Lebanon

A novel concept, portraying war experiences from almost entirely inside a cramped, battered tank, pays off in what should be considered a worthy addition to films about modern warfare. Telling the tale of four Israeli soldiers, a driver, gunman, shell loader and their superior officer, receiving orders only through the radio or brief appearance from their CO and only viewing the outside world through the tank’s turret crosshairs or small, dirty windows, many comparisons have been made to Das Boot (itself shot inside a German submarine, and also appearing on the list). The cast all perform admirably under obviously restrictive conditions, and the camerawork is amazing, each movement of the turret along a jerky linear path, accompanied by the whirr and crunch of the gears, and for such a claustrophobic, poorly illuminated setting it is still always clear what is happening and to whom.

Occasionally the film delves into overly literal imagery, the blood on the hands of the gunman after his failing to fire under order cost a fellow soldier his life, but for the most part this is a well written, finely crafted war picture. Fans of Saving Private Ryan would do well to seek this out.

Choose film 7/10