Le Dernier Combat (1983)
Another one of Andrew's dvds that has sat on my shelf for over 3 years. Sorry Andrew.
There is unfortunately something rotten at the core of this film.
It has some striking imagery, an interesting post apocalyptic vision of lost society.
One group are dressed in mockery of businessmen going to work, the titular last battle is a redux of medieval Knights (earlier the main character has a weapon looking like a lance).
The lack of dialogue keeps one of Besson's big weaknesses away and though the Eric Serra score sometimes jars that disconnect between what's happening on screen and 80s synth pop produces great results.
However the whole thing hinges on horrid misogyny in a way that isn't really questioned.
At first the lack of women (we literally see more of a blow up doll than we do of any actual female) seems an interesting element - either a symptom of, or reason for, the apocalyptic mess these men find themselves in.
But then, both the ostensibly kindly doctor and the more brutal 'businessmen' are revealed to be keeping women prisoner. And both times they are offered up to the main character as a prize. The dvd chapter heading literally labels itself at one of these points as 'The victor's spoils'.
Are we meant to think the main character and the doctor are as bad as the brute? If so, this point seems lost by the visual storytelling.
Ugh.
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