Nonureva Really Surprised!

ChicDragon It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Kodie Bird True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

TheLittleSongbird The second film in Amos Gitai's "Border Trilogy" (after 2004's 'Promised Land', which even with the involvement of early-career Rosamund Pike didn't do much for me either), 'Free Zone' is a film with noble intentions and takes on a brave subject but could have dealt with it with more tact, subtlety and illumination than it did. 'Free Zone's' best asset is the acting. Natalie Portman disappears into her role and gives an emphatic performance that has its fair share of poignant moments. Same goes with a terrific Hana Laslo, as the film's most interesting and least hollow-in-development character, and Hiam Abbass brings dignity to the proceedings. The scenery is atmospheric and evocative, often looking quite beautiful and some of the lensing is impressive. There are a few sporadically moving parts, but this is largely down to the quality of the acting and how good a job the actors do with what they're given. Another attraction is the soundtrack. Not only is it very well-composed and full of atmosphere and sheer beauty, it really adds and even enhances the mood, giving an emotional wallop. Contrary to some calling the interaction robotic, to me it came over quite naturally.However, a lot doesn't work. The allegorical/metaphorical elements are too confused and slight, the symbolism is really over-bearing too often and 'Free Zone' doesn't work as an emotional drama due to flimsily developed characters and a very preachy tone. The story is not easy to follow, which is usually not an issue for me, and feels very incomplete and inconclusive. With the establishment of 'Free Zone's' theme done to death in the first ten minutes, to be reminded of it constantly throughout made the film feel repetitive.Pacing is a real issue here too, often being far too long-winded and drawn out. Unlike 'Promised Land' which started off promisingly, the opening scene in 'Free Zone' goes on for an eternity and already gives off a sense of heavy-handedness, making one conflicted as to whether to stick with the film. On top of the lethargic and ham-fisted direction from Gitai and the very clunky, underwritten and over-emphatic script, 'Free Zone' is visual chaos, the over-reliance on long shots and shoddy editing looking amateurish and self-indulgent. Nothing is illuminating or emotional impactful here, one is instead feeling restless, talked down to and confused to care for the characters and their less than compelling plight.To conclude, not awful and has some good elements but there's no real incentive to rush to see 'Free Zone' unless a Natalie Portman or Amos Gitai completest. 5/10 Bethany Cox

A_Different_Drummer The hallmark of a true star is the ability to shine no matter what the setting. From her work as a young actress in Star Wars and The Professional, to the more mature work in Black Swan (wow) and Mr. Magorium, Portman has never allowed herself to get lost in a movie, and this one is no exception. Other reviewers have questioned the screenplay, the direction, the value of the allegory, and even the use of dialects. Don't care. I stumbled on this film by accident on Pay-Cable, and allowed Portman to take me a scenic tour of the Middle East. She was a great guide, using her own charisma to compensate for any failings in the film -- and, to be frank, there were few such failings over all. The writers had a simple story to tell and they told it. I also liked the sound track, a very effective use of music to counterpoint key scenes. Without Portman, a good film. With her, it is something better.

ZeryabFilms When I saw the beginning of the film begins with more than 10 minutes of Natalie crying in a passenger seat, while nothing is happening, I knew this film will be a very boring film, but I kept watching it, and I made a mistake! The film is a 15 minutes film dragged into 90 minute film, when most of the time nothing is happening, it is not that the film is slow, just things don't move, beside the car they are driving. The director did a very good job of annoying me, he just made a joke of the middle east conflict with a shallow, meaning less story. I am a big fan of art movies, and I am not a Hollywood movie fan, but this Free Zone is not an art movie, and even it is not a Hollywood movie. What I don't understand is how can this film win any awards and even be nominated, especially in Cannes Film Festival. Was the actors so bad in that year that Hana Laszlo won the best Best Actress in Cannes Film Festival? For half of the film she was driving with no expressions or dialog, and even when she spoke she was not convincing. All the actors beside Makram Khoury and Natalie Portman (she was not brilliant) were really bad! But I would say the worst of them all is the director, I did not see any other film he did, but if all his films are like this one, then he should start doing something else!Sorry if my English is not perfect!

leplatypus This movie was terribly long & dull for me.2 things have really bothered me: · the directing of Gitai: either he shoots big & long close-ups, either he does long wide empty frames (the road, a flag….). For me, it was not a "Free Zone" because I saw only what he wanted me to see. I couldn't make any feelings of Jordania because we don't see it.. The worst: when he mixes two shoots on the same frame (a talk between Natalie and her boyfriend & the eternal windows car…) With that, you see none of them… · the story of Gitai: again, he doesn't write a story that anyone can relate but imposes its own feeling. When you see that the film begins with 8 minutes of Natalie crying in a passenger seat & that the female driver has no words for her, you know that the characterization is stupid…. Any human feeling, either Jewish, Arab, American, french or whatever you like, would have been simple: "Why do you cry? Be strong. You are not alone.. I am with you.. Can I help….". Personally, I couldn't get into those crazy characters and the following road trip wouldn't deny it..In conclusion, when a director tells me "it is my vision or nothing", well, I am free & I choose "nothing".