The only confusing thing about The Last Front is its title. Set at the beginning of World War I, this fictional story of invading German troops wreaking havoc in provincial Belgium is just one scene of violence in a conflict that would drag on for four more years. Otherwise, Julien Hayet-Kerknawi’s debut feature is a solid, engaging drama told in a somewhat retro style. Although the director and co-writer has said he wanted to “avoid the traditional black-and-white cliche of good guys versus bad guys” with this film, Hayet-Kerknawi has actually made a film so riddled with those very moral divides that it’s reminiscent of the propaganda-heavy entertainment films the studios churned out during both world wars.
Such narrative dynamics can seem cheesy or heavy-handed. But “The Last Front,” which opens in limited release Friday from Enigma, is deftly handled, drawing considerable power from its familiar confrontation between besieged civilians led by Iain Glen’s reluctant farmer and Joe Anderson as a truly despicable officer in the Kaiser’s army. This English-language production may not be among the most memorable historical war films of recent years, but its straightforward, sometimes brutal plot and confident craftsmanship will more than satisfy viewers seeking something other than straightforward combat spectacle.
Things start ominously when German troops march through Flanders in August 1914 – presumably just days after the declaration of war – en route to what they assume will be an easy conquest of France. A town they pass through is eerily quiet, its residents preferring to greet the invaders by retreating behind locked doors and shutters. But then a single shot rings out, killing a soldier. Never mind that it was fired by a panicked local youth operating alone. Lt. Laurentz (Anderson) takes revenge by searching houses and executing anyone found there by firing squad, including women and children. This doesn’t go down well with his superior (and father), Commander Maximilian (Philippe Brenninkmeyer), who arrives too late to stop the carnage.
A few miles away, the war has not yet reached a neighboring community. There, the greatest concern, at least for two families, is the forbidden romance between Adrien (James Downie) and Louise (Sasha Luss). This liaison is opposed by both fathers – the widowed farmer Leonard Lambert (Glen) and the wealthy Dr. Janssen (Koen De Bouw) – on grounds of deep-rooted class divisions.
But soon everyone has bigger worries, because the Germans are coming to “take what they need” from the family farm. The psychotic thug Laurentz wastes no time and turns an unpleasant confrontation into a deadly act of violence. When news of this unfounded cruelty reaches the next village, the residents are torn between fleeing, hiding and fighting back. A false rumor brands Leonard as the leader of an organized resistance movement – out of necessity, he soon actually takes on this role.
Although it’s occasionally disconcerting that most of the main characters seem quite British – Adrien even blurts out “Oy!” when he’s angry – the actors are competent enough to overlook this, as well as the fairly superficial character drawing. “The Last Front” moves too quickly for such things to be a problem, and only loses some of its momentum when the protagonists, still alive after an hour, flee cross-country in the hope of reaching France before their pursuers reach them. This temporary respite is ratcheted up again with an effective action climax, with nighttime imagery highlighting Xavier Van D’huynslager’s beautiful widescreen cinematography.
From the angelic blond doomed lovers to the bloodthirsty “Dirty Hun” villain, there are many elements here that could easily have slipped into sentimental cliches and exaggerations. But Hayet-Kerknawi borrows ideas from his 2015 short film “A Broken Man” and avoids the potential pitfalls in his and Kate Wood’s tight script. It’s a minor credibility lapse that the sternly disapproving Commander doesn’t pull his renegade son, a lieutenant, out of the fight, given the level of sadistic chaos he wreaks, especially after his father (rightly) calls him a “monster.” Regardless, Anderson creates a vivid nemesis whose ability to inflame the viewer’s emotions recalls the title given to Erich von Stroheim over a century ago when he played similar roles in World War I melodramas: “The Man You Love to Hate.”
Although this is not a large-scale war drama, it has been carefully staged in all areas of design and technique. Frederik Van de Moortel provides a serviceable orchestral score which, like everything else here, has a certain sense of déjà vu, but still conveys the necessary urgency and atmosphere.
