The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

At 150 minute this French film from the late 1960's sat on my queue as one of those 'should watch' films more than a 'want to watch' or 'easy watch' titles; I know all of us on IMDb would love to be considered great connoisseurs of cinema, but for me at least this was the case and it was only my desire to have something a bit heavier one evening that had me sit and watch it. From the very start the tone is very deliberate, slow and still. There are no great action sequences such as you would expect in a regular war movie (ironically the closest we get produces one of the few weak moments in the film) and instead the resistance is about communication and supporting Allied efforts in small but meaningful ways.Based on reportedly the definitive text on the subject by Joseph Kessel, this film has a very authentic feel to it throughout and I can understand why some feel it is too long and too slow, because it is long and it is slow. However, I didn't feel like this was a problem in the film – which was a nice surprise because I was braced for it to be this way. Instead the slow pace means that tensions are built up and the risks are tangible. It is one thing to say people are risking their lives and another to really appreciate what that means; this film tries to give us that feeling or risk, of real danger – not of dodging bullets (although again, when it does, it is a weaker moment!) but more of just risk of discovery, of betrayal and the near certainty of death as a result.It is not only the tension that this approach supports, because the film also makes it clear the threat to the humanity, and the moral mess of their actions and motivations. Hearing the inner thoughts of the characters at times was a useful device and it fitted with the film since it did generally have a meditative quality to it. The sparse dialogue and in particular the minimal use of any sort of score also aids the feeling of something real and as a result I found it additionally engaging, gripping and moving. This is not to say it is without its faults; once or twice I thought it dragged a bit although ironically my main issue with the film was probably the biggest moment of action, which was in the machine gun alley; not to ruin anything for anyone, but it is highly unlikely as a bit of plotting and it stands out awkwardly in a film that seems to be all about responsible realism.Performances are strong across the board, with a lot being done between the words and a lot of meaning discovered in small gestures. The camera sits back and lets them work and we have lots of steady, patience shots which look good and add to the still tension of the piece. It is perhaps not the easiest film to sell, but it delivers a responsible and engaging drama on the resistance, shunning sentiment, flamboyant heroic sacrifice and big action set pieces but instead showing the small but meaningful actions which came with high risk and severe consequences.

There comes a time when you decide not to run. L'armée des Ombres is perhaps Melville's finest accomplishment. The rain in the opening credits pretty much tells you what you're in for. Torture, murder, futility and the ever-present cloud of endless war, is this the French Resistance in World War II or was it made yesterday? Stylish and sedate, Melville finally took on a subject worthy of his skilled eye above pop heist yarns. He was slammed around during the release because of petty politics, but it holds up like the pyramids today when nobody cares who or what a de Gaul apologist was. This thankless, gritty and thoroughly unglamourus study of an underground militia on the run isn't something you will soon forget.The most common complaint about the film seems to focus on the pacing and length. This is something I simply do not understand. When L'armée des Ombres finishes, you feel as if you have been through a torrent of experiences just as Gerbier. Any speedier editing and the movie would come off as a popular spy film - and it simply is not a fit for that genre. Even the cinematography tells us it's going to be a dim journey. It feels as if every scene is filmed through a neutral density filter and the blue cast doesn't allow any warmth in whatsoever. Though the framing is often static, there are indeed some breathtaking camera moves at the right moments.L'armée des Ombres may not have the cool factor of the Delon pictures, but it's got truth on it's side and a truckload of memorable characters and performances. There is a masterwork here for those looking to see something special. If you want something faster, go watch Ocean's 11 and forget what you saw ten minutes later. L'armée des Ombres will stay with you a long time.

Probably Jean-Pierre Melville's least likely film. Melville, who specialized in gangster films during most of his career, creates a real classic with this take on French Resistance fighters during WWII. Whether outsmarting Nazis (who've taken over most of France) or delivering internal justice on their own, these freedom fighters prove to be 100% committed to the cause. There's no single story line, instead the film shows what it was like to be constantly on the run, sneaking in and out of your own country and just trying to stay alive. Lino Ventura, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Paul Meurisse and Simone Signoret star. They're all excellent, with Ventura giving a really great performance. Signoret is a very resourceful compatriot. Serge Reggiani has a cameo and there's first rate cinematography (mostly shot a night) by Pierre Lhomme. The film's opening is astounding.

This is an episodic drama about French Resistance movement during WWII. While the episodes are not bad in themselves, the lack of narrative buildup makes for an uninvolving and unsatisfying experience. The leisurely pace doesn't help matters. Melville does not seem to be a fan of editing, preferring to dwell on mundane scenes like a person walking from one place to another. This approach extends the film to an ungodly length of nearly two and a half hours. The script is rather amateurish, with situations ranging from simplistic to preposterous, including a scene featuring an escape from a firing squad that is laughably ludicrous.