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Incendies

Incendies

2010
Drama, War
2h 11m
A mother's last wishes send twins Jeanne and Simon on a journey to Middle East in search of their tangled roots. Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad's acclaimed play, Incendies tells the powerful and moving tale of two young adults' voyage to the core of deep-rooted hatred, never-ending wars and enduring love. (imdb)
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Incendies

2010
Drama, War
2h 11m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 72.37% from 3005 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(3005)
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Rated 17 Jan 2011
9
90th
(2nd viewing) The children never speak highly of their mother, though neither seemed meaningfully connected. Inevitably, the audience assumes the role of messenger, having witnessed both sides/timelines of the story, by bridging the gaps between them and her unmentioned past. They walk away (through our own subjective experiencing of it all) just as scarred as their mother: a woman marked by war, driven by hatred as well as the will to survive. A damn fine film.
Rated 27 Apr 2011
82
67th
If you want a well constructed story this certainly delivers, even if it is a little reliant on coincidences. Despite a runtime over 2 hours it's always moving and as the mystery unfolds we also get some interesting glimpses into the war torn middle east.
Rated 08 Dec 2011
1
6th
I think the film spent so much energy trying to extract emotion from us via brutal depictions of war and a terrifying (if not predictable) twist, it forgot that the best way to get your audience to feel is to invest in characters who are multi-dementional and not just a means to discovering and experiencing brutal depictions of war and a terrifying twist. Add to this a Radiohead soundtrack and bold Godardian intertitles and you get a film very confused about what it wants to be.
Rated 19 Jul 2017
50
24th
Strong movie, but I don't enjoy misery porn that much.
Rated 14 Jul 2021
95
90th
A story at the tension of knowing-not knowing, Incendies is masterful filmmaking about the importance of understanding your history, not looking away from it, even if it's difficult to live with it (and oh boy, is it ever). The twins raised in a privileged world lose their innocence when confronted with atrocities. Loved the framing and structure and even though the letters *seem* useless and the ending *seems* melodramatic or soapy, I feel that it all really just works.
Rated 01 Feb 2012
60
47th
Too tricky for a movie that started so honestly. The more the story advances the more tricks you see, leading to a kind of soap opera conclussion. The beginning seems to be like a shocking "The Bridges of Madison County", but having a much darker secret. Even with that conclussion aspect, it's an interesting movie, more than correctly shot, with good elements but sadly, a "let's get to the conclussion I wanted quickly and easily" in the last part I didn't like specially.
Rated 26 May 2011
82
83rd
Starts slow, and builds to an incredible finale... powerful statements on bonds between family, war and human cruelty, this is the kind of film that can stay with you for a long time
Rated 08 Mar 2014
80
73rd
Fine drama thanks to tense direction and exquisite acting. Villeneuve tells this remarkable tale with respect, a rare quality in contemporary cinema. It could have been great, if it weren't for the imminent deadlock in the last half hour, culminating in a melodramatic ending that follows logics fit for a Futurama-episode. The film stands strong as a whole, but since the story isn't based on any real events, the ending can be a real game-breaker. The letters are no more than glorified MacGuffins.
Rated 27 Apr 2011
41
26th
Too neat for the outrages contained within.
Rated 04 May 2011
50
29th
The first 75 minutes constitute a relatively satisfying film. Then we go down tangent upon tangent and even though it's all connected in the end, the final dramatic revelation had me cringing. You can't fault the craft nor the acting. But the story and the watchability is low quality. For a better experience, also with a protagonist in the present finding out about horrors in the past, check out "Sarah's Key" which is similarly oneiric in structure and much more powerful.
Rated 19 Sep 2011
85
96th
That one scene, you'll know what I mean if you've seen it, is the most perfectly pitched creepiness I've encountered.
Rated 10 Jun 2019
88
96th
I can understand the complaint that some things seem a little contrived. That being said, I still found it extremely powerful and the ending allowed for the story's theme to fully develop. It's a movie that I don't think I'll ever forget, and those just don't come around all that often.
Rated 24 Jun 2021
90
96th
Incredibly harrowing story of a mother's past. A journey to discover more about her reveals more pieces of the puzzle, which become more and more damaging but, never to the extent of being repetitive or less impactful. Intelligent dialogue and screenplay reward the audience for being observant. Relentlessly engaging and soul-crushing. Will leave you exhausted.
Rated 03 May 2011
82
85th
It's not until it's over that you realise how shockingly well thought out and constructed this film is. Despite a slow start, the development into an intriguing mystery is like watching a flower unfold. The ending is very powerful and makes you appreciate how brilliantly written the story is. Villeneuve also does some interesting things with the camera, using abstract sound and light to mirror the characters' emotions. This is genre film-making wrapped up in a mature, arty and modern package.
Rated 29 Apr 2011
4
87th
A gut-wrenching story, adapted a bit too clinically. Performances were excellent all around.
Rated 10 Feb 2016
65
74th
Denis Villeneuve yaratıcı olmaya çalışan bir yönetmen. İzlediğim diğer üç işi bunu gösteriyor ancak bu film "intikam" kısmı hariç tamamen ismini söylemeyeceğim çok ünlü bir Güney Kore filminin aynısı. Söylememe nedenim spoiler olması. Gönül isterdi ki beğenmek ama çalıntılığa dur demek lazım biraz.
Rated 08 Dec 2016
85
95th
powerful execution! villeneuve knows how to kick your nuts after he's punched you in the gut. the only flaw that dragged me down a bit contains major spoilers, so fuck it. just watch it yourself.
Rated 14 Jun 2011
75
54th
A compelling movie that completely unravels with the "reveal." A mother would never burden her children with this information in a million, billion years.
Rated 05 Feb 2012
50
38th
A melodrama at its core, but wrapped in a mystery/investigation kind of plot and with an historically loaded setting. Villeneuve is inexplicably reluctant to reveal Lebanon and its locations and social factions by real name. It's thoroughly unmistakable, anyway.
Rated 02 Mar 2014
72
83rd
wow! despite all the flaws, whatever you say, this is a remarkable movie. i must confess that i barely struggled the first 1 hour, but then denis villeneuve grabs you with great story build-up and starts punching your stomach. after a certain time when the movie ended, when i was sober again, i thought that this could have been an all time masterpiece, if a little bit better and thoroughly executed. amazing screenplay.. ps. instead of oldboy, it reminded me of inarritu-arriga partnership.
Rated 07 Oct 2015
94
97th
This infinite hope children present. How we raise children because they should stop our own killings. We teach them languages so they can talk with each other. We show them kindness and hide our anger! In its core this is a brutally fatalistic movie! It maybe shows a way out - and you want to cry and agree and believe it all - but you're watching one of the most dramatic constructions ever, that shows, what happens if it doesn't work out. Than: There is no hope. There is just pain&anger.
Rated 23 Jun 2011
8
82nd
the worst thing about the film was the extremely irrelevant radiohead soundtracks. i mean really what's radiohead got to do with the horror and violence in middle east.
Rated 29 Aug 2015
36
29th
Underneath the look of a subtextual masterpiece lurks the smell of the soapy piece of shit it actually is.
Rated 19 Aug 2011
55
40th
Plot-wise as tough as it gets but never truly engaging.
Rated 01 Aug 2012
75
75th
there are some terrific aspects in the plot, but most gets lost in the clumsy directing and uneven acting. villeneuve screams when he should whisper.
Rated 30 Jun 2011
85
89th
Speaking strictly in terms of probability, the film's revelations may not be the most believable. But honestly, it's beside the point. The shifting of perspectives are done so fluidly and vividly that it feels like it is mostly devoid of contrivance. This unique film gives us a powerful account of the cycle of cruelty and hatred and how to break it. I love the way the disturbing secret is revealed at the end in that cryptic dialogue. Gave me a jolt. And it took awhile for me to recover.
Rated 22 Mar 2020
90
91st
Incendies has a slow but riveting story where the story of the mother is told through unnerving flashbacks. The way the mystery is told to the audience is great and having to watch her kids find out is devastating.
Rated 04 Mar 2024
99
98th
Devastating but beautiful movie. The ending is polarizing, but I thought this was amazing with or without it.
Rated 03 Feb 2014
69
59th
Slow
Rated 18 Jun 2016
80
94th
Beautiful and shocking - which is the norm for Villeneuve. Not as masterful and as seamless as his later films, but the punch here was as strong as it gets.
Rated 13 Nov 2016
75
57th
A powerful story in the likeness of a Greek tragedy. Its structure is very similar and just like with all Greek tragedies, you can expect a true katharsis at the end. I had to bear with the SJW overtones and considered the pace a bit too slow, but the story stood strong nevertheless. Albeit I guess I read it quite opposite than intended. Rather than "love trumps all" I saw in it "you don't break the rules - they're there for a reason".
Rated 19 Oct 2017
87
90th
Blade Runner 2049 made me think Villeneuve probably wasn't my kind of director, but Incendies sure spins an elegant yarn. Though it stumbled near the finish line for me, the way it followed through helped it deliver an emotional punch, even if it wasn't thrown with proper technique. Excellent performances and visuals that belie the film's scant budget.
Rated 21 Jan 2013
60
59th
A story spawned by a heinous culture of religious ignorance and violence. It recalls a woman's tangled involvement in terrorism and her punishment. Events unfold that could not have been foreseen, and her sins are visited upon her children. In breaking her long silence about what had happened, a shocking truth is revealed. Layer by layer the story unfolds until a twisted truth is revealed. Worth watching but difficult to enjoy.
Rated 18 Apr 2014
81
83rd
Heartbreaking.
Rated 09 Jul 2012
75
63rd
Incredible film which put chills into my heart at times.
Rated 23 Jan 2017
76
60th
Good example of the argument for education vs ignorance. Watching this play out on a 'Who do you think you are?' episode would be brilliant.
Rated 16 Mar 2012
100
98th
What a horrible story-i felt terrible after movie.the subject played with my emotions:)
Rated 05 Mar 2015
86
84th
wonderfully concepted & executed. "Death Always Leaves Tracks."
Rated 02 Jan 2013
80
66th
Shocking, life changing. The core images the movie left me with kept coming back in my head in the weeks that followed. Beautifull plot.
Rated 08 Mar 2012
93
95th
A very well-made film that packs a huge punch. Perfectly cast, the pace of the film suits the plot well, and the editing is terrific. Go into this one knowing nothing. A must see.
Rated 07 May 2014
95
75th
Canadian daughter learns about dead Mother's ordeal in Lebanese civil war.
Rated 22 Dec 2017
86
56th
Must watch
Rated 18 Jan 2013
88
89th
The breathtaking ending of Incendies is more than enough to warrant a watch
Rated 18 Feb 2016
15
81st
Star Rating: ★★★★
Rated 29 Jun 2011
70
71st
The canadians are riding a wave of good films. Incendies is similar to the french Sarah's Key, but never as thrilling and I could see the twist from a mile away... Never the less the acting and execution is still worth your while.
Rated 31 Jan 2015
85
82nd
Horrible movie ! We can see it from miles away, but everything is so well executed, from acting to cinematography and music : i couldn't stop watching.
Rated 11 Jun 2011
91
95th
Son 6 ay icerisinde izledigim en etkileyici film..
Rated 21 Apr 2012
81
88th
An interesting story, if a bit too far-fetched and too predictable. It is however executed wonderfully.
Rated 07 Jan 2013
96
93rd
A story of struggle; nicely written and directed
Rated 20 Sep 2011
80
83rd
Poruszajacy dramat. Dobrze zagrany, dobrze zrealizowany.
Rated 03 Jun 2011
98
95th
Eerily mesmerizing and surprisingly beautiful. These people aren't heroes, but they become our heroes through their strength and resolve.
Rated 18 Jan 2018
85
80th
Harrowing, that bus scene is something else. Villeneuve wasn't afraid to show how terrible things could be but he didn't play it for shocks and he didn't rely on gore. The final plot twist is maybe a little too much in order to get to where it wanted to go, and he could have ended it sooner, but I'm forgiving of it because where it went was (another) gut punch. Expertly shot, draws out a little too much at times, but really an excellent movie once it truly gets going.
Rated 10 Oct 2011
93
98th
lübnan, ic savas, falanjist, anne, öldürülen sevgili,
Rated 29 Nov 2011
72
47th
Found it very procavative from the beginning and the story-telling was actually going very well until the 'shockshockshock' part. I always have this prejudice about the films shot by western directors about the middle east etc., but this movie never falls in that 'orientalist' department. Still worth seeing, but I am not sure whether I would like to see this film again after years.
Rated 04 Mar 2014
88
81st
Can 1+1=1? In this movie it can. Wow. I'm still utterly shocked by the ending of this film. If you would have asked me what I thought of the movie 3/4 of the way in, I would have told you it was boring and confusing. Then that last part of the film slaps you across the face and wakes you up...
Rated 12 May 2016
45
34th
High-grade soap.
Rated 06 Dec 2011
78
77th
"hıııııığ"lamadan +2 puan verdim.
Rated 08 Oct 2011
81
56th
Overall a good effort, with a compelling story and great acting by the female leads. The problem for me with this movie is it's built in a way as though to deliberately confuse the audience, and along with some implausibilities and strange casting choices, it succeeds quite well at that. Oh, and also, Radiohead? What the hell?
Rated 03 Jun 2011
80
57th
This movie featured a lot of powerful scenes, says some interesting things about conflict, and the twist literally made me shudder, but Incendies only works as allegory. The finale throws the whole plot structure into question, and the harder the viewer thinks about what has happened, the more illogical the film becomes.
Rated 30 Oct 2011
25
61st
"The film's high drama, like its dexterous handling of narrative and its expert mixture of static framings and skillful tracking shots, seems like so much empty sensation." - Andrew Schenker
Rated 07 May 2013
80
60th
The Acting, directing, and cinematography are all terrific. For me the film boiled down to a slow moving fictional docudrama. IMO the docudrama like feeling takes away some of the strong emotional investment the viewer is supposed to make. This could be helped in two ways. One would be to add more music. The Gregoire Hetzel piece could have definitely been used more. The second would be to shift some of the focus away from the plot to the characters, or to explore why said events happened.
Rated 09 Feb 2013
96
92nd
Tightly wound, beautifully constructed. "Death Always Leaves Tracks."
Rated 08 May 2016
100
99th
Oh my! Don't watch if you get easily disturbed.
Rated 12 Feb 2013
60
57th
1+1=1 O_o
Rated 10 Feb 2014
69
86th
Wow,packs a punch.Right to your guts.Good performances by the two leading ladies
Rated 16 Sep 2011
75
56th
Although powerfully dramatized and provocatively shot -- the well-composed long shots are particularly lovely and the handheld following shots add energy -- I found the narrative rather unbelievable and the storytelling a bit disjointed. A mother is radicalized by the slaughter of innocents in a sectarian religious conflict in a country that might be Lebanon. She pays the price as does her family. The Greek ironies abound. Certainly worth a look.
Rated 12 May 2011
5
0th
Villeneuve folds the mother's history within the siblings' search, eloquently connecting the past to the present in a way that makes politics and morality matter.
Rated 25 Jun 2011
75
69th
This film is very well made and its ending is amazing. I can't express much because I initially had a hard time following it, but the message is very powerful.
Rated 15 Mar 2014
85
83rd
85.00.
Rated 16 Feb 2016
90
94th
Villeneuve might be the best director of my lifetime.
Rated 13 May 2014
84
83rd
Fails to get the interest it deserves in the beginning and drags needlessly in the end, but everything in between is superb.
Rated 27 Feb 2011
88
93rd
Easily the best Canadian film and 2010 release I've seen.
Rated 23 Oct 2012
83
60th
The plot starts off as harsh and believable but unfortunately it becomes steadily more ludicrous until the quite frankly lazy surprise plot twist at the end. Even so, this movie is undeniably an intense experience and thus merits a highish score in my opinion.
Rated 02 May 2014
74
72nd
A top notch directing, shooting and an incredible storytelling. The last half an hour went badly to melodrama and some scenes were too long. Pacing was extremely slow. One plus one equals one should be the last line in the story.
Rated 24 Sep 2011
80
88th
A movie that keeps you engaged constantly. The movie unfolds itself like peeling layers of an onion. The movie weaves through the story by juxtaposing past and present. Everything falls into place in the end, the ending is shocking and powerful at the same time. An amazing movie.
Rated 25 Nov 2011
90
97th
great soundtracks
Rated 19 Nov 2014
88
86th
Nolacak lan bu orta dogunun hali? Surgun insanlar, iskence gormus insanlar, teroristler ve dahasi... Tum bunlarin arasinda kalmis bir anne cocuklarini ariyor bir yandan da neler cekmis, anlatiyor film. Tokat gibi bir film.
Rated 11 Aug 2016
71
61st
A couple really powerful scenes but I didn't find the film as gripping all the way through as I would have liked.
Rated 03 Feb 2012
95
95th
a very powerful drama with a wonderful, heartbreaking, totally unexpected twist at the end... the multilayered story and use of flashbacks is lovely
Rated 27 Dec 2013
70
69th
I thought the film is proof that personal turmoil can be cleverly used as allegories for something troublingly profound.
Rated 11 Aug 2013
98
99th
M-A-S-T-E-R-P-I-E-C-E
Rated 10 Aug 2011
92
98th
Shocking concept.
Rated 03 Feb 2014
77
69th
simon!
Rated 06 May 2014
2
17th
from what i remember, the moment i checked out was the exact moment thom yorke turned up
Rated 16 May 2014
85
95th
This was a totally brilliant film, I thought. The direction and cinematography were gorgeous. The mystery story is great and I really enjoyed the way it unfolded. There were several shocking and devastating moments. I didn't mind that I, as the audience, was being manipulated and having the secrets kept from me. I just felt engaged and invested in the story. I absolutely recommend it to everyone. Oh, and the use of music by Radiohead was perfect.
Rated 18 Sep 2014
59
58th
Impressive.
Rated 23 Apr 2013
83
67th
I'm so glad I'm not a Marwan
Rated 23 Sep 2017
9
93rd
A petit shame about the ending. Until then twas a most tasteful and piercing war-torn melodrama.
Rated 30 Jan 2012
85
66th
Extremely well-done, but I wouldn't want to watch it again because it has a rather frightening twist that I wouldn't have expected at all.
Rated 10 Mar 2014
90
94th
oh my god! please somebody tell me it wasn't a real story.
Rated 22 Feb 2016
70
41st
Argh! It was doing so well! I absolutely loved it until it turned into an absurd soap opera with the ridiculous ultimate revelation that I guessed at halfway through and immediately wrote off as too stupid to actually happen. I've forced myself not to rate it based on that one plot element, because I was really into it for most of its length, but ugh... ugh ugh ugh. No.
Rated 09 May 2014
40
0th
Aşık olduğum sinemanın eziyete dönüşeceğini düşünemezdim ama bu film yüzünden bu hoş olmayan duyguyu da yaşadım. Sürpriz son için kasım kasım kasılan, kendini ve izleğini kaybeden, sıkıcı filmlerden.
Rated 04 Nov 2011
3
59th
Keeps piling on the misery with such gusto that by the final act I was pretty much a cynic about the whole thing. But it is gripping, don't get me wrong. It's like an action soap-opera.
Rated 21 May 2011
90
92nd
The twist may be a tad "theatrical" but it's the most effective one in the last years. Great performances and hits the whole running time the right emotional notes.
Rated 08 May 2014
99
97th
I gave this movie 99 and not 100 because of the letter idea which is great for story telling but completely illogical action from the mother. What if they don't find their brother/dad or what if they find a wrong person? They would have never known the truth? Their mom could have either tell them the truth or just simply write it down without sending them on a mission. Otherwise perfect though.
Rated 09 May 2017
3
45th
A postmortem investigation piece, filled of course with earth-shattering revelation, which attempts to demonstrate a great cosmic logic at work, mathematic in equation and consequence, and that even in death there is no finality. By the end it is perhaps one or two swerves too far-fetched, too coincidental and contrived to embrace wholeheartedly, but in general the sentiment is tasteful, and it's often uncomfortable to watch such solemn material depicted so straight and serious.
Rated 02 Mar 2011
90
96th
Damn! now this is a good story !!!
Rated 18 Apr 2011
92
99th
carpici #iksv 2011
Rated 19 Feb 2018
65
81st
Too long for a 70.
Rated 31 May 2018
88
82nd
87.50

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