14-18, le bruit et la fureur

Including a large number of historical events ranging from the prelude to war to the first major offensives, the bloody massacres of trench warfare, the disillusionment of ordinary soldiers, occasional visits to the Italian and Russian fronts, peace negotiations, and post-war developments into a single feature film means mastering the art of abbreviation perfectly, but above all, having the ability to capture the most important and characteristic aspects. The film manages this surprisingly well through the personal confession of a French soldier who was there from beginning to end. Based on archival footage, the film is well thought out, clear, and impressive, with a clear anti-war message. Just a small note - as much as the film tries to appear impartial, the story told from the other side of no man's land would be different. A similar divergence would also be present in the depiction of a soldier's adventures on the Russian front. Overall impression: 90%. (10/09/2014)