7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.3 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.4 |
In Kabylie in June, 1959, idealistic Lieutenant Terrien becomes the head of a section of the French army. There he meets Sergeant Dougnac, a hard-line professional soldier. The atrocities of the war, as well as the two men's differences, quickly put both to the test.
Starring: Benoît Magimel, Albert Dupontel, Aurélien Recoing, Marc Barbé, Eric SavinDrama | 100% |
Foreign | 81% |
War | 78% |
History | 67% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French, English, Arabic
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Based on Patrick Rotman’s self-titled book, Florent Emilio Siri’s “L’ennemi intime” a.k.a “Intimate Enemies” (2007) focuses on the highly controversial Algerian war (1954-1962), and France’s struggle to prevent its colony from gaining independence. Tackling a number of controversial themes, some of which still unresolved, the film goes on to deliver an important message with style impossible not to admire. Courtesy of French distributors M6 Video. English-friendly and Region-Free.
In Algeria
Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Florent Emilio Siri's L'ennemi intime a.k.a Intimate Enemies (2007) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of French distributors M6 Video.
This is the second disc from the French distributors to reach my desk and I must confess that I am utterly impressed with the quality of their transfers. First of all, the color-scheme of L'ennemi intime is fantastic. Greens, blues, yellows and whites are very effective in the large panoramic vistas from the Algerian countryside. Contrast and clarity are also stellar – you will be able to see plenty of the nighttime action as well as the intense battles taking place during the day. Edge-enhancement is practically non-existent. I was able to notice it only once (while I was watching the film on my large TV set), but I feel very confident stating that you won't be bothered by it at all. Furthermore, even though the transfer is pleasingly sharp and boasting that marquee "popping" look many are looking for, it is also plausibly nuanced - fine film grain has been preserved while DNR has definitely not been applied. The actual quality of the print is superb - there are no specks, debris, or dirt. To sum it all up, this is one incredibly solid-looking Blu-ray disc from a company I will be following closely. (Note: Even though this Blu-ray disc is marketed as Region-B, it is in fact Region-Free. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).
A French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is what you will find on this Blu-ray disc. The audio treatment M6 Video have provided for L'ennemi intime very much mirrors the video treatment – it is spectacular. There is plenty of activity in the rear channels. Furthermore, the dialog is crisp, clear and expertly balanced with Alexandre Desplat's moody soundtrack (who also contributed to Ang Lee's Lust, Caution). Additionally, silence has a very prominent role in L'ennemi intime and you would notice how effortlessly the DTS-HD MA track treats it. Finally, I did not detect any hissing, pops, or cracks to report here. For the record, M6 Video have provided optional, but surprisingly small, English and Arabic subtitles (they appear outside of the image frame).
There are a number of supplemental materials on this disc but, unfortunately, they are not subtitled in English. They are also in standard-def PAL so unless you have a player capable of converting PAL-NTSC, or a TV set capable of accepting PAL signal directly, you won't be able to access the following extras:
- Making Of
- An Interview with the director of Intimate Enemies Florent-Emilio Siri
- A Documentary (Patrick Rotman's original documentary feature)
- Comparisons and storyborads
- The premiere of Intimate Enemies
- Intimate Enemies at Festival International du Film du Caire
- Interviews with Alexandre Desplat (Composer), Giovanni Fiore Coltelacci (Director of Photography), Pierre Schoendoerffer (Producer), and cast.
- Decors and Costumes
- Gallery of Stills
- Trailers (in English and French)
Gritty, powerful and expertly-scripted, Florent Emilio Siri's L'ennemi intime is undoubtedly one of the strongest films made to ever tackle the senselessness and ambiguity of the Algerian War. Its political message is loud and clear, but how far it would reach remains to be seen. The Blu-ray disc herein reviewed, courtesy of French distributors M6 video, is of spectacular quality. It is also Region-Free and English-friendly. Very Highly Recommended.
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