Des hommes et des dieux

WARNING: This review is hidden because it reveals the content of the film.
Click here to show this review. As a devout Catholic this film was supposed to be tailor made for me but it fell far short of my lofty expectations. A few weeks ago on a Saturday I attended French mass at the chapel in a convent and the following morning French Eucharistic services at a church. The theme was turning the other cheek. The priest sat down with the children around the altar explaining that all of us even the most saintly have done bad things to others and would be considered enemies from their point of view. However in this film the monks took over the mantle of the gods believing all their actions were righteous and above reproach. The major achievement of this film was the way the individual personalities of the monks were laid bare in meticulous detail allowing us to see into their train of thought. Yet I was yearning to learn more about their backgrounds. The change of seasons showed how their duties and responsibilities changed over time. But by neglecting to mention the brutal Algerian War of Independence this film had no historical context to explain events that occurred. It was a big mistake to highlight the parts of the mass that never change. I have attended over 2000 masses in my lifetime and this dulled my interest. I rather would have liked hearing their sermons and confessions. The medication should not have been kept at the monastery but instead at a neighborhood clinic. It was always a useful pretext for terrorists to invade their compound. The monks could have opened channels with the terrorists by visiting their homes but did not. I got the impression that the monks believed that Catholics of Algerian descent would be incapable of running their religious institution which was a downright silly reason for them to stay. The natives would better understand the local culture and create far less animosity. Back in France they could have done great deeds like Abbe Pierre who was voted most revered Frenchman of the 20th century. Refusing the help of the military was another nonsensical decision on their part. They stated that they would never accept help from corrupt governments but even our most respected democracies are hobbled by their own scandals. For these religious figures I was really repulsed by their lack of humility. They never admitted to any of their faults. I was most upset when these monks were taken hostage but there was no follow-up regarding negotiations. Their own French government seemed to have abandoned them. I did not learn much at all from this film.