TIFF Reviews – Lady Macbeth, An Insignificant Man, The Oath & The Eagle Huntress

Lady Macbeth

A married young woman treated as a possession by her husband embarks on a passionate affair.

As the corset gets pulled tighter and tighter on  Lady Katherine it symbolizes the restrictive life she is lives at the hands of her husband and father-in-law.  But the independent spirit of the young lady cannot be vanquished which leads her to have a tryst with a groom.  The best part of Lady Macbeth is the performance of Florence Pugh who leaves everyone horrified as to what she is going to do next.  The small supporting cast is not at the same level although the sound effects add a great deal to the atmosphere, especially in two scenes that have fatal consequences.

An Insignificant Man

Arvind Kejriwal attempts to overhaul the corrupt political system by establishing his own party.

A new political party arises to challenge the corrupt establishment and to provide a voice for the common people led by Arvind Kejriwal.  Trial and tribulations unfold as the neophyte must contend with television smear campaigns, an assassination, and discontented party members.  Most fascinating part is the core relationship between Kejriwal, and the savvy and much more experienced Yogendra Yadav who serves as his adviser.  It is impressive the amount of behind the scenes access and material filmmakers Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla have been able capture.  An Insignificant Man serves as a reminder that every victory is followed by another battle to be fought.

The Oath

A medical surgeon tries to liberate his daughter from her drug dealer boyfriend.

A prominent surgeon is concerned about the increasing eradicate behaviour of his daughter and becomes convinced that she can only be saved by leaving her boyfriend who happens to be a drug dealer.  A rash action results in the two opposing male forces playing a game of hunter and prey that causes ethical lines to be crossed.  It is established quite early on that there is still a bond between father and daughter which serves as the driving force of The Oath.  Filmmaker and lead actor Baltasar Kormákur does an admirable job of balancing both roles to create a tense and taunt thriller.  Credit has to be given to Gísli Örn Garðarsson for playing an volatile antagonist who is menacing rather than a cliché.

The Eagle Huntress

A 13-year-old Kazakh girl challenges tribal traditions with the help of her father to become the first eagle huntress.

The hunting abilities of eagles are critical in helping to provide food and clothing for the Kazakh.  Determined to follow in the family footsteps, Aisholpan sets about breaking 12 generations of tradition with the blessing of her grandfather and the mentorship of her father.  A daring event occurs when the tween climbs a mountainous escarpment to where a nest containing two eaglets is situated.  The drone photography which offer a bird’s eye view is stunning.  A frozen pair of jeans and the facial reactions of the tribal elders are priceless.  The music is overpowering to the point of melodrama and the precedent of the pursuit gets mentioned so many times that it becomes redundant to the viewer.  The best part is that The Eagle Huntress celebrates the human spirit and is an inspirational documentary.

Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada; he can be found at LinkedIn.