Partition
Seville/Warner Brothers
Buy now from CalgaryMovies DVD Store!

A romantic tale of two people caught in the events that divided India and Pakistan in 1949. After a man resigns from the British Indian Army to live in a quiet Sikh village in Northern India, he suddenly finds his life turned upside down when he becomes responsible for the life of a 17-year-old girl who is traumatized by the events that separated her from her Muslim family.

unfortunate simplicity. Although my knowledge of the post-World War II separation of Pakistan from India is limited, it is plain to see that there would be tremendous tension between conflicting cultures, religions and ways of life. That said, Partition opts for a more traditional love story. A pretty one, but a romance nonetheless. The result is a film that looks gorgeous but is lost in the confusion of going for the tired when it could have been something much more if it went down a slightly different road.

The forbidden romance angle has been done over and over again and in every possible form. You've got Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet on the one end and Revenge of the Nerds on the other with any number of combinations in between. It's somewhat tired as a central part of a story. But the history in which Partition lies is so full of potential that it's a shame the opportunity is ultimately missed. Even today there's still division amongst the cultures, as well as many other cultures in the world that could have learned from something even a little bit political.

Like other films set in India ranging from the western art house hit Monsoon Wedding to your choice of Bollywood musicals, Partition's greatest strength is its beauty. Sarin brings out the vivid colours so important to the culture. And since the story didn't draw me in too much I frequently found myself admiring the intricate scenery instead.

Video: How's it look?
Perhaps the best thing that can be said about Partition is how it looks. Thankfully the DVD does it justice. Shown in widescreen (1.78:1 aspect ratio) the colourful wardrobes and scenery is vibrant and sharp.

Audio: How's it sound?
If you like generic melodramatic music, Partition has it in blaring 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround. Just kidding – a little. Seriously, this DVD sounds great.

Extras: What additional goodies are included?

• Writer-director Vic Sarin and star Kristin Kreuk provide an audio commentary that is largely dominated by Sarin. He is very easy to listen to as he honestly discusses the filmmaking process for this film rather than simply gossiping away.
• The 45-minute "Making Of" documentary travels the globe to create a mixed bag of clips, on-set shots and filmmaker conversations (including an extensive one that happens with a large volume of Canadian law books sitting in the background).
• Photo gallery.
• Trailer.

Closing Thoughts
Partition is a film that has plenty of ideas in it, some of which are better realized than others. It almost seems as though it's in too many places and once and it opted for the more traditional instead of the one that might have made it a more successful film. That said, this is a beautiful film that is easy to look at. The DVD features are led by a better-than-average audio commentary.


Review brought to you by our friend Ryan @ Movie-Views.com