Blessed by Fire (2005)

Simply A Masterpiece

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

I fall between those critics who see this as a near masterpiece, and those who dismiss it as overly familiar and done better before.An intense, fascinating look at the Falklands war, from the Argentinean soldier's POV, it begins with the attempted suicide of an ex-solider, which throws his war-time buddy into remembrances of the hell these men endured.While the war may have seemed a silly little flare up about a bunch of rocks to most of the world, to the Argentinean draftees who lost their lives their limbs and their sanity in a futile, under equipped attempt to hold off a wildly more powerful British force was as real to them as Vietnam or Iraq or the coast of Normandy was to the men who suffered and died there. \Indeed, through this film's eyes it was worse, because it was an absolutely pointless and quickly forgotten war, drummed up by the generals back home as a nationalistic exercise to take the country's mind off its faltering economy, And then, in the ultimate ignominy, the men are sworn to silence about their defeat (and, presumably, abusive treatment by their own officers). Any war where more of the soldiers die of suicide in the years after than on the battlefield itself is indeed worth examining. The film succeeds in capturing the horror, confusion, and fear, although it doesn't quite get under the skins of the characters enough to make us understand on a visceral level. I was never bored, but nowhere near as deeply moved as I wish I had been. Still, I would have rated this higher except for a stumble in the very last seconds of the film, where suddenly a burst of sentimentality and latent nationalism in the form respectively of a pop song, and a last screen graphic made me question if I had been giving the film too much credit for having an enlightened point of view.

When the journalist Esteban Leguizamón (Gastón Pauls) receives a phone call from his acquaintance Marie, he goes to the hospital and finds that his former friend of the Malvinas War Alberto Vargas (Pablo Ribba) tried to commit suicide. Marie, who was married with Vargas, tells Esteban that the veteran Vargas has never recovered from the period he served in Islas Malvinas in 1982 and was extremely depressed in the last days. Esteban realizes that more than two hundred and ninety veterans from the war against the English troops had committed suicide and he recalls the tough period he fought in Malvinas with Vargas and Juan (Cesar Albarracin), reviving the ghost from his past and opening deep wounds he had forgotten.In 1982, the Argentinean Military Government decided to send troops to retrieve the Islas Malvinas from England that occupied the islands in 1833. However the true intention of the military junta was to divert the Argentineans and increase their popularity, raising the sense of nationality with an ancient issue. The Argentinean soldiers were sent without the necessary supplies, suitable clothing, outfits and training, being easily defeated after two months of starvation, cold and fight against the British forces. "Iluminados Por el Fuego" shows the poor conditions of the Argentinean soldiers in Malvinas and the effect of this war in the young soldiers that survived the irresponsibility and cruelty of their leaders that decided to play of war, transforming them in psychologically destroyed men. Tristán Bauer certainly had a limited budget for the battles scenes, and he successfully uses a chaotic sequence to represent how these battles probably might have been. In the end, he gives a great anti-war message and states that the Isla Malvinas belong to the Argentinean people. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Iluminados Pelo Fogo" ("Lightened by Fire")

I just saw 'Iluminados por el fuego' at the 'Filmar en America Latina' film festival in Geneva, which takes places here every year and lasts about three weeks in November. Fist of all, I would like to say that I have read all the 3 comments posted so far and found all the three useful. What I would also like to say is that even here, people who had seen the film I talked to also felt like me that it was very strong and extremely intelligently made because, instead of depicting details of military operations, it really focused on the real drama, the drama of young conscripts who DID NOT want to go to war and were sent to a completely useless slaughter and the tragic aftermath of it. Another strong point of the film is that is also emphasizes the total lack of humanity of a bloody dictatorship, which, non content of having already killed about 30'000 people (I think this is the official number of the 'disappeared', and I heard there might have been more; anyway, anyone who might confirm or correct what I say here is welcome)could not, before leaving power, perform another final act of abominable criminal madness, which, in many respect, reminds of the criminal madness of the Nazis at the end of WW II in Germany,which also sent thousands to a useless death simply because they knew their time was over. This very war, which many people around the world tend to forget nowadays, is the final tragic demonstration of the Nazi-like nature of this military dictatorship, and it is even more disgusting to know that many of those involved in it have benefited from amnesty, instead of being sentenced to death by hanging like their models!!! This, I think, is one of the very reason why films such as 'Iluminados por el fuego' are important.

Iluminados por el fuego shows a reality that has been forgotten for many years in Argentina. A military Government that should be over is trying to continue in power trough an unforgivable sin. The blood of the young conscripts.It's unbelievable that the Argentinian society was blinded of the truth of what happened.Argentina will recover the islands, i have no doubt of it, but only when the people finally understand what happened and why it happenedAs a message to the world, for a war that should never happen, please, see this movie.