The first time I tried watching this movie I nearly died laughing because of how bad the dub was then I watched it the second time and realize that the movie wasn't actually that bad in my opinion it would've been better if instead of dubbing it in the worst voice acting I've ever heard and if they had just kept it in the original language it was recorded in and put in subtitles it would've been much more enjoyable
9 Reviews
Trench tired.
fostrhod23 February 2023
PATRIA (AKA No Man's Land) 2014
I spent quite a while looking for the film, No Man's Land on Google and IMDB, this was after watching it on Netflix, and is my usual desire to write a pretentious review. I couldn't find at all, I found Mexican western, and then an Indian movies but not this Dutch film about a Asian (sorry I can't recall his nationality) who has a Dutch father, but lives and works in France., at the start of the Great War.
At what point was it called, the great war and subsequently World War1, surely at the start, it must have been a skirmish, or battle at worst a French German war? Perhaps history buffs out there might know the answer.
Anyway the central figure joins the French in fighting the Hun, like a lot of young men did in the patriotic duty to do their bit and anyway the war would be over by Christmas. It wasn't was it.
The film features all the usual clichés of movies depicting the 1st World War and after Oscar Winners and nominees 1917 and All Quiet On The Western Front, I am now tired of these movies, I know they can't offer little difference due to the circumstances of trench warfare, but we have seen it all before and the afore mentioned movies have done it 100 times better. PS for excitement and a different perspective on trench warfare try Kubrick's Paths Of Glory.
At what point was it called, the great war and subsequently World War1, surely at the start, it must have been a skirmish, or battle at worst a French German war? Perhaps history buffs out there might know the answer.
Anyway the central figure joins the French in fighting the Hun, like a lot of young men did in the patriotic duty to do their bit and anyway the war would be over by Christmas. It wasn't was it.
The film features all the usual clichés of movies depicting the 1st World War and after Oscar Winners and nominees 1917 and All Quiet On The Western Front, I am now tired of these movies, I know they can't offer little difference due to the circumstances of trench warfare, but we have seen it all before and the afore mentioned movies have done it 100 times better. PS for excitement and a different perspective on trench warfare try Kubrick's Paths Of Glory.
Worst ww1 movie i have ever seen
doriansansbury27 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Just watched this movie and it's absolutely terrible. An asian guy pretending to be called Arthur Knaap does nonsensical things in Paris before waking up on a bench in the woods to hear that war was declared and joining the foreign legion.
As i have a great interest in WW1, i try to watch all movies made about it and so far this must be the worst. The acting and the dialogies are terrible and cliché, the set is cheap and not realistic at all, the visual computer effects are just so obvious.
Don't waste your time on this.
As i have a great interest in WW1, i try to watch all movies made about it and so far this must be the worst. The acting and the dialogies are terrible and cliché, the set is cheap and not realistic at all, the visual computer effects are just so obvious.
Don't waste your time on this.
Interesting story but poorly executed
optophobe6 November 2023
The movie centers on a person's experience in WW1, a story that needs to be told and shared. The difficulty is this movie doesn't adequately tell that story. The biggest issue are the studio-produced dubs delivering emotionless and almost monotone lines, like someone reading a newspaper aloud. It may have been substantially better to subtitle the movie and run with the original voices and sounds. Several other important details in the movie also took away from it such as the unrealistic action sequences and many little things such as the perfectly clean hands, helmets and shirts of those that were in action for days in muddy trenches and the sheer lack of getting a sense of a battleground larger that 6-8 people. Unfortunately these and many other issues became distractions and affected the enjoyment of this movie. I really wanted this movie to work but the lack of passion and realism made it difficult to feel emotionally invested in this movie and it became a chore to watch it to the end.
The true story of a Foreign Legion volunteer in ww1
nickcorner11 October 2014
Warning: Spoilers
A hundred years ago the worlds biggest meat grinder had it's sinister debut. A staggering amount of soldiers and civilians lost their lives in WW1. Patria is about the few volunteers in the Foreign Legion that came from neutral Holland. Considering France their second homeland, they were eager to enlist and join what was to be "A great war". In Patria it quickly becomes clear that it actually was a big disaster.
Patria is a refreshingly non-heroic story, taken from letters home, written by the protagonist Arthur Knaap. It adds to the charm that most events in the film truly happened. The emphasis might be on the character and his development from an intellectual, somewhat naive boy, to a hardened soldier, numbed by the loss of his friends, but there is quite a bit of very realistic action as well. Especially the scene where there's hand to hand combat in a German trench grabs you by the throat.
The makers must be History buffs, owing to the eye for detail, both in props as in small things, like the fact that every soldier is as dirty as the ground he fights for. Arthur died in the thirties from the results of gas poisoning. A hint to the rise of Hitler makes for a chilling last scene.
If you (like me) are growing tired of the shiny violin soaked patriotism of most ww1 movies, and you don't mind a film deviating from the beaten track, Patria is most definitely a must see.
Patria is a refreshingly non-heroic story, taken from letters home, written by the protagonist Arthur Knaap. It adds to the charm that most events in the film truly happened. The emphasis might be on the character and his development from an intellectual, somewhat naive boy, to a hardened soldier, numbed by the loss of his friends, but there is quite a bit of very realistic action as well. Especially the scene where there's hand to hand combat in a German trench grabs you by the throat.
The makers must be History buffs, owing to the eye for detail, both in props as in small things, like the fact that every soldier is as dirty as the ground he fights for. Arthur died in the thirties from the results of gas poisoning. A hint to the rise of Hitler makes for a chilling last scene.
If you (like me) are growing tired of the shiny violin soaked patriotism of most ww1 movies, and you don't mind a film deviating from the beaten track, Patria is most definitely a must see.
If you like movies based on real people....
tmack549 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This one was pretty good. It follows Arthur Knaap as he volunteers for the foreign legion and his trials in World War One. You see the war from his eyes and hear the letters that he wrote to his father. You also see war up close, including a gas attack.
SPOILER: Arthur survived the war and died, apparently, in 1933 because they show real photos of him at the end of the movie and they are dated 1933. He died of lingering effects of the gas attack that he was in. Permanent lung damage was all too common from survivors of gas attacks.
The movie is dubbed but I like true stories and this is a good one. God bless you and rest in peace, Arthur Knaap.
SPOILER: Arthur survived the war and died, apparently, in 1933 because they show real photos of him at the end of the movie and they are dated 1933. He died of lingering effects of the gas attack that he was in. Permanent lung damage was all too common from survivors of gas attacks.
The movie is dubbed but I like true stories and this is a good one. God bless you and rest in peace, Arthur Knaap.
Authentic
info-0450013 December 2020
Entertaining movie. Based on letters from a W.O.1 soldier to his father. You get a glimpse of what life was about in the trenches. Film feels very authentic, which strengthens the story.
If you're into war movies or history you should really see this one, it approaches the matter from the other site, which is refreshing.
Much much better than expected.
vandenheuvel8 May 2022
I usually stay away from movies with a rating below 6 but thought I would give this a go. I think the acting is great, directing is great, it is a true story. Yes it's low budget so what. It helps if you speak Dutch. Maybe not a 10 but I give this a 10 because the 5 is way too low.
True story and well made
Haay19711 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Nice true story of a Dutch-Indonesian who joined the French Foreign Legion to fight for France in World War 1. Mostly Dutch spoken with some minor parts in French and in German. Well made for the small budget, giving a decent view of life in the WW1 trenches.
Minor error at the end when the movie suggests Arthur Knaap is dying in 1933 with a radio speech of Hitler in the background. According to Wikipedia he actually died in 1938.
Minor error at the end when the movie suggests Arthur Knaap is dying in 1933 with a radio speech of Hitler in the background. According to Wikipedia he actually died in 1938.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
