Topic: Film Review: Welcome to Sarajevo The war film “Welcome to Sarajevo” released in 1997, is directed by Michael Winterbottom and is based on the book “Natasha's Story” by Micheal Nicholson.
“Welcome to Sarajevo” tells the story of the war reporter Micheal Henderson who has traveled to Sarajevo to report about the catastrophic situation of Sarajevo, with mortars and snipers being part of the everyday life. At the beginning of the film Henderson Jimmy Flynn are looking for the most dramatic stories and pictures of the war, in order to make the it the lead story of the news. Since the rough brutality of the war keeps not becoming the lead story of the news, Henderson decides to make the terrible situation the orphanage is in his lead story in order to get the much needed attention to the war. Later the American aid worker Nina organises and evacuation for new borns to Italy which the girl Emira from the orphanage hears off and reminds Henderson of his promise to evacuate her. Henderson is not willing to brake his promise so he decides to bring Emira to his home in London. In order to get her there he asks Nina to evacuate Emira as well and to accompany the evacuation bus as camera team. Even though the evacuation got an UN escort they are hindered by Bosnian Serbs several times, and have to give away some of the Bosnian Serb children, who will be brought back into the crisis area by the Bosnian Serbs. When Henderson and Emira finally arrive in London Emira becomes a member of Henderson family and starts a new happy life. After quite some time Henderson is informed that Emira's mother wants her back so he has to travel back to Sarajevo and talk with her mother about adopting Emira so she could stay with Henderson's family forever. Back in Sarajevo Henderson talks with Emira's mother about her, who after a video and a phone call with Emira is willing to sign the documents needed to adopt Emira, because she realises that Emira will have a better life in England than she could have in Sarajevo.
When I watched this film I was sometimes really shocked by some of the pictures and the whole brutality being shown, it's a really moving film which in my opinion will make every human think about war again. The film shows in a very shocking and authentic way what it does to people if there is death and war all around you. In my opinion this is a really shocking and moving film, the actors do a good job the soundtracks fit and the original material sometimes used in the film make it really authentic.
I agree on you with many parts of the review. The video footage is really touching and cruel or how you would say shocking. What surprised me positively is the way the movie shows the influence of the media in the thinking of an average person. I like this kind of social criticism in movies. Another thing worth mentioning is that the Bosnian war itself really happend, what horrified me very much while watching the movie. But all in all the film was too unilaterally and suspense was missing. But Maby I'm just not interested enough in the situation in the middle east. However, my rating for the movie is 6 out of 10 points. (121 words) AK
For your information: The person who wrote the first review was MK. I removed his full name. No, you are not supposed to publish your full name, MK, but I asked the reviewers to use their initials so that the course members and myself would know who wrote it and still no overly personal information would be published. If you choose not to publish your initials, please use a pseudonym (like: "Heisenberg") and let me know via e-mail. u39sw
I actually agree with MK’s opinion about this movie: “Welcome to Sarajevo” and I also agree with his opinion that this film should make us think about wars. The film is very exciting and shows very clearly how heartless and brutally people could be if there’s war in their country. The film is from the beginning to the end very fascinating and very shocking. There isn’t any part of the movie that is boring or unrealistic. It also shows that people think even at war of other people and want to help them like the reporter Michael Henderson, who tries to save the orphan Emira. The actors did a very good job. Stephen Dillane (who plays Michael Henderson) and Woody Harrelson (who plays the American reporter Jimmy Flynn) fit perfectly in the role of two reporters who do everything for a good story. At all the film is very impressive and shocking but also very exciting and demonstrate very clearly how brutally war is. I would give “welcome to Sarajevo” 7.5 out of 10. LT (174 words)
Topic: Film Review: Welcome to Sarajevo
ReplyDeleteThe war film “Welcome to Sarajevo” released in 1997, is directed by Michael Winterbottom and is based on the book “Natasha's Story” by Micheal Nicholson.
“Welcome to Sarajevo” tells the story of the war reporter Micheal Henderson who has traveled to Sarajevo to report about the catastrophic situation of Sarajevo, with mortars and snipers being part of the everyday life. At the beginning of the film Henderson Jimmy Flynn are looking for the most dramatic stories and pictures of the war, in order to make the it the lead story of the news.
Since the rough brutality of the war keeps not becoming the lead story of the news, Henderson decides to make the terrible situation the orphanage is in his lead story in order to get the much needed attention to the war.
Later the American aid worker Nina organises and evacuation for new borns to Italy which the girl Emira from the orphanage hears off and reminds Henderson of his promise to evacuate her.
Henderson is not willing to brake his promise so he decides to bring Emira to his home in London.
In order to get her there he asks Nina to evacuate Emira as well and to accompany the evacuation bus as camera team.
Even though the evacuation got an UN escort they are hindered by Bosnian Serbs several times, and have to give away some of the Bosnian Serb children, who will be brought back into the crisis area by the Bosnian Serbs.
When Henderson and Emira finally arrive in London Emira becomes a member of Henderson family and starts a new happy life.
After quite some time Henderson is informed that Emira's mother wants her back so he has to travel back to Sarajevo and talk with her mother about adopting Emira so she could stay with Henderson's family forever.
Back in Sarajevo Henderson talks with Emira's mother about her, who after a video and a phone call with Emira is willing to sign the documents needed to adopt Emira, because she realises that Emira will have a better life in England than she could have in Sarajevo.
When I watched this film I was sometimes really shocked by some of the pictures and the whole brutality being shown, it's a really moving film which in my opinion will make every human think about war again.
The film shows in a very shocking and authentic way what it does to people if there is death and war all around you.
In my opinion this is a really shocking and moving film, the actors do a good job the soundtracks fit and the original material sometimes used in the film make it really authentic.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI agree on you with many parts of the review. The video footage is really touching and cruel or how you would say shocking.
ReplyDeleteWhat surprised me positively is the way the movie shows the influence of the media in the thinking of an average person. I like this kind of social criticism in movies.
Another thing worth mentioning is that the Bosnian war itself really happend, what horrified me very much while watching the movie.
But all in all the film was too unilaterally and suspense was missing. But Maby I'm just not interested enough in the situation in the middle east. However, my rating for the movie is 6 out of 10 points.
(121 words)
AK
For your information: The person who wrote the first review was MK. I removed his full name. No, you are not supposed to publish your full name, MK, but I asked the reviewers to use their initials so that the course members and myself would know who wrote it and still no overly personal information would be published. If you choose not to publish your initials, please use a pseudonym (like: "Heisenberg") and let me know via e-mail.
ReplyDeleteu39sw
I actually agree with MK’s opinion about this movie: “Welcome to Sarajevo” and I also agree with his opinion that this film should make us think about wars. The film is very exciting and shows very clearly how heartless and brutally people could be if there’s war in their country. The film is from the beginning to the end very fascinating and very shocking. There isn’t any part of the movie that is boring or unrealistic. It also shows that people think even at war of other people and want to help them like the reporter Michael Henderson, who tries to save the orphan Emira.
ReplyDeleteThe actors did a very good job. Stephen Dillane (who plays Michael Henderson) and Woody Harrelson (who plays the American reporter Jimmy Flynn) fit perfectly in the role of two reporters who do everything for a good story.
At all the film is very impressive and shocking but also very exciting and demonstrate very clearly how brutally war is.
I would give “welcome to Sarajevo” 7.5 out of 10.
LT
(174 words)