No Man's Land

The traditional Balkan school can be found in the style of Danis Tanović. The art of a tragicomic situation that balances on the edge of concrete and metaphor, to display a bleak whole, is typical especially for Emir Kusturica, but Tanović seconds him more than proficiently. At first, the humorous paradox of three men who find themselves in caught between the battle lines of Serbs and Bosnians grows into absurd dimensions of personal and super-personal tragedy, which the "Western" world, immersed in its quasi-messianic role, is unable to comprehend, let alone resolve. No Man's Land can be perceived as a brilliantly filmed intimate drama, but it is far better to see it as a statement of the illogicality of one conflict and the inability of Western civilization to be empathetic. The dismal ending is on par with the strongest moments of Kusturica’s filmography, and it is precisely this fact that makes me give it full marks even after the rather dull introduction. One should not only see No Man's Land, but one should also try to empathize with what one who understands more than the reporters of the mass media tells us without unnecessary nationalist passions. (06/11/2005)

I wondered what kind of film could have walked away with Amélie's Oscar. Now I know, and I have to say I haven't seen a film with such a well-written story in a long time. A brilliant black-humour look at the war in Bosnia, the media and the embarrassing role of UNPROFOR. A truly brilliant plot and performances and I bow to director Tanovic for his first feature. I watched it at the SFS and I hope it gets a wider distribution so more people will see it. (31/07/2002)

In every aspect, an extraordinary film, with a well-developed, fully functional script, meticulous direction, casting, and outstanding performances. Along with Peter Kosminsky's Warriors, it is the most impressive and valuable depiction of the Bosnian conflict. The absurdity of war is portrayed through the tragicomic and utterly pointless confrontation of two enemy soldiers between the front lines next to an armed mine, on which lies the body of a third, severely injured man. Despite the light, satirical tone, there is no happy ending... Overall impression 95%. (22/11/2007)

At first glance, it's quite a simple film that tries to show how insane war actually is, how senseless it is, and what it can awaken in people if they don't have a strong enough will or simply if they find themselves in an unpredictable situation. And it doesn't just apply to soldiers, it applies to civilians and reporters as well. (07/04/2016)