to sympathize with as their stories unfold. Perhaps the fact that these films have all been released at this time in history reflects a public mood that has become cynical of the motives behind the Iraq war. Especially like Flags of Our Fathers, the film confronts the issue of rampant racism against minority soldiers both within and outside the military. The increasingly vile list of transgressions suffered by the Algerian soldiers is unfurled in a clinical, matter-of-fact and sometimes subtle style, allowing the disgust and outrage to slowly build and fester in the audience. One of the most richly ironic moments occurs when the Nazis drop leaflets encouraging the soldiers to desert to liberate themselves from such racism. The film is enhanced by the realistic yet poetic cinematography and the impressive ensemble cast.