Hyena Road (2015)Three different men, three different worlds, three different wars - all stand at the intersection of modern warfare - a murky world of fluid morality where all is not as it seems. Director:Paul GrossWriter:Paul Gross |
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Paul Gross made an OK war film with his first feature Paschendale - but with Hyenna Road he has take a great leap forward. The story revolves around a sniper company in Afghanastan -- they're good at what they do and think they understand the moral complexities of war. To them it's a black and white, right or wrong endeavor - little do they know how wrong their assessment is -- Gross forgoes the normal tropes of war films and introduces us to the new, complex and nuanced realities of the fight - and boy what a fight it is -- The action sequences are a genre junkies wet dream but they come suffused with moral complexity and nuanced performances from a wonderful cast of largely unknown actors. For the nationalist there is of course Paul Gross as his usual Captain Canada and there are wonderful cameos from Alan Hawco (Republic of Doye) and the great unsung Clarke Johnson (Homicide) though it is (stage actress) Christine Horne who steal our hearts and makes this a five hankie film.
Hyenna Road should be on every school syllabus and reminds us - like Gross's previous work - just what it is to be Canadian. That said, an international audience will find it appealing as an action flick and for the counter-point it provides to American Sniper.
I saw the gala at the Toronto film festival an urge all to -- GO SEE IT