Fierce People is the completely correct title for this unusual film. What begins as a quirky coming of age story, runs much deeper and explores the violent, intense and often brutal nature of the human race.
Humans are a fierce and savage tribe and most of us think eons of civilization have softened and gentled our more objectionable primitive responses. On the surface is the glamour and seductiveness of wealth, observed by Finn (Anton Yelchin) a sixteen year old boy whose world has been a strange shadow-life.
With an absentee anthropologist father and a flaky good hearted mother who is addicted to drugs, Finn has developed a worldly wise attitude that has served him well in his life.
In 1980, instead of a summer of anthropological studies with his father working among the Iskanani or “fierce people” tribe in South America, Finn and his mother Liz (Diane Lane) are in the Hamptons.
They are guests of Ogden C. Osbourne (Donald Sutherland) an enormously wealthy man, who is allowing them to stay in one of his estate’s cottages. Finn is thrown into the society of Osbourne and his family, attending the parties and events of the super rich.
Finn sees that there is a difference between his family and these people and decides to view his time there as an anthropological study. He equates much of the behavior of his new acquaintances to what he has observed in the documentaries his father sends from South America, and is drawn into close contact.
For awhile, all seems to be going well, but the masks slip, and the true natures of people come to the surface. In an act of unbelievably senseless brutality, Finn’s life is changed, and he must struggle to overcome his wish for revenge or to sink and become as savage as some members of this “tribe.”
The writing behind this film is simply amazing. One can imagine social scientists, anthropologists and psychologists enthralled by the revelations of humans acting as a tribe or in displays of raw primitive behavior. To the average viewer, it is both disturbing and fascinating.
Fierce People is presented on a single disc, in widescreen format with a playing time of 112 minutes. The Special Features include “Breaking Down the Tribe” featurette which gives background and explanation for some of the choices made in filming, a Director’s Commentary for the film which is also most illuminating, and several deleted scenes. English and Spanish subtitles are available. The film is rated R with good reason for highly disturbing violence, drug use, sexuality and nudity and language.
If the story is well done, then the acting has to be declared excellent….all the characters in this drama are played to perfection by actors who exude reality in their lines.
These characters and the scenes become horrifying or beautiful to watch, with a blend of disgusting or tender moments so much a part of humanity, that one doesn’t know whether to be utterly revolted or reasonably encouraged by what is revealed.
Fierce People is now available at Amazon . It is now available for pre-order at AmazonUK for a Feb. 18th release. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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