DbcultAccessing Vault...
6.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Doomed Battalion remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Should you watch The Doomed Battalion today? If you are into old-school mountain epics and do not mind a movie that takes its sweet time, sure. If you get bored watching guys stare at snowbanks for minutes at a time, you will probably hate it. It is not exactly a high-octane thriller.
The whole thing feels like it was filmed in a freezer. You can practically see the actors shivering, and honestly, I believe it. There is this one shot of a guy looking out over a ridge that lasts forever. I kept waiting for him to blink, but he just stared into the void. It was deeply uncomfortable in a way I kind of liked.
The mountain itself is basically a character, maybe the best one. It is just jagged rock and terrifying drops. When the Italians finally show up, it feels less like a battle and more like a bunch of ants fighting over a crumb on a skyscraper. 🏔️
I could not help but compare the pacing to The Fighting Strain, which I watched last week.
There is this one moment where a soldier tries to light a cigarette, and his hands are shaking so bad he drops the match into the snow. It’s a tiny detail. It’s probably the most human thing in the entire film. They don't make a big deal out of it, either. The camera just moves on.
The dialogue is sparse, which is a mercy. When they do talk, it is usually about how cold it is or how much the coffee tastes like mud. ☕
Sometimes the movie gets stuck in its own head, trying to make the mountain look grander than it is. It loses its grip on the ground level for a bit. You can feel the director reaching for something bigger, but the movie works best when it is just small, shivering men in big coats.
Is it a masterpiece? Probably not. Is it a real piece of work that doesn't care if you're entertained? Definitely. Sometimes that is exactly what I need on a Tuesday night.