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In
a world of darkness, a legend was never written...
THE
PROPHECY OF LIFE IS FULFILLED
"HELD" D'LEH _ Let's begin with a curiosity. The name of the
protagonist, D’Leh, if read backward (mirrorlike) forms the German
word Held, which, translated, means hero.
Let’s go on with a
couple of questions. Is this film spectacular? Yes it is. After the
press screening, still am i interested in watching it at theater and
will i buy then the dvd? Yes. Is the content of this movie historically
correct? Actually, when you watch the film, you don’t
care very much any more whether mammoths or saber-toothed cats
were still existing 10000 bc , nonetheless they were Pleistocene
animals; the production has accomplished serious research around the
structure, movements and presence of those animals. On the other
hand, concerning human history, it is almost proved that some
ancient monuments may have had a
life much longer than presumed. The existence of a civilization dating
back to 10000 BC, or even before, could be considered and the story of
the evolution of the human species SHOULD BE totally recalibrated.
Therefore the proposal of pyramids in that era may be an interesting
challenge indeed. The doubt could
be: was there, at that time, a desert like we know it today and in the
same places? And now the bingo question: is this movie good and highly
involving.? Oh well, let’s say it’s not bad, much better than, in my
opinion, the mediocre "The Day after Tomorrow", but
surely under the quality of the masterpiece "Stargate",
that was full of innovation and verve ( for me still the best Roland
Emmerich movie ever).
And under the quality of Independence Day too. But why? From the
moment that the special effects are top notch, the photo quality good,
the sound rich enough in surround
effect, why should this film be not so beautiful as the first works from
Emmerich? For example, because the plot, unfortunately, presents a too
cheesy and predictable end. After having
followed in an intense way the whole story, you would claim a
better adrenergic burst towards the end, with much more explicit mystery
inside. Another minus point
is represented by the many analogies with Stargate that just make the
nostalgia for Stargate itself grow bigger. There are also a couple of similar
concepts with Mel Gibson' s "Apocalypto", but Apocalypto
develops its own story on another focus and with infinitely
much more ferociousness. 10000 BC is not a ferocious film, it is a tale
around the capacity to do epic acts which lies in the soul of some human
beings or, maybe, in everyone. Praising solidarity, it is a pretty odyssey against oppression , against each
kind of slavery ,
against self
proclaimed gods. Even the human sacrifice , compared with Apocalypto,
serves the same terror but is represented here in a softer way .
Emmerich's philosophy around
human dignity plays once more an important role. Unfortunately all this
is realized through a too simple timbre. I would say that this is a true
great movie for young
people rather for adults who have already travelled through
cinematographic stargates of all sorts.
THE WHITE SPEAR
Told that, 10000 remains however a nice, coloured and diversified
adventurous moment for all audiences. Some riveting moments are
memorable: for instance, when D'leh decides to save the life of a
saber-toothed tiger entrapped, together with him, in the same deadly
pitfall. This action will be repaid and, at that moment, a prophetical
sign will come true.
A monumental sequence
of action is the earth shaking mammoth hunt in the first part of the
movie, while the models through which the pyramid and the temple are
rendered, are really effective.
Brilliant is also the effect created by the big red sails of the ships
going down the river (Nile?), sails
that look
like large wings which propel the transfer of the human
booty.
Booty. Slaves who are mainly engaged in building the mountains of the gods,
the pyramids , with the help of exploited mammoths, under the cruel
surveillance of priests and representatives of the obscure cruel being,
so blindly venerated as a
god entity.
A good
character is the wise mentor
and hunter Tic'
Tic, played by Cliff Curtis ( Whale Rider, Live Free or Die Hard,
Fracture, Sunshine), who was a big friend of D’ Leh ‘s father and holder of the white spear,
sign of command in D’leh and Tic' tic's mountain tribe (Yaghal).
Before, the spear was hold by D’leh's
father,
who, one day, went away with no return, as the very beginning
of the movie lets us know. When D'leh village is assaulted
by dark warriors, merchants of slaves, called four- legged- demons, who
kidnap young hunters and
blue eyed Evolet, the odyssey of D’ leh, Tic 'Tic, , Ka’ren
and young boy Baku (whose mother is killed during the raid) begins. D’leh
swears to run after the
kidnappers till the end of the world, and to save his companions and his
beloved Evolet .
D'Leh learns to know himself, to
take initiative. He will be told the truth about his father and will
become a leader. But, above all, D`Leh gets acquaintance with a wider
world unknown to him before. Beyond the snowy mountains, there are new
dangers, new lands and new people, other tribes who will help, join and
build a little army. D’ leh, as a kind of proto-bible
Moses, guides this army to free the oppressed.
Another key character
is Old Mother, the shamanic spiritual leader of the Yaghal ,
who will watch over D’leh and Evolet's destiny.
PROPHECIES CAN HAVE MANY FACES _
Prophecies have, in this movie, a noticeable importance. As Tic' Tic
says, prophecies can have many faces but common meaning. Evolet is the
point of union of those prophecies. Having survived an assault of
her village when she was a child and adopted by the Yaghal tribe,
Evolet grew up together with D'Leh, while the love for each other became
more intense. After being kidnapped , Evolet is the keeper
of scars which build a very crucial mark, a mark which threatens the
"god" and his servants. A mark who foretells the coming of the
hunter; an omen of destruction of their power, their secrets and
knowledge if any. Pity that Camilla Belle (playing Evolet), as actress
here, is a complete flop, at least in my opinion.
A particular mention must go to Omar Sharif as story teller voice, as
well as to the geographical maps that the “priests”
possess. Steven Strait, playing D’leh, is acceptable. I could
see him even in a band like POD or Korn. After all…united we stand,
like D'Leh's army. Isn’ it, my metal friends?
Rating: 7,9/10
dalia
di giacomo 05.03.2008
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