The Ardennes (2015)

People are voting emotionally.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Kenny does not believe in change. Four years in prison and he is the same as the day he walked in. Kenny expects no one and nothing else will change either. He is in for some rude surprises. To begin with Sylvie, Kenny's girlfriend, is not at the prison gate to greet him. Beneath a highway bridge, a fight in the middle of a car wash, in multi-level concrete housing projects, the flashing lights of a dance club, the misty Ardennes forest and the underworld of Belgium, the new order of things is revealed to a stubborn and disbelieving Kenny. Yet no one, however tender hearted or tough, seems to be able to get the message home to Kenny. He won't take "no" for an answer. Do beliefs bring about reality, or is it the other way around?Brotherly tensions figure prominently in the story. Kenny's brother Dave is introverted, easy-going and attempting to escape the darkness of his ardent and forceful brother's shadow. The film dialogue is intriguing, delightful and balanced. "Every time I see you I think of all the bad decisions I made in my life," Sylvie tells Kenny. She is just as hard on Dave. Tired of waiting for Dave to tell the truth to Kenny, Sylvie takes matters into her own hands. "Someone had to say something," says Sylvie. "What do you know about the truth?" Kenny asks Dave, "you think you're better than me?" "I'm different," answers Dave "it is not possible to talk to you, I tried all my life." "When you're intelligent," a prisoner says, "they take you for dangerous." Isn't that the truth?! I love the diverse, colorful and interesting settings including a tanning booth, underwater, the dance club and especially the car wash fight scene (I wish it was longer). The plot, wonderfully, kept me guessing. The acting is a little shaky at times yet entirely believable.Ending details may sometimes be revealed without ruining the plot. The specifics added often make it more difficult to figure out the ending. Such is the case here. Ostriches are involved. Good luck figuring that one out! The Ardennes is recently available through Netflix (snail mail).

Dave and Kenneth are brothers and are on the wrong side of the law. They attempt a robbery and it all goes to hell in a hand cart, but Dave manages to escape leaving his brother to take the rap – and he does.Move on four years and Kenneth is out and he wants to make up for lost time. He also cant accept that his brother has had the temerity to grow up and start acting like an adult. He also wants back with his ex- girlfriend but she has other ideas and he involvement with both brothers becomes pivotal to how things spiral.Now this is gritty but it is a lot of psychological pain before the actual real pain kicks in. The acting is great and the cinematography very well done and it is in Flemish, but this is in the Antwerp dialect which has upset a few observers as it is a bit on the 'common' side. However it also adds to the realism of the piece – all in all though a very commendable film indeed.

'D'Ardennen' is Robin Pront's first feature film, but I'd have sworn it was made by a very experienced film maker. This is a well-made, exciting, and ambitious movie - a successful accomplishment in every respect.Pront hasn't made it easy for himself. To mention just one thing: the film is spoken entirely in the dialect of the Flemish city Antwerp. That means that even here in Flanders, it is shown with subtitles. Commercially, that's a drawback, but it makes the movie much more authentic.The film is built on a very strong screenplay. Two brothers commit a holdup, but only one of them manages to escape. The other one is caught and convicted, and is released from jail four years later. After the reunion, he slowly pulls his brother down in a spiral of violence and crime. His former girlfriend plays a crucial part in his self-destructive behaviour. The tense relationship between the two brothers is characterized by unspoken reproaches on the one hand and strong family ties on the other. The girl is the reason for the dramatic developments that lead to a bloody climax.Not only is this a very intelligent thriller, it is also a great movie from a cinematographic point of view. Pront and his cinematographer are very good in filming scenes through mirrors or windows, creating surprising and original effects. The crucial reunion between the two brothers is filmed in the rear view mirror of a car, accentuating the emotional distance that has grown between them. When they are having a meal in a restaurant, they are filmed form both sides of the window pane, with raindrops creating a nice visual effect. The locations are very well chosen: Antwerp is shown as an industrial wasteland, and the snowy hills of the Ardennes are filmed as a creepy place with weird inhabitants.The film slowly works its way towards a bloody apotheosis, which was a bit overdone to my taste. The story didn't really need the considerable body count, above all because at the end there is a surprising twist with much dramatic effect. But this is a minor flaw in an otherwise outstanding film.Just like Oscar-nominated Bullhead a few years ago, this is a Flemish film with international appeal. Too bad Belgium has already selected Jaco Van Dormael's last film for the Academy Awards.

I've been a member of IMDb for over 10 years but this is my first review. When I saw this movie didn't have any reviews I felt compelled to write one.I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Being Flemish I probably enjoyed the dialects even more but don't let this stop you to go see this movie. The plot is excellent, there is never a dull moment throughout the movie. The cinematography is top notch, the choice of locations are excellent, a really Flemish setting: the home of the boys, the discotheque, the self- help group, forest, etc. What sets apart this movie were both the performances of the actors and the authentic music throughout the movie. Not only are Kevin Janssens and Veerle Baetens great actors, Jeroen Perceval was great as well, being the writer of this movie. My hat off for the performances of the mother of the brothers and the car-wash owner (Peter Van den Begin) who did an excellent job portraying the character! What I also liked are the little jokes in this movie, it's those things that lift a good movie to the next level of excellence.This movie is yet another sign we should be proud of Flemish movies! Imho: Oscar material!If you haven't seen this, go see it now, you won't be disappointed!