Territorio Comanche

`Territorio Comanche' is a documental report rather than a novel: Márquez, the cameraman is waiting to film the blowing up of the bridge at Bijelo Polje in the middle of war-strewn Bosnia-Herzegovina. Arturo Pérez-Reverte writes of the horror of war in general, and of the Bosnia genocide in particular. Many of us can remember his face behind his huge glasses and a microphone reporting in from the battle-ground for the news desk on RTVE. And as a documentary, many of the figures in this book – and the film, though several of the names were changed - are real people. The book itself is dedicated to José Luis Márquez, the cameraman.

Later, after the war and back in Spain, RTVE did not like the publication of this book and consequently Pérez-Reverte quit RTVE. All the better for the widely-read Spanish author both in and outside Spain. `La Niña Mimada' of the book is called Laura (Cecilia Dopazo) in the film, but represents the real life Angela Rodicio, one of the best correspondents on RTVE, but this was too much for the bosses at RTVE, and probably for Ms Rodicio herself.

As for the film, it is probably best to go back to the book. The film, at best, is a tasteless forage into a world which Gerardo Herrero and the leading actors Imanol Arias and Carmelo Gómez did not even begin to understand. The book was not written so that all the grizzly bits could be smeared over the screen.

I can remember my journey through the then Yugoslavia, down the Dalmatie and inland to Sarajevo, from Dubrovnik over the mountains to Peç and on to Skolpje, back in 1966. And tears came to my eyes when I saw the holocaust of that filthy war falling on the friendly innocent victims of greed, hatred and lust for power.

Look, the best thing you can do is read the following review by `Marinela'. I thoroughly go along with what she says.

Gritty war drama with great acting and cinematography , set in war-torn Yugoslavia , that reaches its dramatic climax with the siege of Sarajevo , at the height of the fighting . Based on true experiences from Arturo Pérez Reverte and concerning about war conflict , Chetniks against Bosnians , as well as the cruelty and danger of modern photojournalism . It deals with Spanish journalists and TV reporters covering the War in Bosnia , in the besieged Sarajevo , they are mainly the followings : Mikel Uriarte (Imanol Arias alter ego to Reverte) , José (a true cameraman who accompanied Reverte , being well played by Carmelo Gómez) and Laura Riera (Cecilia Dopazo). A successful TV reporter called Laura (Cecilia Dopazo) who works in Channel 4 travels to the surrounded city of Sarajevo to collaborate with other newsmen . As she joins to Mikel (Imanol Arias) , an experimented war journalist and his cameraman José (Carmelo Gómez) , along with the Croatian interpret Jadranka (Mirta Zecevic) , the German photographer Helga (Natasa Lusetic) and the Argentinean reporter Manuel (Gaston Pauls) . Together , they're determined to make their works through the chaotic landscape of the bombed Sarajevo . Laura embarks on a perilous journey to find surprising news for her TV channel , while she runs into over there ; immersing herself into a world she never fathomed .

The film is an adventure that embark a motley trio of young front-line photojournalists and TV reporters , all of them have courage , integrity and determination ; being a nice film for those interested in seeing the insanity of the Easter-Europe war . Realistic and by most part very accurate display of urban warfare but with some brief implausibilities . The story blends action , thought-provoking drama , thrills and some of humor with irony and tongue in cheek . It packs a relentless critical to the war horror and realized in realistic value , including the gruesome slaying by snipers , bombing , killings and the crowed Sarajevo cemetery . Although , at times , it lacks an adequate dramatic developing and it falls short . The details , such as locations , army uniforms and equipment , names, places , scenes and the geographic and historic facts , are pretty much all spot-on true . The film does not glamourise the realities of late Balkan warfare , graphically depicting the atrocities perpetrated by all sides in the wars which engulfed the former Yugoslavia . This ¨Territorio Comanche¨ belongs to the Yugoslavia War sub-genre similarly to ¨Harrison's flowers¨ (2000) by Élie Chouraqui , ¨No Man's Land¨ (2001) by Danis Tanovic and ¨The Hunting Party¨ (2007) by Richard Shepard . Being a Spanish/French/Argentinean co-production here appears various actors from various nationalities . As the movie contains an excellent trio of players : Imanol Arias , Carmelo Gómez , and Cecilia Dopazo . All of them give awesome interpretations , being supported by a magnificent support cast such as Mirta Zecevic , Bruno Todeschini and Gastón Pauls .

It is based on a novel written by Spanish author Arturo Pérez-Reverte and screenplay by the same filmmaker , Gerardo Herrero and the subsequently director Salvador Garcia Ruiz . Reverte is a Spanish journalist and TV reporter, who turned to writer and today the best-selling author in Spain and the best-selling Spanish author in the world . Famous author of "Alatriste" novels as he carried out quite a lot of the work of investigating historical documents relating to 17th Century Madrid . His novels have the common thread of being based on real historical times and that in each case a great deal of investigation goes into the making of his stories , as well as the fact that he has had to learn a great deal on topics ranging from chess-playing to historical first-editions from 16th Century Dutch masters to Informatics and even swordsmanship . His extraordinary imaginative abilities have been able to produce well-written adventure stories , being adapted for cinema the following novels : ¨The Fencing Master¨ , ¨Territorio Comanche¨ , ¨The ninth gate¨ , ¨Cachito¨ , ¨Gitano¨ , ¨Uncovered¨ based on ¨La tabla De Flandes¨ and ¨Carta Esferica .

Colorful and evocative cinematography by Alfredo Mayo , being totally filmed on location in Sarajevo ; Mayo is considered to be one of the best Spanish cameramen , he has photographed known titles as ¨Barrio¨, The method¨, ¨High heels¨, ¨Kika¨ , ¨Mondays in the sun¨ , "The Galíndez File" ¨Kamchatka¨, "The Place That Was Paradise" , among others . Emotive as well as atmospheric musical score by Iván Wyszogrod who has composed a lot of Bosnian attractive songs . The motion picture was professionally written/produced and directed by Gerardo Herrero who gives a perfect and tough portrayal of the war reporters . Gerardo is a famous producer as well as filmmaker . He was President of the Spanish Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (1994-1994) . Great producer of big hits , being especially known for The Secret of your ears (2009), Sin Retorno (2010) , Balada Triste de Trompeta (2010) , Crimenes De Oxford (2008) and El Hijo De La Novia (2001). He also directed some good films such as ¨Corredor Nocturno¨ , ¨Principio Arquímedes¨ , ¨Crimen Galindez¨ , ¨Frontera Sur¨, ¨Territorio Comanche¨ , ¨Desvio a Paraíso¨ , ¨Al Acecho¨ and ¨Heroína¨ . Despite some failure and gaps , I must admit that I enjoyed this movie and recommend it to those who appeal the war reporters drama/thrillers .

Well, some people have really come down hard on this movie, saying it's more of a documentary. So what? Although I haven't seen it since the year it was premiered, I do recall liking it. To me, what matters about a film is if it lives up to what I have come to expect, and this was the case. It's realistic stuff about the lousy war (Well, each and every one of them are lousy after all) that took place in Bosnia during most of the nineties. However, peace has not totally arrived there yet.

8/10.

I saw the average votes for this movie and I could not believe my eyes. People, are you nuts????? Or you just do not know anything about Bosnia and about war in general!? This film is an absolute nonsense, it does not have anything with reality. Moreover, the `Bosnian' actors speak Bosnian language so good that it is obvious they have never heard it. Was it then necessary to force them? Would not it be better let them speak any other word language? If you really want to learn something about war in Bosnia, than try to see Ademir Kenovic's `Perfect circle', Michael Winterbottom's `Welcome to Sarajevo' or Davor Marjanovic's `My Father's Angel' and forget about this rubbish!