Nocturama

French filmmaker Bertrand Bonello infuses a terrorist thriller with social commentary in Nocturama, which follows a group of millennials who stage an attack on the symbols of global capitalism in Paris. The first half of the film is a crisply executed caper following an elaborate, exacting terrorist action undertaken by young adults who seem to have no political ideology beyond a desire to tear it all down with a symbolic (yet destructive and splashy) assault on the pillars of modern life. The second half, set in the confines of a high-end department store where they hide out for the night to wait out the police dragnets and public panic, is more dreamy and unreal. Under the influence of pumping adrenaline, anxiety overdrive, and nervous energy with no outlet, these consumer culture rebels become seduced by the fashions and high-end furniture and electronics surrounding them. Viewers don’t learn much about this rainbow coalition—a mix of affluent and working-class individuals from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds—beyond their shared disillusionment with the status quo. As the authorities close in, the political rhetoric gives way to the reality of a bunch of young people who are not exactly sure just what they stand for or why, but are just determined to do something. The social satire here can be challenging and may alienate some viewers, but overall Nocturama is a thoughtful and beautifully made film that packs a dramatic punch. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)