As Eric’s mind deteriorates and reverts back to the suffering he endured, the screen becomes coated with a moody atmosphere. It’s an interesting choice and seems to shed light on the fact that the real horror of war is psychological rather than physical. The gray hues of present day perfectly juxtapose the vibrant colors of the war. While “The Railway Man” fails in fully realizing its characters, it does create an interesting aesthetic. War is marred with gray areas, and the film misses a huge opportunity to fully engulf its viewership in the blurred lines during wartime-the lengths humans will go to and the tendency to follow orders no matter what. The most depth ever seen is during the third act, when he confronts the interpreter who was a part of his torture-and even that falls flat. For a character whose story is entrenched in the hardships of war, he comes across as two-dimensional. She feels like nothing more than a vehicle to unveil Eric’s backstory by asking questions. ![]() ![]() The audience never fully realizes the desperation one would feel if their husband were going through emotional turmoil and had shut them out. Despite her emotive abilities, her character falls flat. Nicole Kidman adequately performs as Patti she showcases subtle emotion that augments the slowly developing film. Unfortunately, for a film so reliant on interiority, it never fully manages to develop the characters the audience should care about. It focuses on the aftermath of war-the psychological component-rather than doubling down on grotesque spectacle. The film succeeds in setting up an intriguing plot. However, he skirts the issue of Eric’s detainment for creating a railway map and a secret radio to provide news to the the servicemen. After the British surrendered, they were imprisoned there and forced to work on the Thai/Burma railway. He divulges all on Eric’s heroic past during their time at a Japanese labor camp throughout World War II. Things quickly take a turn, however, when Eric begins showing signs of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).Ĭonfused and desperately seeking to help her new hubby, Patti turns to another British Army officer, Finlay (Stellan Skarsgård), for the answers. The reserved man shows an intricate knowledge of the rail system, and before the audience knows it, the two are married. The two meet on a railway car, and Patti quickly is enamored with Eric’s quiet intelligence. Colin Firth plays Eric Lomax-a real-life British army officer and Japanese prisoner of war during World War II-in ‘The Railway Man.’ Courtesy photoįramed by the retelling of events in a current setting, “The Railway Man” opens with a blossoming romance between Eric (Colin Firth) and Patti (Nicole Kidman).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |