The Last Battle
1983
Directed by Luc Besson
I was hoping this would be like the Buffy episode "Hush" where the characters are unable to speak, mostly because I wish everything was more like Buffy. Unfortunately, it wasn't anything like that, in substance or quality.
In the post apocalyptic future, men have lost their voices for an unexplained reason and women are scarce. I feel like I shouldn't have to say this, but stop raping and killing them then. Anyway, we are introduced to one of the main character as he is having sex with his blow up doll. He is doing his best to survive, while simultaneously building an airplane for...some reason. Meanwhile, a doctor is "protecting" (enslaving) one of the few women left.
So obviously, the treatment of women in this film is horrific, although no one seems to be upset about it. Since we get absolutely no perspective from the women in this, I have to assume it wasn't done to make any kind of statement. Of course, we don't get much perspective from anyone in this, since there is no dialogue. At times I felt like I was watching a classically silent film, like when the characters were running and the action seemed to be sped up. It was almost silly and I really don't think that is what the filmmakers were going for.
A reviewer from the Chicago Reader said that the lack of dialogue in this movie served as "an effective alibi for a technically proficient filmmaker who really has nothing to say." The perfect summary of this film.
RATING: ***--
Interesting Facts:
Besson was inspired to do this film after seeing an abandoned cinema in Paris.
