Triage (2009) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

Ireland, Spain, Belgium, France 2009
Director: Danis Tanovic
Cast: Colin Farrell, Jamie Sives, Paz Vega, Kelly Reilly, Branko Djuric, Mozaffar Shafeie
Rating: R
Release Date: 6 November 2009 (Spain)
Running Time: 1 hour 36 minutes

The Movie Review

Triage film still 1


TRIAGE
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
Overall:

Triage was a movie that I blindly see solely because of one name alone, Danis Tanovic. I know it's not a name familiar to many Hollywood viewers and some probably would raise their eyebrow thinking "Who is he?" But those who have seen his previous movie No Man's Land (2001), highly likely, the ending image will stuck in their mind. I didn't follow his career intensely but when seeing other big Hollywood names like Christohper Lee, Colin Farrell, and the ever-sexy Paz Vega in a movie by Danis Tanovic, I just have got to see the movie!

Colin Farrell stars as Mark Walsh, a very spirited photo journalist who's currently documenting the war between the Kurds and the Turks in Kurdistan in 1988. Along with him, is his best friend, David (Jamie Sives), who actually has grown very sick and tired of Mark's ambition about this particular war. David is not in the prime condition as Mark especially after he sees so many victims from the Kurdish side that even the good Doctor Talzani (Branko Djuric of No Man's Land (2001)) can not take care of all of them with all the writhing and shock of losing their body parts. David's mental condition just can't take it anymore. He's just had enough of begging Mark to go home and only getting replied with the same procrastination. David decides to go home.

Coming back to London, Mark is injured but not life-threatening. In his home, he's greeted happily by his wife Elena (Paz Vega). Although now Mark and Elena is getting confused when knowing that David is not back yet which also makes his pregnant wife, Diane (Kelly Reilly), is getting very worried. But Mark has always been very mysterious since his coming home though this is arguably the normal sign of a person coming home from a war. But to ensure his mental condition, Elena asks the help of her relative, Joaquin (Christopher Lee), to re-shape Mark's mental condition. What is happening really in Kurdistan?

Triage is a movie about war photographer. A movie that's based on a novel written by a real ex-war journalist, Scott Anderson. If you happen to be familiar with the name but can't quite figure out where, maybe you have seen another splendid fast-action movie also about War Journalist headlined by Richard Gere and Terrence Howard titled The Hunting Party (2007). But unlike The Hunting Party, Triage focuses more about the life struggle of a reporter. That being said it relies heavily on the perfomance of Colin Farell as well as other cast he's playing with. All the cast perform very well to excellent. If there's one thing that I remember very well about the movie is the top notch expression of David (Jamie Sives) when he's hurt. Probably one of the best hurt acting moments that I still remember till now. His screaming and hand movements are wince-inducing.

Unfortunately, I was having a great expectation from the director and also from the writer. And despite the excellent acting, and the tragedy it contains, nothing particularly new about the story. It is still a dramatic portrayal of a man choosing something very frightening for him, and there is something very unique about Danis' directing style. But I still think, it won't stand out as high as what No Man's Land has achieved. The ending is satisfactory in terms of giving the viewers the answer to all the mystery but it's not a very memorable one. But nonetheless that's just for moviegoers who have seen No Man's Land. For others, this is a definite good drama about war and life.