Crossbow crusade review1/16/2023 ![]() ![]() The unfortunate man who is struck by it dies without feeling the blow however strong the impact he knows nothing of it.” Such is the crossbow, a truly diabolical machine. ” Warming to her topic the princess related how “in the shooting, the string exerts tremendous violence and force, so that the missiles wherever they strike do not rebound in fact they transfix a shield, cut through a heavy iron breastplate and resume their flight on the far side, so irresistible and violent is the discharge. Woman at War raises a lot of questions and allows the audience to think about them: how far is too far, is extremism ever justified, who is right and who is wrong and, just how much damage can one person do? The reason why this film works and is worth going to the cinema to see is because it’s well written drama, good films begin and end with a great script.Anna Comnena, daughter of the Byzantium Emperor Alexius Comnenus, writing at about the time of the First Crusade (1096-1099), said of the medieval crossbow, a military tool new to her part of the world, “The crossbow is a weapon of the barbarians, absolutely unknown to the Greeks. The writer and director Benedikt Erlingsson manages to walk that fine line between melodrama and preaching. She is a strong woman who is not asking to be saved – she’s not married or dating anyone and there is no love story – can I get an AMEN!īefore you say, not another film about environmental issues, this one is different. The central character, Halla is fifty years old and has a lot at stake which makes it all the more compelling to see what will happen. Yes, most definitely we haven’t really seen this story before from the point of a single individual on an environmental crusade who is neither young nor male. The film not only deals with environmental activism, racism, politics stereotyping and society especially when Halla releases her manifesto and signs it off as the “Mountain Woman”, it is interesting to see how the community react to this. She also manages to convey the emotions and nuances of both sisters without the audience ever being confused. She is engaging right from the opening scene. Halldora Geirharosdottir plays the dual role of twin sisters Halla and Asa although it is Halla who is the main protagonist. What’s so creative about this film is it gives us another view of the ordinary woman – she can wield a crossbow and is strong. The start and end are visually stunning and remind you what is at stake. Woman at war is told at a cracking pace and even in the quiet moments the tension never dips.The story is grounded in realism and couldn’t be more timely with all the environmental issues in the news on a daily basis. She finds herself torn should she carry on with her crusade or stop because of the impending adoption does the risk outweigh the benefit ![]() In the midst of her crusade, Halla finds out that after four years, she has finally been matched with a little orphan girl in Ukraine. The story is this: Halla a fifty year old music teacher/choir leader is on a single mission to stop the aluminium industry and Icelandic government destroying the Icelandic countryside by allowing big Chinese multinationals build plants. ![]() Woman at War is a great piece of storytelling that is wonderfully acted and beautifully shot – this film is a treat with a serious message: the best kind! It is entertaining, lots of laughs and thought provoking without being overbearing in its central message about protecting the environment. Woman at War is the type of film that makes you sit straighter in your chair and say “oh gosh”. ![]()
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