A War

The human impact of the conflict in Afghanistan is powerfully conveyed in Tobias Lindholm's Oscar-nominated A War, which is divided into two sections: the first set on the battlefield, and the second in a courtroom. Claus (Pilou Asbæk) commands a squad serving in the international force fighting the Taliban, while his wife Maria (Tuva Novotny) tries to maintain a normal life for their three young children back in Denmark. When Claus and his men come under attack while on patrol, he calls in an airstrike against what he believes is the source of enemy artillery fire, but civilians die as a result and he's summoned home to stand trial for violating the rules of engagement in a moment of panic. Lindholm does an expert job of depicting the fog of combat that prompted Claus's decision, but proves no less skillful in showing the chasm of misunderstanding between the commander (and men who believe he saved their lives) and the stern, self-righteous prosecutor, who effectively represents all civilians willing to judge split-second choices made in the heat of battle. A War raises fundamental questions about the differences in perspective between the soldiers who are fighting in wars and those who retrospectively scrutinize their actions from the safety of home—providing no easy answers. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include an interview with writer-director Tobias Lindholm (17 min.), a behind-the-scenes featurette (6 min.), an interview with Colonel Arnold Strong (2 min.), L.A. screening reactions (2 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a thought-provoking foreign film.] (F. Swietek)