- Actors: Albert Dupontel, Benoit Magimel
- Directors: Florent Emilio Siri
- Format: PAL
- Language French
- Subtitles: English
- Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
- Number of discs: 2
- Classification: 15
- Studio: Contender Entertainment Group
- DVD Release Date: 9 Jun 2008
- Run Time: 105 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B0016AJU6S
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 13,162 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Product Description
Algeria, 1959. Military operations are being stepped up. High in the mountains of Kabylia, Terrien (Benoît MAGIMEL), an idealistic lieutenant takes over the command of a platoon at a French army outpost. Here he meets Dougnac (Albert DUPONTEL), a cynical sergeant. Their differences and the harsh realities in the field drive the two men to the breaking point. Lost in an undeclared war, they discover that their worst enemy is themselves. From acclaimed director Florent Emilio Siri (Hostage), Intimate Enemies is a visually stunning war epic which shows the true brutality and horrors of war.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Set in the Kabyle mountains of Algeria this excellently made war film certainly pulls no punches. The extreme volence of the FLN and of some of the French begins to seep into the soul of our hero - young Lt Terrien. The film does not flinch from showing the slaughter by the fellaghas, the torture of prisoners by the French, and the scene of the napalm attack and its results are some of the most powerful that I have seen. In the end, trapped between the millstones of the Revolution and the French Republic is is hardly surprising so many of the individuals are ground to powder. The eventual fate of our hero is perhaps the least believable part of the film but it does not prevent this being a film with an impact. It avoids the usual temptations of vilifying one side or the other. It just leaves a great feeling of waste.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This film is full on from start to finish. Superbly acted and focusing on some very different characters. Some shocking scenes of barbarism and the complete lack of humanity shown on both sides as the film/battle goes on. Very authentic fire fights and the use of accurate of the time weaponry make it as realistic as it could be. Use of banned aerial weapons and the knowing looks and fear on the faces of the French troops as the air support comes in, is testament to just how dangerous close air support at the time was.
Worth every penny.
Worth every penny.
32 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This engaging film is based on a novel by Patrick Rotman. Intimate Enemies (L'Ennemi Intime) is the powerful appealing story of a young soldier's coming-of-age during the French/Algerian War at the end of the 1950's.
The quite young and idealistic professional soldier, Lt. Terrien (Benoit Magimel), volunteers to serve in a war fought mostly by conscripts. He is posted to a remote, and beautiful, mountain territory, taking command over a platoon run by the cynical and much more experienced sergeant Dougnac (Albert Dopontel). Their differences combine with the harsh realities of the battlefield and this drives the two men to breaking point.
The production is absolutely stunning, underscored with beautifully haunting music (also available on CD and recommended). Several spectacular battle sequences highlight the picture but they only serve to make the story more intimate, thus the complexities of characters and their roles during this dark moment in French history can be brought to the fore.
The quite young and idealistic professional soldier, Lt. Terrien (Benoit Magimel), volunteers to serve in a war fought mostly by conscripts. He is posted to a remote, and beautiful, mountain territory, taking command over a platoon run by the cynical and much more experienced sergeant Dougnac (Albert Dopontel). Their differences combine with the harsh realities of the battlefield and this drives the two men to breaking point.
The production is absolutely stunning, underscored with beautifully haunting music (also available on CD and recommended). Several spectacular battle sequences highlight the picture but they only serve to make the story more intimate, thus the complexities of characters and their roles during this dark moment in French history can be brought to the fore.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Portrait of the French War in Algeria
Siri's Intimate Enemies portrays the French war in Algerian countryside (in this respect very different to The Battle Of Algiers (Special Edition) [DVD] [1965]). Read more
Published on 28 May 2010 by AK
A conflicting conflict
I have given the review the above title because initially I just sat there, wanting to review the film, yet filled with conflicting emotions and opinions. Read more
Published on 19 Mar 2010 by Enquirer
A Good DVD
A well made film of a war seldom reported or filmed on.
It is nice to watch a film where the actors speak the actual language of who they portray. Read more
It is nice to watch a film where the actors speak the actual language of who they portray. Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2010 by P. Waller
French Honesty!
I originally saw this film at the Dubai International Film Festival and I wasn't expecting much. I cant remember the last time I saw a film that had come out of France that really... Read more
Published on 16 Jan 2010 by Mr. Lee A. Robertson
Exceptional war film
Covering a conflict most Britons only have a passing knowledge of, this rates for me as one of the best War films I have seen. Read more
Published on 6 Jan 2010 by Ian Thumwood
colonies are suicide
colonies are suicide; it is an unhealthy rellationship.
the outcome; exploitation/rebellion/death/"freedom"/more trouble/grudges/hatred/immigration and compromise of the... Read more
the outcome; exploitation/rebellion/death/"freedom"/more trouble/grudges/hatred/immigration and compromise of the... Read more
Published on 6 Jan 2010 by BORU
A stunning, impressive war film
A true account of the French war in Algeria where an idealistic young man joined the "peace and security order" troop voluntarily with the best intentions but was slowly... Read more
Published on 27 Dec 2009 by W. Chung
Film is in FRENCH
Be aware, despite the fact the cover is written entirely in English, the film is english subtitled ONLY. There is no english language track. Read more
Published on 10 Dec 2009 by Mr. S. Cook
Lost souls in France's last colonial war
Unlike British cinema, which never misses another chance to beat itself up about its Colonial past, French cinema has never really dealt directly with the legacy of its own... Read more
Published on 21 Nov 2009 by Trevor Willsmer
Brutal
This film falls into the category of anti-war or horrors of war. But it stands out in that it is well made and brutal. Read more
Published on 18 Aug 2009 by Gisli Jokull Gislason
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