Brendon Jones
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.
dbdumonteil
"L'Elan " was almost (26th of December) issued in time to reap the Christmas tickets and some parents might have mistaken it for a movie aimed at the children's market ,but it is not so,by a long shot .The writers ,besides,felt compelled to issue a warning at the beginning of their work:they are not responsible for the numerous deaths their audience will see ;if it does not make sense ,you found it all.This is the story of an extra-terrestrial (extra-human,they precise) : where is he from? From outer space? from the center the earth? Nobody knows; the newcomer is a humanoid dressed in a brown coat with a moose head (hence the title) :he looks like a cross between a carnival fancy dress and Jacques Demy's "Peau D'Ane" ("donkey skin").This could have been a marvelously precise spoof on "ET the extra-terrestrial" but the paucity of the ideas and the lack of true humor do not help ; besides, the movie has metaphysical pretensions ;a scientist comments the moose-man's actions ,doings ,very seriously and present us with a fait accompli : people from other worlds do exist ;proof positive :he's got a whole album of those creatures .Some people want to make friends with the newcomer : a whole family would like to welcome him to their home,but they are leaving for a vacation;fortunately, the gas station man needs help .But the nasty chemist (in love with a TV host who comes to the village -to interview the moose-man?) and the lazy hunters are to be reckoned with .There are some unusual static shots which possess a sense of mystery ;but it does not make up for the desultory screenplay and the dull directing;poorly acted.
