The Ardennes (2015)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2015
	Director: Robin Pront
	Actors: Jan Bijvoet, Veerle Baetens, Eric Godon
	Country: B
	Genre: Thriller, Drama
	Conditions of visioning: 07.07.2016, Cinema Temple du Bas, NIFFF2016
Synopsis: Dave welcomes his brother Kenneth after this one spent four years in jail for a robbery they both committed. He doesn't know how to tell him he is now in couple with the girlfriend that was his brother's before.
Review: For some reason this forest area of The Ardennes covering the border between France, Belgium and Germany is often depicted as a creepy place inhabited by hillbillies and/or serial killers. It was the case in Fabrice du Welz's Calvaire (The Ordeal) and Alleluia, the French Frontières, or the Flemish Belgian Cub. The Ardennes starts as a urban thriller, rather depressing and in which you know from the beginning that it will not end well for any of the characters, reminding me of Nicholas Winding Refn's Bleeder or Pusher trilogy. Only towards the end does it move its location to the countryside, in particular with a short scene taking place in a rural bar / hunting house disturbingly similar to the one shown on Calvaire. The movie is quite predictable until its ending, but is not without a few disturbing moments of Kenneth trying to adapt to life outside jail, interact with his ex-girlfriend and taking his brother down with him. Yet another movie which is not really advertising summer holidays in the Ardennes, but a good movie for Belgium.
Rating: 6 /10