Resistance

Resistance is very predictable, and this type of movie has been done many times before and much better. It comes across as a low budget B film. The script is so weak that even Paxton (miscast) and Ormond couldn't breath life into these poorly developed characters. The actions of the characters are not believable and the mediocre acting makes it even harder to tolerate the ridiculous dialog and silly choices the characters make. Did I mention plot holes? My husband walked out less than halfway through but I watched this slow paced movie to the end, albeit with a bit of fast-forwarding. With so many better movies out there this is just not worth the time, In My Humble Opinion! July2020

The biggest flaw of this so-so resistance drama is the choice of an American actress to play the female lead.Julia Ormond is compelled to speak English -I guess she's not dubbed- with a French accent,which is completely absurd;besides,the story takes place in Belgium,where the accent should be different (I 've often heard Belgian people speak).When René Clément made a similar story in 1963 ("le jour et l'heure"),he chose Simone Signoret as the French woman and American Stuart Whitman for the aviator ,which made sense.And whereas Clement's movie had a dramatic progression (Signoret's character was first a woman who did not care about Resistance),this one has none.Now and then ,the German soldiers appear,just for their reprisals,hangings and tortures.There are some Belgian characters involved but their part is so underwritten that even the hubby cannot display his jealousy.Sandrine Bonnaire tries hard ,to no avail.Only Bill Paxton ,in his restrained and sensitive rendering ,shows some convincing emotion.

The film was a flop,and it is sure easy to see why:Resistance has been tackled so many times in France,Europa and elsewhere ,that ,unless you are a genius,you can't make new things out of old.

On 16 January 1944, a reconnaissance American pilot survives a plane crash in Delahaut in the Nazi occupied Belgium. The boy Jean Benoit (Antoine Van Lierde) finds the wounded pilot and brings him to the house of Claire (Julia Ormond) and Henri Daussois (Philippe Volter) that belong to the Maquis Resistance. Sooner the Major Theodore 'Ted' Brice (Bill Paxton) is recovered and tells that he needs to retrieve a book of codes, but the airplane is guarded by the Nazis. Meanwhile Ted and Claire fall in love with each other. When three German guards that are protecting the debris of the airplane are executed, the Nazis select a group of villagers and hang them in a barn. When Henri finds that Ted and Claire are having a love affair, he betrays the pilot with tragic consequences.

"Resistance" is a nice romance with the gorgeous Julia Ormond and Bill Paxton showing a great chemistry but unfortunately in an unrealistic environment. The crush of Ted and Claire is acceptable since her marriage is ended but the situation of the couple dating in France is awfully silly and the betrayal of Henri is ridiculous and incoherent for a member of the resistance. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Amor e Guerra" ("Love and War")

I love Julia Ormand and was eager to see this movie on TV. She's as wonderful as ever. Unfortunately, the script was ridiculous.

An American pilot shot down in enemy territory. The villagers doing their best to save his life. Yet he pays no attention to their culture, their system, and their safety. He's only concerned about himself and what he wants. He takes over the house, goes outside, plays baseball, gave his dog tag to a kid, doing his best to expose himself to the Nazi while the villagers die to protect him. Even though he does not speak Frech, he goes out in public and refuses to hide so everyone can see there's a stranger in town. He only thinks about his own happiness, honor and others be damned. Unfortnately, the Germans were not as stupid as the American thought. Of course him and those who tried to help him all got caught.

With friend like this, who needs enemies? Who wrote this stupid script?

The film was very basic. One thing that really bugged me was how, in a time of war, Bill Paxton's character acted like he was at a country club, having absolutely no idea that his actions just might effect the people that were helping him. With his total disregard for his caretaker's marital status to his "I want to be in public" stance...it just got absurd. I started to wonder what point the movie was trying to make: a). the struggle and sacrifice of the Resistance b). the invasion of the Americans-stealing the Belgian brides. Why is it that a movie like this can't figure out what lines should be spoken in French and what should be in English. The main character floated around in both in a seemingly roll the dice approach. Sometimes she spoke to the American in English, other times in French.

The production value was high and the acting was pretty good otherwise.