Please don't spend money on this.

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Channel- hopping a few years ago,I caught a snippet of the BBC Film Review show,where this stylish-looking flick was chosen as DVD of the week. Checking on Amazon,I was disappointed to see it be a bit pricey. Looking at Netflix UK a few days ago,I was not only surprised to find it on the site,but also see it was about to be removed,which led to me finally diagnosing the disorder.View on the film:Inspired by discussions with war photographers who talked about the difficult return to normal life and interviews with soldiers coming back from Afghanistan, co-writer/ (with Jean-Stéphane Bron & Robin Campillo) director Alice Winocour and cinematographer Georges Lechaptois detail the moments Vincent's PTSD rises to the surface with panning shots that single an isolated Vincent out in parties/when on guard duty. Dragging Vincent into the thankless job of taking care of an arms dealer family, Winocour takes the flick in a massive change of direction,by turning it into a home invasion Thriller,lined by tracking shots that run down darken corridors which feel like they go for miles, and stylish touch of having the attempts at home invasion take place at the edges of the screen.Kept somewhat in the dark over how deeply involved the family is in the arms trade,Diane Kruger gives an enticing performance as Jessie,who is given a snappy edge by Kruger over the protection of the children and doubts on the level of "safety" Vincent offers. Struggling to hold things together,Matthias Schoenaerts (who only slept 2 hours a day when filming) gives a smashing performance as Vincent,who Schoenaerts (who spent 2 years with Winocour trying to get this made) gives a bone crunching anger to in the action scenes,which Schoenaerts keeps rooted to the psychological damage of Vincent's disorder.

French cinema has come a long way and is close to overtaking Asian cinema as my favourite world cinema. This has all the right ingredients for the type of thriller I personally enjoy the most. Suspense? Plenty. Intense? Sure. Psychologically stimulating? Ehhh. This was an intriguing concoction to mix PTSD psychology with a home invasion flick. It's just a shame the former wasn't explored to its maximum potential. Don't get me wrong, the utilisation of hallucinogenic imagery and delusional paranoia is well executed. In fact, it's what powers the narrative. The story itself is completely forgettable, bland and undeveloped. However, the attention to our protagonist is what truly captivates. Matthias Schoenaerts was the perfect casting choice for Vincent. His brute physicality and cold exterior unleashes plenty of inner torment for the character. You can tell through Schoenaerts' facial expressions that our character is brimming with determination and conflict. A superbly strong performance. Diane Kruger was also good and definitely held her own. The cinematography was incredibly seductive. The usage of slow motion, dark shadows and shades of purple really enhanced the experience. The contemporary sound design also highlighted the scenes of PTSD, which I appreciate. Alice Winocour's direction felt fresh, in particular the "over-the-shoulder" camera shots where we see what Vincent might (or might not...) be seeing. Including such intimacy really draws you into the narrative, especially the dialogue is minimal. It's a piece of visual storytelling, which in turn makes the plot less intricate and ambiguous. Whilst it does not necessarily work constantly, I was entranced by this and really enjoyed it. Some more attention to the story would've made it that much better, but it's worth a watch.

A worthy watch for me mainly because of the attractive lead players. A confused screenplay mostly likely added to the suspense. The lead actor as Vincent is just more vicious than Seagal in the action scenes and for better to look at. I had seen the female lead before, and she is not only a pleasure to look at but a competent actor. I thought about the last scene in which a woman comes in to wrap her arms around Vincent. It convinced me that everything that happened to him before, essentially the movie itself was a fantasy.

This is not your usual "home invasion" film.It's above all an incredible sensory experience.Alice Winocur (who directed 2 years ago the magnificent "Augustine") creates a great combo between drama & paranoid thriller.And don't expect a love story ala Bodyguard. Matthias Schoenaerts is phenomenal as usual.It's quite an intense performance.You're truly seeing things through the eyes of his emotionally damaged character. Diane Kruger is also solid but the movie truly belongs to King Matthias.The ending could have been slightly better but it doesn't take anything away from the quality of the film. The soundtrack is also very catchy : Gaffelstein is a genius ! He creates a very atmospheric environment. A must see !