In the Land of Blood and Honey is a modern-day Romeo and Juliet story about two people from different backgrounds. Aila (Zana Marjanovic) is a Moslem woman who is taken against her will to serve the Serbian soldiers. And Danijel (Goran Kostic) is a Serbian soldier who is in charge of the camp in which Aila is taken. They were friends before the conflict and their friendship is still viable. As a matter of fact, Danijel feels so deeply for her that he forbids any of his men from touching her.
The Bosnian War of the 1990s, like so many wars before and after, was notorious for its brutality of civilians. The women were rounded up and made to serve the soldiers both as cooks and housemaids as well as sexual objects. They were brutalized daily, to the enjoyment of the soldiers. And the men were taken out and shot.
As the conflict grows more intense, Aila is torn between her friendship with Danijel and her own people. And Danijel also faces the dilemma of his allegiances. His father, who is among the top Serbian military leaders, brings up the subject to his son who vows that his allegiance is to his own cause, thereby setting him against his long-time friend and now romantic interest Aila.
Angelina Jolie Directs
This is the first film directed by actor/activist Angelina Jolie. She is known for her humanitarian causes and this is the best vehicle for her to show her concern for all the civilians who have been brutalized and murdered at the hands of their enemies. She could have just as well chosen a film about the brutalities of the Nazis, but she chose this one. In many ways, the horrors of the Bosnian War are as vicious as those committed by the Nazis.
In the Land of Blood and Honey is a powerful film, depicting not only the horrors of this particular war, but war in general. To say it is emotional is an understatement. Audiences will leave the theater shocked and horrified at the way people treat others.
While many will look at this film as a statement about the Bosnian War, I look at it as a statement about the human race. The atrocities committed in the 1990s are nothing new. These kinds of brutalities have been occurring throughout our history.
I believe Angelina Jolie is making a statement about war in general, rather than one specific war. Even though this is set during the Bosnian War, this is much more than one conflict. This is a movie about humanity. It is a powerful film.
In the Land of Blood and Honey has a running time of 127 minutes. It is in BHS (Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian) with English Subtitles, however if you shy away from subtitled films, don’t worry. This is definitely not a dialogue-driven film. There is minimal dialogue. The visions and feelings on screen are what Jolie was after.
Note: Viewers should know that there are plenty of bloody scenes, murders, rapes, and other atrocities throughout the film.
