• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

TIFF 2014 Review – The Gate (Le temps des aveux) (2014)

September 13, 2014 by admin

The Gate (Le temps des aveux), 2014.

Directed by Régis Wargnier.

Starring Raphaël Personnaz, Olivier Gourmet, and Kompheak Phoeung.

SYNOPSIS:

Two decades after forging an unlikely alliance in Pol Pot’s Cambodia, a French ethnologist and a former Khmer Rouge official meet again after the latter is arrested for crimes against humanity.

A native of France spends his time visiting ancient sites and studying Cambodian culture is taken away from his wife and child and held captive under the suspicion of being a foreign spy; he is isolated from the prisoners and the camp commander takes a particular interest in him often engaging in ideological debates with his prisoner.  Despite rebel hierarchy demanding that the Frenchman be executed, his captor intervenes and eventually has his life spared.  Years later they meet again when the Cambodian soldier is under investigation for war crimes.

The protagonist takes on a Christ-like image in appearance which compliments his selflessness in dealing with the others around him.  Executions are suggested than shown and the French authorities conveniently avoid intervening by wrapping themselves with bureaucratic red tape.  Craftiness is required to ensure that his wife, family friend, and daughter are allowed to accompany him to France; however, not all goes according to plan for the main character.

When it comes to cinematography, the jungle settings are lush and dangerous while the acting performances are believable.  The decision to have the war crime investigation storyline to serve as the bookends unfortunately causes an intriguing concept to become merely a footnote.  What would be it be like to meet the man responsible for holding you captive years later who requires your testimony at his trial? There is a lot of dramatic potential that goes untapped as result.  It could be used as the means to examine the cause of the conflict and psychological after affects for both the victim and perpetrator.

Undoubtedly, The Gate will be compared to The Killing Fields (1984) which explores the same subject matter in a more compelling manner as the human cost of the warfare is dramatically depicted.  The period movie is worth seeing as a cinematic experience but misses the opportunity to bring something new to the discussion about the brutal South East Asia civil war which became embroiled in the Cold War struggle between America and Communism.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★★★/ Movie: ★★★

Trevor Hogg

Filed Under: Uncategorized

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

7 Mad Movie Doctors Who Deserve More Recognition

10 Essential DC Movies

The Rise and Disappointing Disappearance of Director Richard Kelly

Whatever Happened to the Horror Icon?

Lock, Stock and The Essential Guy Ritchie Movies

7 Great Life Affirming Robin Williams Movies

Francis Ford Coppola In And Out Of The Wilderness

13 Great Obscure Horror Movie Gems You Need to See

Takashi Miike: The Modern Godfather of Horror

10 Essential Home Invasion Horror Movies

Top Stories:

Crazy Cult 80s Movies You May Have Missed

Movie Review – Superman (2025)

4K Ultra HD Review – Quatermass 2 (1957)

Movie Review – Sovereign (2025)

“Dexter In Space” – Michael C. Hall talks 20 years of Dexter and where the killer will go next

Movie Review – Abraham’s Boys (2025)

Matilda Lutz is Red Sonja in trailer for long-delayed fantasy reboot

Great Tarantino-esque Movies You Need To See

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

Seven Famous Cursed Movie Productions

The Most Terrifying Movie Psychopaths of the 1990s

Robin of Sherwood: Still the quintessential take on the Robin Hood legend

7 Kick-Ass Female-Led Action Movies

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket