LE DERNIER COMBAT
© 2001 Columbia TriStar Home Video

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LE DERNIER COMBAT

Beautifully filmed in black and white by Carlo Varini, LE DERNIER COMBAT (or The Final Combat) takes place in a post-apocalyptic world which is largely arid desert. It is a harsh land, seemingly populated only by males. Most of civilization seems to have been buried by the blowing sands, though a few skyscrapers poke through the dunes and some high spots still contain the remnants of cites. Most of the men we see are still dressed in the tatters of their pre-holocaust clothing, suits and the like and, for reasons we never really learn, no one can speak. These men are ruled over by an apparently evil man, dressed in a captain's uniform, who controls access to a cache of underground water, and a supply of chemicals to assure that it is still safe to drink. However, within one of the skyscrapers is a slender, almost tiny man (Pierre Jolivet, who also co-wrote with Besson) who has adapted his clothing to life in this new world, and is building a small plane.

Running afoul of the Captain and his crew, the man smashes out the windows of his skyscraper hideaway and flies away, finding little but more desert. Finally, as he is about to run our of gas, the man spots a cluster of buildings and makes a crash landing. In the city, a cruel brute of a man (Jean Reno) is trying to find a way into a fortress-like hospital which is the home of the doctor. The brute is none too bright, but he has his clever moments. Luckily, the doctor is far more clever. Meanwhile, the man has claimed a room at a former hotel and outfitted it with a propane burning stove and even a tape player. After an accidental run-in with the brute which the man barely escapes with his life the man pairs up with the doctor, who is keeping a secret that not only fascinates the man, but could mean the salvation of mankind.

Sound effects from the whistling wind to the banging of makeshift weapons abound on the soundtrack, as does a nice jazz score by Eric Serra. The only dialogue ever heard is some totally unintelligible grunts and groans exchanged by the man and the doctor after the doctor puts each of them on a breathing apparatus. Otherwise, the film is without spoken word, an artistic decision on Besson's part which makes watching the film a unique and memorable experience. Jolivet is simply brilliant in his role as the put-upon hero, bringing to mind no less than one of the masters of silent cinema, Charlie Chaplin. Reno is also impressive, delivering character nuances that few performers could accomplish with reams of dialogue. Besson uses his actors' amazing abilities to present a film that offers humor, action and an amazing mix of cynicism and idealized romanticism. I honestly can't think of another film that juggles so much and does it so well.

Since the film is without dialogue, only the visual and audio mediums are utilized to tell the story. Thankfully, the DVD is well up to this challenge. Picture quality is superb, crisply delivering Besson's and his cinematographer's vision of the day after tomorrow, and the audio track is every bit a match for the visuals. Outside of a trailer, there are no extras on the DVD, which is a shame, since a commentary on the film from Besson and Jolivet would be lesson in the art of cinema on a par with most semester long film classes. LE DERNIER COMBAT is a great viewing experience and shouldn't be missed by any real fan of cinema, or of the fantastic film genres. The film is not a title likely to found at your local rental store, but thankfully it is available from AMAZON.COM and can also be rented online from NETFLIX.COM, and I heartily recommend checking it out.