Rating: 
Summary: Why can't Hollywood make films like this?
Review: This is a great film, masterfully done. It is amazing that this little masterpiece was made by a first time director in Eastern Europe on a shoestring budget. Meanwhile, the Hollywood stamping plant continues to crank out mediocre and virtually interchangeable genre films (Action, Comedy, Suspense, pick your model and year). Hollywood needs to get back to basics, lose the focus groups and film-making by marketing committee. Let individual filmmakers explore their own artistic visions, and bring in some new blood (enough of the Spielbergian happy endings and sentimentality, already!). This little Bosnian film was better than anything nominated for Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards.
Rating: 
Summary: yes, quite good-- but not really a masterpiece.
Review: No Man's Land is a very good movie. It portrays the war's absurd horror and NATO's impossible situation with equal assurance, but there is really no aspect which elevates it to such adjectives as "timeless" or "classic." There is nothing wrong with it, but nothing _great_ either.
Rating:
Summary: NO MAN'S LAND is intensely mind-probing and disturbing
Review: A most deserving winner of the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film, No Man's Land boasts a script that is complex and disturbing and unflinchingly honest. Danis Tanovic is the genius behind the understated film that examines the role of U.N in the Bosnia-Serbia skirmish with dark and sardonic satire. It tells of a Bosnia-relief group attacked and mired at the frontline. Chiki (Branko Djuric) and Cera (Filip Savogoric) are the sole survivor but even that their fate is undecidedly perilous when a vicious Serb soldier accompanies novice Nino (Rene Bitorajac) to plant a bomb under Cera. It is detonated by pressure-release. Cera is immobilized and Chiki is reluctant to leave him. Nino is held hostage. U.N. sergeant Marchand (George Statdis) cannot bear to watch further - he decides to engage his men to relief the situation.No Man's Land may deceptively be high-brow and slow-moving but the impact of the film comes out only after the movie which engages you to reflect. It is seethingly savage in reflecting the paradox of war and offers refreshing insight in the intervention of U.N. Compassion is helpless in extinguishing the mindless hatred between Bosnia and Serbs; one wonders when can U.N be ever neutral in a war. Reporters are news-ravenous and profits from their misery. The difference in culture further extracts the U.N from really interacting with both sides. What's most memorable is the cross-fire between Nino and Chiki in deciding who started the war. Questioning slowly becomes an intimidation to make each other admit that they are at fault. No Man's Land is highly original and even more outstanding for the fine performances from the cast. It is hauntingly disturbing especially in its climax and simplifies the situation without compromising on the material. Unlike most war-film that examines the brutalities, No Man's Land is a brutal dissection of the rationale of intervention and its limitations.
Rating:
Summary: War is hell!
Review: "War; What is it good for; Absolutely nothing!" So goes the famous song by Edwin Starr. And No Man's Land is such a film that ventures out to prove that statement. Not through massive amounts of violence and bloodshed, nor through grieving families. Rather, No Man's Land is a film that uses human characters and their emotions to convey this message across, and it does so very well. No Man's Land has a very simple premise, yet uses it to full effect. The film's background is set against the Balkan Conflict of 92-95. While fighting is going on, two soldiers get trapped in the same trench, and both soldiers, Chiki and Nino, are from opposite sides of the war. Also in the trench is another Bosnian soldier, Cera, who is lying on a mine, which will detonate if he moves at all. Eventually, Chiki and Nino have to learn to keep calm before they can get out of there. They begin talking, and neither really understands why this war is being fought and points fingers at the other side. In between such talks, hostilities increase as both soldiers constantly threaten to kill each other. Meanwhile, Cera is stuck on the mine, and is the only one who stays calm throughout. Eventually the matter gets spread to the United Nations, as well as to the international media (who tapped in on the UN's radio frequency to get information) as the struggle to save the soldiers rages on.
The director, Danis Tanovic, succeeds in portraying these events very well. The characters he creates are portrayed as actual emotions, and succeeds in carrying these emotions over to the viewer. One cannot help but feel pity towards Cera, Chiki and Nino at some times, and anger at others. The media is portrayed in a negative way as the reporters stir up trouble only to improve their fame and pay. The viewer is made to hate the incompetent leaders who refuse to take action to save the soldiers, while admiring the brave UN soldiers who work their hardest to save the three men. The discussions between Chiki and Nino are quite the highlight, as their relationship fluctuates throughout. At one time, they might as well be best friends, discovering that there was a common friend between them, while at the other, they are worst enemies, ready to take the life of the other away in an instant. Their relationship continues as such until the final climax. Cera is the one who represents reason and rationality and keeps both men calm and controlled for a limited period of time. Though No Man's Land is a low-budget film, it doesn't scream of poor production values at all. The battles depicted are small scale; nowhere near Speilberg, but effective nonetheless. Most of the film takes place in the one small trench, with a few segments just on the front lines, and around the UN offices. Additionally, the use of language throughout is well-done. Most conversations are done in the local Bosnian language, while the UN troops switch between French and English, adding to the realism of the film, and introducing the communication problem between the different forces throughout. Speaking of language, the script of No Man's Land is, for most part, well-done. The people's emotions are captured very well through the type of language they use. The conversations between Chiki and Nino are well-written, humorous, and thought-provoking. The only real weakness in the script lies in the cliché of the scenes involving the media. Such lines have been used many times in the past before which involved negative depiction of the media in war situations (e.g. Three Kings). Sound throughout the film is used quite well. Most of the scenes are pure dialogue with no dramatic background music; just plain silence. And this silence is used to great effect to bring the environment and tensions of war out. The actors essay their individual roles quite well. Branko Djuric (Chikki), Filip Sovagovic (Cera) and Rene Bitorajac (Nino) both act out their respective roles very well. Their characters are brought to life, and the viewer is lead to believe that these men are actual soldiers themselves who have dealt with similar situations before. The UN officers do just as well, especially Georges Siatidis, with whom we share his frustrations. Katrin Cartlidge as reporter Jane Livingstone is good. She follows many of the aforementioned clichés of members of the press, but does a good job doing so. Direction is well-done and helps the movie flow. The events are brought about in a very believable manner at a believable pace. The whole movie moves at a semi-brisk pace, with a lot of events taking place over a short period of time, yet the film doesn't feel rushed at all. The director works well at placing the viewer in the middle of all the action, as they try to understand the emotions displayed by the characters. No Man's Land, unlike countless war films, make an anti-war statement effectively. As opposed to the bulk of war films that glorify war and give it the impression of being desirable, No Man's Land explores what war truly is: hell. And it does so through a simple depiction of events involving human characters, not through massive amounts of destruction or blood spill. This film truly is a modern classic, and was not entirely undeserving of the accolades it won (including the Golden Globe and Oscar for best foreign film). No Man's Land comes highly recommended. Final Rating: 9.4/10
Rating:
Summary: The line between life and death
Review:
No Man's Land is possibly the best film that I've watched in a while. It's a poignant story of humanity and life. Against the backdrop of the Bosnian-Serb Civil War, the story revolves around a Bosnian and a Serbian soldier both trapped at the lines. Their only chance to bury the hatchet for once was ruined by the very cause that started the rivalry between them and their sides: the war. Both eventually opted for tit-for-tat actions that hurt each other while a third man layed motionlessly on top a bouncing mine waiting for rescue. The film exploits larger issues at hand: an over-emphasis on who's right and wrong and the lack of intervention by the UN. As the UN forces encountered the situation at hand, their eventual indifference shed some light on how by being non-interventionist could have resulted in the war going on forever. Perhaps it's time for reflection on what's important: saving lives or saving face?
Maybe it's true what the French sergeant said , that you can't be neutral in the face of murder. Deserving of the Oscar Best Foreign Film!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Must see
Review: This powerful movie left me with mixed feelings. Being Bosnian myself, one of the hundreds of thousands whose life was affected with this fully unnecessary war, I was not prepared for conclusion of this movie. If we assume that key for the movie was the sentence 'Being neutral means taking a side...' (free interpretation), end of this movie brings the conclusion that there is nothing that could have helped Bosnian people; their hate and will to kill each other is stronger than their urge for survival. In a way, this movie is giving alibi to the rest of the world for doing nothing... anything... for years. I can hardly accept that, my personal belief is that foreign intervention could have brought end to this war much earlier (like it did, after almost 4 years of killing and suffering). Insisting on neutrality was a death sentence for Bosnia and countless Bosnians. However... In a best tradition of Bosnian movie making, this movie brings Bosnian spirit to shine, despite deficiencies in translation (sometimes impossible task, I agree, yet, some of translations to English are simply clumsy). I think this is a 'must see' movie, if for nothing else than for refreshing entertainment. If you end seeing this movie with slightly bitter taste in your mouth than you will know: it touched your heart.
Rating:
Summary: Meaningful rather than just skillful.
Review: Equal parts humor and horror, Danis Tanovic displays superior directorial ability in "No Man's Land," which goes against the normal traditional war films, and takes a stand against its subject matter. Through the use of extremely dark and satirical humor, the film is a testament to the various absurdities of war, from the hatred those who fight it continually manufacture, to the senselessness of everything that goes on around its characters. The story is filled with many characters, all of which play important roles in bringing forth the central message. The three men at the center of the mayhem are Bosnian soldiers Chiki (Branko Djuric) and his longtime pal Cera (Filip Sovagovic), both of whom are part of a relief team that becomes massacred by Serbian soldiers. After the bloodshed, Chiki finds himself in a trench between enemy lines, his entire team murdered before him. Soon after, the Serbs send two men to search for survivors of the onslaught to take as prisoners. One of these men is Nino (Rene Bitorajac), a new addition to the front lines, and a nameless man who is killed when Chiki open fires on the two intruders. Nino is wounded, and taken prisoner, while Cera, who was wounded but not killed, regains consciousness only to discover that Nino and his comrad placed a bouncing mine underneath his "dead" body moments before they were taken down. As the men begin bickering, Tanovic makes good use of the opportunity he is given, instilling the characters with black humor that is both humorous and meaningful when pondered. During an artillery storm, Chiki and Nino bicker over whose side it was that started the war; Chiki later ends the argument by pointing a gun at his enemy and forcing an admission of guilt from him, which Nino later uses against him once the power changes hands. Moments such as these provide a hearty dose of laughs, but they go much further than that. The unusual relationship between Chiki and Nino takes many turns; at one point, they make the discovery of a mutual friend between the two of them, and they share a happy moment. In another time and place, these two men would be the best of friends; in this time and place, they hate each other because they are told to. This juxtaposition of different moments of friendship and angst brings home the feeling of senselessness and frustration that accompanies wars, and the unending search for answers as to its purpose. Tanovic also chooses to instill much more into the film through various other well-drawn characters. A striving female reporter played by Katrin Cartlidge is a halting reminder of the exploitation of war through the media, while the U.N. high official, played by Simon Callow, is a provocative display of the indifference of other countries in such trying times. As the leader of a French unit in the humanitarian forces of the U.N., Marchand, played by Georges Siatidis, seems to have the clearest understanding of the events going on around him ("You can't be neutral facing murder. Doing nothing to stop it is taking sides."). The beauty of a film like "No Man's Land" is its complexity: every subplot, every character and their hidden themes, all relates back to Cera, lying on his back with a mine underneath him. Each complex character, whether it be out of friendship, remorse for the placement of the mine, hunger for a breaking news story, or the yearning to make an impact on the ongoing battle in hopes of bringing it to an end, all of these messages are interconnected in a way that makes the film meaningful rather than just skillful.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Script, Good Film
Review: "No Man's Land" can be a rewarding film on many levels: it is darkly funny, features a wonderful screenplay by Oscar winning director Danis Tanovic, and is tremendously acted, especially by Katlin Cartridege. But, at the same time, it is rather slow paced and stole the Best Foreign Film Oscar from "Amelie", the deserving French Comedy, which I gave 4 stars in the November 9 edition of my newspaper.
This film takes place between battle lines, with two soldiers, a Bosnian and a Serb, trapped in a trench. Also in that trench is a Bosnian soldier who is lying under a bomb that, if it is detinated, will blow up everything in a fifty foot radius. As they wait patiently for a bomb expert, the soldiers realize that they have more in common than they think.
Mr. Tanovic makes the best film that he could with his plot, which is reminescant to "Catch 22". In the end, "No Man's Land" receives three stars, a thumbs up, and my seal of approval. -James R. Louison
Rating:
Summary: War can be fun!
Review: I recently had the distinct pleasure of viewing this movie.
It's premise begins with two soldiers from opposing sides being
trapped in a trench between two armies fighting a civil war.
Scene after scene of sidesplitting antics follow in rapid succession.
Initially only one of the men is armed. He points his rifle at the other and demands to know which side started the war. Being intimidated by the muzzle at his head, our trembling gladiator replies "we did". During a moment of carelessness the
weapon changes hands, and again the question of who started the
war comes up, and so on.
Another scene shows a soldier in another trench reading a
magazine and being horrified by the war in Rwanda, as if his cir-
cumstances were better. His expression alone was worth the price
of admission.
In addition there is a third soldier in the trench. He was believed to be dead. While unconcious his body is placed on a
land mine and now he is unable to move without detonating it. He
is a comrade of one of the other two, who shows a great deal of compassion to his friend's plight by giving him water and scratching him when he itches. The feelings of pity quickly evap-
orate when our immobile friend states he has to go to the bath-
room.
If things weren't zany enough, soon a French member of the UN
peacekeeping forces becomes involved in what has become an uneasy
truce. He hopes to deactivate the mine but has neither the equip-
ment or knowhow, and spends most of his screen presence trying to
find someone who speaks French or English. The chaos of so many different nationalties trying to communicate is a movie in its own right.
Soon the UN high command dispatches a mine technician to aid
the now weary French unit. He of course is a German. The merriment continues unabated as several media types scurry to the unfolding events and bring even more craziness to what has
become a three ring circus.
My only problem with the movie is the down turn it takes at
the end, but I won't give anymore of the plot away. All in all
though, the experience was certainly worthwhile!
Rating:
Summary: Truthfull, realistic, satiric and original. A Must See!!!!
Review: This is an excellent movie. Everyone who is interested in what happened in Bosnia and Herzegovina should really see this movie. It describes Bosnian reality in the past and present. It helped me to understand many important aspects of the Bosnian reality and brought their reality closer to home. I saw all the movies that were made about the Bosnian genocide, however this movie was the only that is of a superb quality.
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