It was released on December 11, 2019, but has been available on VOD since May 6. This is A Hidden Life by Terrence Malick. A film inspired by real events in which the filmmaker depicts the fate of Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian peasant who refuses to pledge allegiance to Hitler during the Second World War. Played by August Diehl, the film, which still lasts 2h54, tells its story.
Terrence Malick's visual beauty is as striking as ever
What strikes first, again and again, is the beauty of Terrence Malick's style. Whether we like his slow and contemplative wandering or not, one thing is certain: he knows perfectly how to compose an image. As with his previous films, A Hidden Life is visually stunning. The filmmaker films the Austrian countryside with great finesse, letting the mountains and nature express themselves. With his weightless camera, he contrasts the beauty, tranquility and serenity of this campaign with the horror of war that spreads throughout Europe. An intelligent and obviously judicious contrast. 
Because this time, Terrence Malick's style serves its purpose. His last three films, considered the urban trilogy (A la Merveille, Knight of Cups and Song to Song), have been much criticized for their obvious lack of depth. Indeed, through this trilogy the filmmaker gets lost in a frivolity that has not been unanimous. The director watches himself film in a pompous way, with his heavy and personal style, without bringing any substance to his story.
Terrence Malick's style used wisely
Here, it's totally different. In the manner of Les Moissons du Ciel and La Ligne Rouge, the story is precisely carried by the technical style. Terrence Malick's staging serves the entire purpose of his story. With his contemplative approach, his sequences out of space and time, his meditative writing, he manages to totally enter the head of his protagonist. It depicts his distress, his desire to return to his land, his love for his family and his aversion to Nazism. It enters the mind of its hero, who also meditates, rebels by non-violence, by reflection, by silence. Rarely, the staging of Terrence Malick has been so necessary, even salutary. 
The result is a profoundly humanist film, which tells the world about this man's uprising against the established order. It highlights his incredible courage, his unfailing self-sacrifice towards his beliefs, his choices and his repugnance towards Nazism. The feature film is sometimes reminiscent of Silence, whether it is Martin Scorsese's version or Masahiro Shinoda's, which told how a man refused to abandon his religion, even in the face of the worst physical and psychological torture. Here, Franz Jägerstätter had the opportunity to get by, he had a way out at his fingertips. The only thing he had to do was give his allegiance to Hitler. But his convictions are unwavering. August Diehl is incredibly truthful and precise in this complicated role. He probably holds, for the moment, the role of his career. Obviously, Terrence Malick obliges, A Hidden Life contains inevitable lengths. With 3 hours of footage, it's hard to dodge all the soft bellies and some lengths inherent to the filmmaker's style. But we strongly advise you not to be discouraged and to immerse yourself in A Hidden Life.
