HATE (includes trailer)
September 7th 2010 14:10
A riot in Paris has taken place the night before. Raging, angry youths from the housing projects have waged war on the police after the interrogation of a 16 year old boy, Abdul Ichah, left him on death’s door. The credits role in this 1995 French film by Mathieu Kassovitz, we see this documentary like footage of the previous night’s riots. Paris burns and Hate smoulders in the streets. The title, HATE, is the english translation for this film's original French title - LA HAINE.
The next morning three disaffected young men – Vinz, played by Vincent Cassel (Oceans Twelve, Irreversible, Eastern Promises) in his debut role, Hubert (Hubert Kounde) and Said (Said Taghmaoui), all prowl the streets, among the poorer side of Paris, filled with the punk youths who inhabit these housing projects. A day of wasting time leads to Vinz revealing a gun he took off a police officer during last night’s severe circumstances. Vinz swears an oath to his 2 friends, that if Abdul dies, he’s going to avenge him by killing kill a cop.
Right from the start of LA HAINE, you can cut the tension between the police and the youth in the streets, which takes place the day after. These young men, most of them juvenile delinquents, have all done time for their behaviour. This applies to all the males in the film, but it’s these three main characters in particular that the film chooses to represent in the crumbling world which Le Haine depicts. Shot in searing Black & White, La Haine’s inextinguishable fires burn violent and strong, taking a confrontational and tense tone in every frame, with the photography reinforcing it’s immediacy.
La Haine has all the signs of a film makers first film, in the best way possible, shot with flair and intensity. There’s a fuelled, spontaneous energy that drives the film. La Haine takes an exacting socio-political tone. There are almost no female characters in the film and it captures the confusion of these young men who have adopted a mentality and view of the world which they struggle to question, demanding they have something to fight for. The common misconception they all share between them is that if they can release all their rage, the problems around them might dissipate.
The characters of La Haine are studies in dichotomy, they at once thirst for justice, but on their own terms only as they continue to get up to no good and cause trouble in their neighbourhood. They are also products of their environments, but at the same time they actively make choice that they know will lead to ultimate consequences and have a self awareness to their actions. Vinz in particular seems deluded regarding his path in life and is more interested in being a tough homeboy than really making an important statement that could affect the lives of those in the projects.
Along with the social commentary of La Haine, it’s mainly a character study which you become tremendously invested in, these characters are all uniquely interesting in their own ways. Each of these three young men are from different ethnic backgrounds, Vinz is Jewish, Said is Arab and Hubert is African and while the film clearly has some statements to make on the poorer socio-economic parts of Paris, ethnic minorities and crime it wisely avoids the mistakes of defining the main characters by their backgrounds and is impressively effective in capturing a glimpse of these men’s inner worlds and their doubts.
The acting is brilliant by all three of the cast members and it’s clear that this entire production of all cast and crew believed in the film’s message as the fabric of this world has been realistically rendered. La Haine is inspired by several real life events and the tangible realism of the film is a knock out.
Further into the film, La Haine eases up on it’s intensity, becoming looser and meandering just a touch, this may initially seem like a flaw when it’s focus settles down and it indulges in the aimlessness of it’s characters, however, you can still have faith that the film will have a powerful affect by the ending, leaving you in silence.
La Haine is an energetic, militant film. It’s social commentary and authentic reality is immediate but it’s character study of these three youths is deeply complex, requiring more than one sitting to comprehend the subtle variations of what vulnerabilities and troubles lie inside their heads. La Haine is a solid, engaging and fascinating film that really delivers a punch with it's message.
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Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I have a special 10th anniversary DVD edition with lots of excellent extras. T
There is some amazing camera work in this film.
The ending was - and still is - shocking.
This is a tour-de-force of visual narrative.
Solid review, although I was expecting you to be even more gushing ...
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
The Director Mathew Kassovitz went on my must watch list. His next film Crimson Rivers starring Jean Reno and Vincent was also worthy of screening, flawed but enjoyable in a poor mans Se7en way.
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
As for Crimson River - didnt like it as much - saw the whole film but the supernatural addition to the story, in the end, served as a flaw in my eyes.
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
As for Crimson River - didnt like it as much - saw the whole film but the supernatural addition to the story, in the end, served as a flaw in my eyes.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile