Oh, like lil’ Norman Bates WOULDN’T have stuffed that yippy schipperke? Please!
Jean-Jacques Annaud loves a challenge. Whether it’s working with bears, wolves, tigers, or Jane March, he knows how to handle non-actors. Returning to his Bear roots, Annaud smartly utilized the then-burgeoning but not quite wholly accepted method of shooting on high-def digital cameras. Of course, he reserves our beloved 35mm for the rugged palettes of Guy Pearce and Jean-Claude Dreyfus (both equally photogenic), but he could’ve been shooting on a Canon PowerShot with a broken lens and those tigers still would’ve looked just as beautiful and majestic as ever. We’re here to see big kittehs and this sweeping fairy tale delivers the goods.
I count tigers amongst the most beautiful creatures on the planet. You’d think they couldn’t get cuter than their big pawed, fuzzy faced cub phase, but where do they get off becoming even more stunning as they shift into adulthood? Annaud’s Kiplingesque tale is certainly one the iconic author might’ve penned at some point and Pearce ostensibly stands in for the Jungle Book scribe as a kind enough rogue who scavenges for artifacts and big-game by day and scribbles adventure yarns by night. The human element admirably explores humanity as well as the expectations of inherited familial strength. Bathed in a golden-brown hue under the Cambodian sun, the divergent paths orphaned tiger cubs Sangha and Kumal take allow us a glimpse into the lives of ambitious aristocrats and lowly circus folk. The requisite animal abuse and deaths are difficult to watch, but fortunately, Annaud understands his audience’s desire for glorious, animal-themed escapism.
Two Brothers could easily have been a Disney film, but Annaud doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of animal cruelty and the constant danger of hunters and poachers. Blood is spilled, though nothing especially graphic, yet it’s harsh enough that the bitter mixes with the sweet in splendidly dramatic fashion. Credit certainly goes to animal trainer Thierry Le Portier along with cinematographer Jean-Marie Dreujou, but a special commendation must go to Annaud’s long-time, Oscar-nominated editor Noëlle Boisson. Her miraculous cutting may render these animals almost supernaturally intelligent and emotional (a feat seemingly impossible considering the emotionless cats of the live-action Lion King), but regardless, their anger, sadness, curiosity, and ultimate serenity come through seamlessly. Yes, it’s all ridiculous, particularly a lengthy montage where the tigers run rampant across the land, but it will leave you spellbound and joyful. A fiery finale and Freddie Highmore’s tearful conversation with Pearce leads to a gently moving conclusion. It’s a film whose human sections can’t match up to the big cats, but no matter. Tigers Rule!
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