The true story about one of the most brilliant saboteurs during World War II and his battle to overcome his inner demons.
Directed: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg
Stars: Aksel Hennie, Agnes Kittelsen and Nicolai Cleve Broch
What we think: World War II has been the setting for creating some of the great heroes of it’s time, those who risked life and limb to fight off the Nazi push across Europe.
Max Manus was one such individual, a man who would leave no one behind no matter how difficult the situation was and how deadly the consequences might be.
After helping to fight off the Soviets during the winter war in Finland Manus returns to Norway to find some unwelcome visitors in the shape of the Nazis.
He receives commando training in Scotland and his instructions and returns once again. With the help of some close friends he forms the infamous ‘Oslo Gang’ whose aim was to sabotage the enemy at all cost, and pretty bloody good at it they were too.
Max Manus is a strong character, and what is more amazing is the film is based on true events, which makes his plight and subsequent success as one of the most revered icons of the war even more stunning.
He went through it all, from escaping capture and torture by leaping out of a window to the concrete below to seeing his friends around him killed. Manus’s only goal was to reach the end of the war alive, he did, but punished himself that he was one of the few to make it.
The film is very well directed and has some tense set pieces which makes for some brilliant high drama, Rønning and Sandberg capture the horror and despair that the war dealt out, and do so with gritty conviction.
Where the film shines is through is Max’s patriotism of which he oozes plenty, but he is selfless in his actions and often wonders how he is seemingly still alive after going through so much.
The conclusion is satisfying, we all know how the bigger picture ends. However, its the individual stories that are simply awe-inspiring, seeing is very much to be believed.
View the trailer
Rating:
(3.5/5)
Visit the IMDb page for Max Manus: Man of War
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