War films do not get more ‘haunting’ or ‘visceral’ than Ole Bornedal’s The Bombardment.
Four years on from its theatrical release in 2021, the 1hr 47min blockbuster, with the help of its exceptional cast, is available to stream right now on Netflix.
The movie, also known as The Shadow in My Eye, delves deep into the devastating consequences of war-gone-wrong in Denmark during WW2. B
ased on the real-life story around Operation Carthage, which was carried out by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the Danish capital of Copenhagen in 1945, innocent lives are in the balance and the military personnel involved are forced to deal with the consequences.
Dubbed by many as a “cinematic masterpiece”, the plot centres on an RAF mission to bomb Gestapo’s headquarters in the city, but rather horrifyingly a Catholic school was targeted on accident.
Tragically, this claimed the lives of over 120 people of which 86 were children, and the knock-on effects of such an event are portrayed perfectly by a cast that includes Betram Bisgaard, Ester Birch, Ella Josephine Lund Nilsson, and Malena Lucia Lodahl among others.
The official plot synopsis reads: “The fates of several Copenhagen residents collide when a WWII bombing mission accidentally targets a school full of children.”
Don’t just take our word for it, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes has given it a perfect 100% critic score while also scoring high with the audience (90%).
One critic said: “Haunting and visceral, Ole Bornedal’s beautifully shot film stays in your mind well after it’s over,” while another added: “This film forces us to confront the full agony that results from any loss of human life.”
“One of the most amazing visual and narrative events I have seen on screen,” says an audience review, and a second continued: “Absolutely fantastic, heart breaking, intense all wrapped in one”.
The positives don’t end there, with Patriot of the A posting on Rotten Tomatoes: “Gut wrenching, but if you’re willing to leave your comfort zone it is a moving experience. War doesn’t get much nastier.”
Feel free to make your own mind up. The Bombardment is available to watch on Netflix.