The Last Face (2017)

Hard to watch and listen to. It's graphic so not for the timid. Sound quality is awful. The actors whisper in intimate scenes so the volume must be set high in order to hear them. Which makes the noises painfully loud during the action sequences. The sound editor was definitely asleep at the switch.The pacing is lopsided. Plot changes gears more than a semi-truck driver in the mountains. The viewer is bounced from one unresolved / open ended scene to the next. Too much screen time is wasted trying to force introspection on the viewers. The aid helicopter slowly lifts off and backs away from the crowd of hopeless people with a few clinging to the helicopter's landing skids. It hovers until after the last person has fallen off the helicopter and back into the crowd. It then slowly, flies forward over the crowd just out of arms reach. In sum western corporations are bad, citizens of the developed world are bad for not doing more to help and the aid workers didn't enjoy their summer vacation. Just wait for the director's cut to be released all the vehicles will have Anti- Trump bumper stickers.

This film tells the story of a female doctor who goes to Africa for a humanitarian mission. She witnesses many horrors on both a personal and transpersonal level."The Last Face" starts off strong by depicting an African community that is savaged by war. The humanitarian workers do what they can with limited resources, amid dangers around them. This transpersonal altruism is to be applauded. However, the film then descends into a Tesla romantic drama. I honestly don't care for their relationships. I actually know for a fact that romance is discouraged in these humanitarian projects, so the film loses credibility once romance is touched upon. What makes it worse is that there is this health scare in the middle of the story, and it is not followed up again. It is a pity, as a film about humanitarian missions could have been tear jerking.

First,let me respond to all the negative reviews of this film.Oh the self-righteousness! Oh the humanity! Yes,this movie is a love story that takes place in Africa amidst turmoil and terror,and yes-its the Africans who are the victims in this movie-not the "white saviors". It never claimed to be anything else. Before I review the actually film,I have to ask people who rated this movie negatively solely for its "white saviors of black people" premise; is it a crime for white people to go to Africa to try to help Africans and also fall in love with each other?In your outrage at believing this movie undermines the humanity of Africans, you strip the white characters of their humanity.I've fought racism all my life whenever the opportunity presented itself,and am a firm supporter of Black Lives Matter.Of course a non-black person cannot say they are anti-racism without immediately condemning themselves to scrutiny and "aha's!" from others.Skipping the am I racist rant,I just could not understand why just about everyone immediately condemned the white lovers/activists for daring to be in Africa to help refugees of war and audaciously fall in love. Should white people stay out of Africa? Yes if they are there to exploit.If they are there to help,then by all means..help. The film is gorgeous.Charline steals the show once again. The brutality,horror and hellishness of what Africans face is not watered down,not reduced to art.It is full in your face truth.Its funny how people who hate the white activists also seem to ignore the horrors that Africans face in their desperate self righteousness. Throw the baby out with the bathwater I guess? This stunningly beautiful film will stay with me a long time,and I already know it belongs with my other favorites of this genre...which also received poor reviews for the white savior premise....Keys to the Kingdom and The Revenant.White people who bridged the gap between cultures and ethnicities rather than be hateful,violent and racist.These types of movies really tick people off.Tough.The world needs more bridges,less hate and condemnation. The Last Face is a precious gem for that reason...if you happen to go to Africa as an activist, and you want to make a difference in the lives of Africans who have suffered(often because of the west's exploitive racist ways) ...don't feel guilty ,even if you fall in love....

This is a thought-provoking and beautifully dramatic film , packing a stirring love story , though slowly paced and paying tribute to the sacrificed doctors working in the African countries . A chief of an international aid agency in Africa called Wren (Charlize Theron) runs the International Council in Geneva , Switzerland , coordinating the international activities common to the operational centres , as well as raising international awareness of potential humanitarian disasters . Then , Wren arrives in Africa and meets a relief aid doctor Miguel Leon (Javier Bardem) who belongs to ¨Médecins Sans Frontières¨ (MSF , vast majority of staff are volunteers) , also known as ¨Doctors Without Borders¨ and both of whom fall in love . The doctor Wren joins a group of obstinate doctors (Adèle Exarchopoulos , Jared Harris , Jean Reno , Denise Newman) who help unfortunate and distressed African people and undergo risked operations to wounded townsfolk . Meanwhile , in Monrovia , Liberia , takes place a state coup , and then they get together to flee from the capital to Sierra Leona . They embark in a dangerous journey which will take various countries risking his own life and pursued by nasty guerrillas .Intelligent drama with plenty of emotion , moving scenes and sensational performances . This is a deliberately paced flick , a satisfying journey of love , justice and self-discovery amidst political/social revolutions . It displays great feeling , thrills , and provoking melodrama in which a couple takes on strong choices surrounding humanitarianism and tough lives through civil unrest . This brooding flick sometimes results to be slow-moving , relying heavily on the long love affair and both of them compliment each other with their destine to help the unfortunate natives of African countries . Being developed in sensibility and intelligence , here are narrated ethic , moral issues with great sense of ductility and in ¨Terence Malick¨ style . As the stubborn doctors expand accessibility to medical care across national boundaries and irrespective of race , religion , creed or political affiliation . Cast is frankly good and giving top-notch interpretations . As the Spanish Javier Bardem providing an awesome acting , he grants his character a self-righteous drive that is made poignant for her determination and sheer will . Very magnetic performance by Charlize Theron as member of an aid agency directing efforts to provide medical care in acute crises , she gives the right balance of self-righteousness which makes her performance more real , she also creates her character human , heart and determination with her role , not a stereotype . The movie contains thrilling and violent scenes like the breathtaking battle when the military revolutionaries going into the capital Monrovia in blood and fire , as well as rampage , ravage and the indiscriminate massacres carried out by the extremely violent revolutionary guerrillas . And including gory scenes , such as grisly killings in cold blood and an astonishing surgical Cesarian . Beautiful , haunting and mesmerizing cinematography by Barry Ackroyd . Perceptible , and at times rousing musical score by the prestigious composer Hans Zimmer , including some really sensitive songs in African sounds . The motion picture was professionally -though in complex narrative filled with flashbacks- directed by Sean Penn . Here Penn tells an African story full of death and violence and presents it with impressive truth , though being both , overlong and touching . Sean Penn tops his last directional effort with an intense drama that is moving , scary and down right forthright . This "The Last Face" (2016) will appeal to Javier Bardem and Charlize Theron fans .