No Man's Land

No Man's Land is a fusion of three genres - a spy thriller, a romance set in exotic landscapes of the Middle East, and a war drama. A naive young man from secular Europe travels to Syria to search for his sister after not believing the news of her death. He becomes involved in a brutal conflict between the supporters of the Islamic State and Kurdish militias, with other significant players entering the scene. Against the backdrop of a civil war and the clash of ideologies, a personal conflict unfolds for several characters on both sides of the barricade, dealing with the conflict between love and friendship on one hand and ideals and duties on the other, often facing painful moral compromises. The script leads its protagonists through complicated and unpredictable paths, which I consider to be a strong aspect of the film. However, the cast also scores points with plenty of unfamiliar faces, especially Mélanie Thierry, who I need to keep an eye on. The contemporary world of TV series and films rides the wave of poster-manifesting feminism, which is opportunistic and unreliable, often even ridiculous. And yet I believe in this girl's strength and moral fortitude. The characters, including those who only get little space, are portrayed convincingly and without superficiality. Those for whom the series may not resonate are popcorn movie fans. No Man's Land doesn't cater to them. It is not a simplified film and it requires certain knowledge of the realities and your concentration. My overall impression is 90%, and I am looking forward to the second season, which the ending of the first directly encourages. (31/12/2020)