Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases

Resistance (2011)

Director: Amit Gupta

Time Out rating

Average user rating

4 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Welsh villagers face Nazi occupation in this counterfactual historical drama based on Owen Sheers’s novel. It’s 1944, D-Day has failed and German troops are occupying Britain. Andrea Riseborough (pictured right) is Sarah, a principled young woman who wakes to find her husband missing, along with the other men in the village. Soon German officers are setting up a local observation post, seeking shelter and food and forming tentative bonds with the conflicted, overworked women and children. Meanwhile, the resistance is building momentum and the penalty for collaboration is death.

It’s an intriguing premise given a tangibly creepy atmosphere by debut director Amit Gupta: the tone shifts from almost paranormal thriller to war movie to love story and back. It’s a quietly confident feature that provokes thought about loyalties, humanity and sacrifice in a subtly fresh context. There’s strong support from a familiar cast including Michael Sheen, Kimberley Nixon (‘Fresh Meat’) and Iwan Rheon (‘Misfits’) although several characters’ stories feel tantalisingly half told. The central relationship between Riseborough’s Sarah and Tom Wlaschiha’s officer Albrecht is loaded with tension and masterfully performed.

Author: Anna Smith

Time Out London Issue 2153: 24 - 30 November, 2011

Email Tweet Share

User reviews of this film

Eddie Glasgow said...

Posted on Mar 31 2012 22:10 Acting - GOOD, story - ?
Watchability PAINFULLY SLOW,
This will be a "Cult film", OK reasonably well done, but I for one will never watch again.

Report as inappropriate
intersting but grim said...

Posted on Dec 01 2011 00:17 Interesting, but very very slow and slightly confusing in places. Atmospheric, some compelling performances, particularly the leads. Quite a grim watch, though.

Report as inappropriate
Deborah Chester said...

Posted on Nov 25 2011 23:50 Intriguing story, brilliantly directed and great acting set amidst some of UK's most beautiful countryside. Love it! Screen Associates SA

Report as inappropriate
Minter Dil said...

Posted on Nov 23 2011 09:54 The central thought of the film is that one is marked by the choices one makes... All the more so when the stakes are high... A well acted film.

Report as inappropriate