Lebanon

Name: Lebanon
Genre: Drama, War
Released: August 6, 2010
Duration: 93 min
Rating: 85

2010

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 28 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 36 Ratings

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6.4

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6.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 36 Ratings

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Lebanon

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Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: August 6, 2010 | R

Summary: June, 1982 - The First Lebanon War. A lone tank and a paratroopers platoon are dispatched to search a hostile town - a simple mission that turns into a nightmare. The four members of a tank crew find themselves in a violent situation that they cannot contain. Motivated by fear and the basic instinct of survival, they desperately try not toJune, 1982 - The First Lebanon War. A lone tank and a paratroopers platoon are dispatched to search a hostile town - a simple mission that turns into a nightmare. The four members of a tank crew find themselves in a violent situation that they cannot contain. Motivated by fear and the basic instinct of survival, they desperately try not to lose themselves in the chaos of war.… Expand

Director: Samuel Maoz

Genre(s): Drama, War

Rating: R

Runtime: 93 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Empire Mark Dinning

With luck The Hurt Locker's recent awards haul should draw audiences to this equally intense and actually more brilliant depiction of war. It marks the arrival of a sensational new talent behind the camera and is a debut that deserves to be seen. Read full review

100

Lisa Schwarzbaum

It took writer-director Samuel ''Shmulik'' Maoz nearly 30 years to make this disturbing, visceral, personal film. Read full review

100

Andrew O'Hehir

A terrifying, absorbing 93 minutes spent in hell. It captures the intensity of warfare in a visceral fashion that recalls Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" and Oliver Stone's "Platoon." Read full review

Stephanie Merry

While the title alone may send people into a tizzy, this actually isn't a movie about which side is right or wrong. Read full review

Kimberley Jones

The scoped camerawork is a shrewd tactic; only occasionally does its flat, proscenium effect make the action feel overly staged. Read full review

Liam Lacey

An emotionally powerful if somewhat divided experience. The grimness, the sweat, the panic are there in Saving Private Ryan-level intensity. At the same time, you never entirely lose the sense that the movie is a formal and calculated cinematic exercise, something of an illustrated argument. Read full review

Scott Tobias

The film's visceral assault extends to the sledgehammer script, an amassment of unsubtle ironies and war-is-hell clichés that often reduce it to an amateurish theatrical stunt. Read full review

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User Reviews

Diezmartinez

Aug 12, 2010

Ganadora del Leon de Oro en Venecia 2009, la opera prima de ficciÃ³n del casi cuarentÃ³n Samuel Maoz, es una intensa y claustrofÃ³bica cinta bÃ©lica cuya acciÃ³n ocurre, casi en toda la hora y media de duraciÃ³n de laGanadora del Leon de Oro en Venecia 2009, la opera prima de ficciÃ³n del casi cuarentÃ³n Samuel Maoz, es una intensa y claustrofÃ³bica cinta bÃ©lica cuya acciÃ³n ocurre, casi en toda la hora y media de duraciÃ³n de la pelÃcula, en el interior de un chirriante, caluroso, asfixiante, tanque de guerra. De hecho, cuando la cÃ¡mara se digna ver hacia el exterior, lo hace precisamente sÃ³lo a travÃ©s de los ojos de los personajes que ven a travÃ©s de la mira del tanque. Lo que ven ellos es lo que vemos nosotros y no es nada agradable: destrucciÃ³n, violencia, caos y muertos. Muchos muertos: cadÃ¡veres, cadÃ¡veres y mÃ¡s cadÃ¡veres.
El interior, filmado por Giora Bejach, no es mÃ¡s alentador: se trata de una interminable sucesiÃ³n de primeros planos en la que no vemos mÃ¡s que rostros deformados por el miedo, el horror, la ira, el desconcierto. El tanque, ademÃ¡s, parece tener vida propia: los sonidos del aparato no cesan, el aceite gotea continuamente, el vapor sale de todos los rincones... A ratos parece que estamos en un filme de horror y no en uno de guerra. Â¿O serÃ¡ que la guerra es el Ãºnico, autÃ©ntico, horror?
La cinta inicia el 6 de junio de 1982, el primer dÃa de la guerra en LÃbano. En el tanque de marras van cuatro soldados con nula experiencia bÃ©lica: el comandante Assi, el conductor Yigal, el disparador Schmulik y el renegado Hertzel. Ninguno de los cuatro sabe bien a bien lo que tienen que hacer, las Ã³rdenes recibidas por el radio son oscuras y las milicias falangistas que, se supone, estÃ¡n del lado suyo, muy pronto queda evidente que no podÃa interesarle menos la suerte de esos atemorizados veinteaÃ±eros que fungen como vÃctimas pero tambiÃ©n -y eso Maoz lo deja muy claro- como victimarios.
Maoz, veterano de esa guerra precisamente, ha realizado un filme bÃ©lico impresionante. En Ã©l no hay heroicidad de ningÃºn tipo porque es claro que nadie puede reclamar el papel de hÃ©roe en el interior de un temible monstruo de hierro como en el que avanzan los cuatro soldados. Pero aunque estuvieran afuera: la guerra es la misma, el horror es igual y la muerte los cubre a todos.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

williet

Oct 1, 2010

Really an outstanding presentation of war and the sudden moment when human skin is seen as either filthy or absolutely clean (I know I'm being obscure, but see the movie). Unfortunately it lasted only one week here in Naples, FL - so grab it when it comes through town - it won't last long,Really an outstanding presentation of war and the sudden moment when human skin is seen as either filthy or absolutely clean (I know I'm being obscure, but see the movie). Unfortunately it lasted only one week here in Naples, FL - so grab it when it comes through town - it won't last long, unlike the conflict it portrays.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

utm

Feb 9, 2011

It's oddly refreshing to see a war story where the combatants are not these seasoned, fearless, war heroes who eat grenades and kill people with throwing knives 4 miles away. This movie will not so gently remind you that war is fought by kids who are often in an army they don't want to beIt's oddly refreshing to see a war story where the combatants are not these seasoned, fearless, war heroes who eat grenades and kill people with throwing knives 4 miles away. This movie will not so gently remind you that war is fought by kids who are often in an army they don't want to be in, following orders they don't understand (or believe in), killing people they don't know, and dying for people who will never come face to face with the enemy. The clumsiness of the movie, and the seeming lack of direction only exemplifies the confusion of men who are not given clear orders, a clear map, or a clear objective. They are lost and confused, just like any of you would be in a situation so obscure and foreign. The director's (or producer's) choice to film this ONLY through the eyes of the men in the tank is brilliant. Watch it! And think about it.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

CitizenCharlie

Jun 8, 2011

Lebanon is claustrophobic; it is the Armyâ

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Nazgulero

Jan 31, 2011

If those four guys in the tank are representative of the typical IDF soldier, Israel must fear for its survival. They look at dead animals and start to cry. If I were one of those paratroopers, I would opt to walk BEHIND the tank, for fear the gunner would accidentally fire a grenade...at meIf those four guys in the tank are representative of the typical IDF soldier, Israel must fear for its survival. They look at dead animals and start to cry. If I were one of those paratroopers, I would opt to walk BEHIND the tank, for fear the gunner would accidentally fire a grenade...at me ! The problem with this move is: it is way too slow. There is too much reflection, it kills the intensity.… Expand

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

DarthCritic

Nov 30, 2010

Comparing this movie to "Full Metal Jacket" or "Platoon" is a travesty. This is a movie about taking 4 sissies and putting them in a tank. I was glad when it ended.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

sliqcore

Aug 8, 2011

Horrible horrible tankers.. As far as a film goes I may not know but I am a Combat Veteran (As a Ranger with 3rd Bn, not in a tank) and I know those guys were horrible as soldiers. The gunner should have been dragged out and shot in the head by his commander after he refused to fire at theHorrible horrible tankers.. As far as a film goes I may not know but I am a Combat Veteran (As a Ranger with 3rd Bn, not in a tank) and I know those guys were horrible as soldiers. The gunner should have been dragged out and shot in the head by his commander after he refused to fire at the first truck which cost the life of his fellow soldier. The entire crew cared only about themselves and nothing else. There was no loyalty, discipline, respect.. Nothing... The gunner looks at nothing but pictures and faces, does not scan the area, does not cover his unit, does nothing to protect the guys on the ground or even attempt to do his job. There is nothing but **** and whining all around and everyone in that tank never should have been in one to begin with. They all deserved to die and I say that because you either do your job and work together to get everyone home as best you can or you fail yourself and everyone around you by caring for nothing but yourself. It has nothing to do with politics or reasoning, just each other and they failed 100% when it came down to that simple fact.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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