Feinde - Hostiles

Im Hinblick darauf, wie nachdenklich der Film die Gefühle von allen Figuren behandelt, unterschätzte er die Wichtigkeit der Darstellung der Annäherung von Bale und dem Häuptling, welche in der Geschichte ein Schlüsselelement ist. Dafür ist vielleicht der finale Schnitt verantwortlich, der durch die Verkürzung der Filmlänge das Werk für ein breiteres Publikum attraktiver machen sollte. Aus dem ersten Drittel würde ich die erste Hälfte machen und die Länge auf 150 Minuten festlegen. Feinde - Hostiles sind nämlich so spannend, emotional und psychologisch sowie gedanklich engagiert, dass sie zum (Anti)Western des Jahrzehnts werden konnten, welcher die gegebene fucked-up Zeit der US-amerikanischen Geschichte am zutreffendsten von allen ähnlichen Genre-Filmen beschreibt. Jede Minute ist ein intensives Testament über Verluste, Leid und Trauer. (08.08.2018)

A wonderful story by the sensitive Scott Cooper. Minimalistically served, modestly presented but profound in its message. The moments of silence, thoughtfully spoken dialogue and knowing glances were more engaging for me than the scenes of horror and violence, which also have their place. I can see why this flopped in theaters, in this day and age of superhero Marvel and DC dreck, this old-school style of narrative is out of place with 99% of today's film output. And I understand why Christian Bale wants to make films like this, and I thank him for that and wish him well in his future film career. (11.06.2018)

The premise gave me a feeling that this would be one of the best Hollywood experiences. And it really was. It has exactly everything is should and nothing more, nothing less. Christian Bale and Wes Studi greatly portray the best warriors of their respective sides and as destiny has planned, at the end of their lives they meet again just so one of them can carry the other home. And it is done on the President’s order. Brutal bloody scenes, unbelievably strong emotions, characters you pity, the darkness in their minds you can’t understand and the scenes you won’t forget. Undoubtedly a great experience and the last scene is probably the most beautiful and poetic movie ending I have seen in years. (07.10.2020)

The first cinema experience of the year. Scott Cooper serves up a gritty adventure western with the Apache! Starring a solid Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike and Ben Foster. The film has a slower pace, but a very tense atmosphere, beautiful scenery, lots of disgusting maniacal Apaches who have no problem murdering an entire family and their children (the opening scene is very intense) and a great soundtrack. There are only four action scenes, but they are authentically filmed, with excellent sound design and very tense to the point of being breathless. This dead genre has been slowly reviving and gaining momentum for the last two years and that's only a good thing. 75% (16.01.2018)

Nontraditional western with almost philosophical contemplations about death. Mainly about the death of loved ones. In his role of a mumbling captain, Bale caught the right wave again, his torn soul shining in his eyes. In her supporting role, Rosamund Pike skillfully steals the strongest scenes for herself e.g. with the sleeping children and shooting the corpse. A story wrapped inside an almost ironical pilgrimage towards death also boasts amazing visuals. There could be more of Foster, he makes just a fleeting appearance. I was just doing my job. (20.07.2018)

Fortunately, Scott Cooper understood that Black Mass was a failed test of a new course for his directing career and that the ideal thing to do was to return to what he does best. Hostiles copies the signature of Out of the Furnace, it’s slow, full of violence and raw emotions. Instead of a purely masculine take, this time he incorporates a strong feminine element as well, and he has succeeded to perfection. It dilutes the macho western, giving it a dramatic dimension and a strong emotional arc, for it is the scenes with Rosamund Pike that are often chilling, sometimes at least very compelling and understandable to the viewer. Christian Bale plays a similar role to his present-day brother, a few years older, he doesn’t say much, but does a lot. On the one hand, this is a gritty, absolutely classically conveyed story (the clash of whites and native savages) of a typical western, and at the same time they subliminally play an interesting game of hatred and reconciliation, where the characters are neither clearly good nor clearly bad and it is often just a matter of point of view and understanding. The great cinematography and the unique scenery of Wyoming and Montana add to the wistful atmosphere, supported by Max Richter's soaring violin. A Western without unnecessary experiments, solid in the basics, a successful return to the roots. (15.04.2018)

Apocalypse Now of the American West. A completely different western, and gorgeous. A structure based on Coppola's legend that takes you through a thematic landscape in search of epiphany and awareness, with great performances, a tender yet unsettling minimalist soundtrack and unprecedented spiritual depth, and an ending that will make you want to cry together with the protagonists. The filmmaking is deliberately austere, but Cooper scores again with a sensitive narrative that, while slow, can hardly be faulted in terms of the key emphasis on the interactions between the characters and the overall critical portrayal of America's ugly phase at the time. Perhaps there could have been fewer of those puzzling scenes by the fire and the development of the relationship between the captain and the chief is too fast, but this has no effect on the overall emotional and mental catharsis. How the hell didn't this have any Oscar nominations?!! (02.10.2018)

Feinde ist eine grausame Western-Show über die Suche nach gegenseitigem Respekt zwischen zwei Kämpfern auf einer politisch aufgeladenen Reise (ähnlich wie Der Soldat James Ryan). Überraschenderweise kann man in diesem Film viele Parallelen zu einem anderen modernen Western, Todeszug nach Yuma, entdecken, sei es wegen der Storyline, der ähnlichen Atmosphäre oder der Besetzung von Christian Bale und Ben Foster. Ansonsten geht Feinde jedoch seinen eigenen langsamen Weg und lässt den Zuschauer keineswegs kalt. Scott Cooper führt ausgezeichnet Regie. Die Szene, in der Metz (Rory Cochrane) vor dem Zelt des Häuptlings kniet, könnte in einem anderen Kontext als unglaubliches Klischee wirken, aber mit den großartigen Schauspielern und Coopers Regieführung war sie für mich der Höhepunkt des Films. (08.07.2018)

Ein reinrassiger raubeiniger Western mit einer fesselnden und fantastisch geschriebenen Handlung, einer großartigen Regie und brillanten Schauspielern - die Gerüchte über Christian Bale's Lebensleistung waren nicht gelogen, auch wenn es fraglich ist, ob es seine beste Leistung ist (aber definitiv unter den Top 3). Es ist jedoch unglaublich Bale dabei zuzusehen, wie er mit seinen Augen, seinen Augenbrauen, den Falten auf seiner Stirn und seinem Schnurrbart spielt. Der beste Auftritt gehört zweifellos Rosamund Pike. Ihre tragische Figur vereint weibliche Zerbrechlichkeit und Stärke sowie Entschlossenheit, Bale's Held ist ebenso ein tragischer Krieger, dem im gnadenlosen Umfeld nach und nach seine Freunde-Kameraden ausgehen. Der Film ist erfüllt von starken und ernsthaften Themen, von der Debatte über Gewalt, menschlicher Natur und Moral bis hin zur Last des Gewissens und den Unterschieden zwischen Mord im Namen des Befehls und generellem Mord. Majestätische Atmosphäre, Emotionen, brillant geschriebene Charaktere, perfekte Arbeit mit Motiven, die letzten vier Minuten möglicherweise etwas zu süß, aber eigentlich logisch. Es gibt keine Indianer wie diese Indianer. Ein großer Knaller. (02.07.2018)

Christian Bale is a sure bet for me, which was confirmed to me yet again. I had trouble sympathizing with the rancher family from the opening scene. If a bunch of people settled on my land and declared it their property, I wouldn't be open to discussion either, but Bale's racist Captain Blocker was excellent. The whole trip to Montana would have been mind-numbingly boring, but fortunately for the viewer and, unfortunately for those involved, it was disrupted by occasional violent events. The atmosphere was properly dismal, and the guardians of world democracy once again showed themselves in their true light, so I was almost completely satisfied. The only thing that spoiled my overall impression a little was the ending. (13.09.2018)

While this damn honest and extremely well-scripted Scott Cooper masterpiece has very modest production design, it is spectacular in the truest sense of the word. Christian Bale is perhaps the greatest actor of his generation, and he delivers an utterly crushing yet endearing performance here. The fact that much of the story is largely shaped by the post-traumatic stress of the character played by Rosamund Pike is used to absolutely bravura effect, and even though Rosamund Pike barely speaks here, most of her scenes are powerful as hell, thanks to a terrific and extremely sensitive script. It's incredible how much Scott Cooper manages to "cover" in those 134 minutes of screenwriting, but not a single second here feels superfluous. It's the kind of small big film that can't, by definition, succeed in the mainstream, but which is a huge treat for the properly attuned viewer. [90%] (09.02.2022)