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| Set not so long ago in a distant land, Two Brothers is the story of twin tiger cubs--one shy and gentle, the other, bold and fierce--who are born among the temple ruins of an exotic jungle, but are one day separated by fate. |
(2004) Film Review |
| This page was created on June 21, 2004
This page was last updated on
June 25, 2004
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| CREDITS |
| Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud
Scenario by Alain Godard & Jean-Jacques Annaud
Cast (in credits order)
Guy Pearce .... Aidan McRory
Jean-Claude Dreyfus .... Eugène Normandin
Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu .... Mathilde Normandin
Freddie Highmore .... Raoul
Oanh Nguyen .... His Excellency
Moussa Maaskri .... Saladin
Vincent Scarito .... Zerbino
Maï Anh Le .... Naï-Rea
Jaran Phetjareon .... Village chief
Stéphanie Lagarde .... Paulette
Bernard Flavien .... His Excellency's majordome
Nozha Khouadra .... Madame Zerbino
Bô Gaultier de Kermoal .... Circus boy
Annop Varapanya .... Sergent Van Tranh
David Gant .... Auctioneer
Teerawat Mulvilai .... Verlaine
Somjin Chimwong .... Napoleon
Jerry Hoh .... City sergent
Caroline Wildi .... Elegant woman at auction
Juliet Howland .... Confident
Thavirap Tantiwongse .... Photographer
Sakhorn Pring .... Dignitary with goldfish
Delphine Kassem .... Frightened bather
Alan Fairairn .... Assessor
Produced by
Jean-Jacques Annaud .... producer
Xavier Castano .... line producer
Jake Eberts .... producer
Flore Michiels .... associate producer
Original Music by Stephen Warbeck
Non-Original Music by Giuseppe Verdi (song "La vergine degli angeli" from opera "La forza del destino")
Cinematography by Jean-Marie Dreujou
Film Editing by Noëlle Boisson
Rated
For rating reasons, go to FILMRATINGS.COM, and MPAA.ORG.
Parents, please refer to PARENTALGUIDE.ORG |
| TRAILERS AND CLIPS |
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Two Brothers (Score)
Stephen Warbeck
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| SYNOPSIS |
| Set not so long ago in a distant land, Two Brothers is the story of twin tiger cubs--one shy and gentle, the other, bold and fierce--who are born among the temple ruins of an exotic jungle, but are one day separated by fate. The bold brother is sold off to a circus, where homesickness and living in a cage rob him of his spirit. The shy cub becomes the beloved companion for the governor's lonely young son, until
an accident forces the family to give him away to a man who resolves to break his gentle nature and turn him into a fighter for sport. When they are fully grown, the brothers find themselves reunited--but as forced enemies pitted against each other. |
 ANNAUD AND PEARCE: TIGER TAMERS
Feature Article by GREG WRIGHT
Pastor and Tolkien Scholar. |
A of couple weeks ago in Los Angeles, Two Brothers director Jean-Jacques Annaud sat down with the press to answer questions about his new film and about the process of working in Hollywood. In past interviews, Annaud has emphasized that "You must stick to being yourself and, of course, keep on rebelling against those who would like to see you work against your nature." So it was no surprise in L.A. to hear Annaud explain, "They are very seductive. They can charm you. They can be your friends. They can love you, until the day they love you for being a food."
He was talking about tigers, of course, not about Hollywood producers. But the similarities are striking.
It's very common to hear Hollywood talked about in terms of predators and carnivores. "I know a sort of general view," said Annaud a couple of years ago, "that European filmmakers face those demons from Los Angeles." Robert Altman's The Player dramatized the stereotypes. Whether you're Mel Gibson, Terry Gilliam or Michael Moore, "they" are out to get you. Religious, artistic and political persecution reportedly abounds.
Leading up to the US release of Two Brothers, star Guy Pearce expressed his own ambivalence about the issue. The French cut of the film, he had heard, was being altered for American distribution. Shades of Once Upon a Time in America...
But you won't hear any of that talk from Annaud. In Berlin he famously declared, "If there is anything to blame in the film, blame me, but not the people from Los Angeles."
Annaud and Pearce are pleased with the US cut of Two Brothers. Annaud, in fact, is happier with the US cut. He explains, "There is, I think, three minutes difference. Your version here is a bit tighter, more refined. I'm not even going to add in the DVD what I removed. The only part of a scene that I removed is dealing with some French colonial background." From his perspective, the US version is not inferior, but instead benefits from the opportunity "to refine it."
But wait -- does he really mean that Hollywood isn't the vicious monster we've come to expect? Annaud is under no illusions that his experience is the norm. He considers himself "a rather unique" case in Hollywood. "Possibly it's because I don't live here," he offers, or "because I always have final cut. Possibly it has to do with the fact that I am bringing the projects; but I'm listening. I listen to people -- not only to the studio: I listen to my friends, I listen to my wife, I listen to my editor. And why shouldn't I listen to people who invested money?"
Even a house cat, of course -- let alone a tiger -- needs gentle correction. If Annaud has disagreements with the studios, he'll "tell them very nicely, 'no.' You know, it's simple to say no." Annaud is very capable of demonstrating the cursing banshee of Hollywood stereotypes, but offers an alternative: "Just say, 'I don't feel it's appropriate, and I will not do it.' And in a very calm way."
Annaud likes the Hollywood challenge, of course, and I imagine he wouldn't have it any other way. Give him an opportunity to swim with the sharks, and he'd jump right in. "I cannot have the same relationship with a guinea pig as with a tiger," he says. "I can love a guinea pig; I cannot admire a guinea pig."
Guy Pearce might agree. "I used to really struggle with L.A. Now I love it. 'Cause I decided that I had to love it."
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TWO BROTHERS
Review by GREG WRIGHT
Pastor and Tolkien Scholar.
hjpastorgreg@hotmail.com
Greg is a writer and ordained minister of the dramatic arts. He is a contributing editor for Hollywood Jesus, and is author of Tolkien in Perspective: Sifting the Gold from the Glitter. |
Working on a film and watching a film are not the same thing. If they were, more films would be enjoyable to watch. Think about it. Take every boring, infuriating, overdone, overlong, or sloppily made movie you've ever seen, and ask yourself: Did anyone actually have fun making these turkeys? And the answer, of course, is yes. This is not to say that every film is a kick in the pants to make; but by and large, filmmaking is a kick in the pants. If it weren't, people wouldn't do it. It's too much work.
 Take Guy Pearce, for instance. When he signed on to do Two Brothers, and while the film was being shot, he thought that the movie was going to be serious adult entertainment. After all, it's an issue film: the plot centers on Western looting of sacred Cambodian archaeological sites, and also makes enough of a case for animal rights that the World Wildlife Federation is helping promote the film. And the character he plays, Aidan McRory (like so many of the real-life Big Game Hunters on which the character is based), is transformed from a crass opportunist into a defender of animals and their habitat. Serious stuff. But he was surprised to watch the film and discover that it's more of a family film.
And what's the difference between and adult film and a "family" film, anway? Just the MPAA "G" rating? If that were the case, David Lynch's The Straight Story would be a "family film" -- but it's not. And David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia would be inappropriate for family viewing -- but it's not. The issue is not ratings, but audience appeal. An "adult film" is one which is targeted specifically at adults (and which older children may still happen to enjoy, like, say, Schindler's List); and a "family film" is one which is specifically designed to appeal to both children and adults, such as Finding Nemo.
Disregarding the obvious category of "animal-lover's film," there's also another category to throw into the mix, which is the "children's film." This, truly, would be the category into which Two Brothers most closely falls. And I seriously doubt that Guy Pierce ever imagined himself as the major star of a children's film.
 But children really do respond well to Two Brothers, and here's why: it's about loss, growing up, and recovery. Even children who grow up in "functional" families feel, at times, as if they're missing one or more parents. The plight of Sangha and Kumal at being separated from each other (and from their parents) will draw children in; and the story of their growth, their reunion, and their return to the wild -- to their home, and to their family -- is a tale to inspire hope in the hearts of children who have known loss. We might learn from the movie that wild animals may never be truly tamed; but the audience response might also teach us that even the wildest of inner city kids can be tamed by a heartfelt, moving story.
And who couldn't use a good lesson like that? Even McRory, Guy Pearce's famous hunter, comes to ask forgiveness for rashly taking Kumal from his jungle home. Someday we, too, may need to ask forgiveness for writing off the youth of our urban jungles.
Maybe Two Brothers is an adult film after all...
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