The Cave (2019)
Runtime: 107 minutes
Synopsis: Amidst air strikes and bombings, a group of female doctors in Ghouta, Syria struggle with systemic sexism while trying to care for the injured using limited resources.
Verdict: I did it. For the first time in my life, I managed to catch every Oscar-nominated documentary before the ceremony. And I think it's safe to say that I kept the most disappointing one for last.
"The Cave" is the second documentary to be nominated for an Oscar this year that focuses on the ongoing Syrian Civil War, with "For Sama" being the other. And while it's no secret that I absolutely adored the latter for its intimate and personal approach to the tragedies happening on a daily basis there, I sadly cannot say the same about "The Cave", which throws its focus on a group of female doctors trying to do their job in a country torn by both war and sexism. The reason I couldn't get into it at all was because most of it didn't feel genuine, and even at times appeared to be manipulative. The focus never truly felt aimed at the ramifications of the terrible war or the struggles faced by these brave doctors, but rather on what the filmmaker wanted us to see or hear. It felt much more scripted than genuine, and boy did the lines fed feel cheesy and out of place in a lot of moments. I felt like I was watching a bad, fictional war film instead of a documentary, and as a result couldn't emotionally connect to any of it whatsoever, which is a shame considering the topic at hand.
Comparing "The Cave" to "For Sama" feels a little unfair, but necessary to highlight my lack of investment in the former. Unlike the other, it felt made for mainstream audiences rather than the people who are genuinely interested to know what's happening there. So if you're hoping to get an intimate and real look at the Syrian conflict that caused the death and exile of millions of innocent people, check out "For Sama". But if you want to know about the existence of unsung heroes fighting to save as many lives as possible, then I'd still recommend watching both documentaries.
"The Cave" is the second documentary to be nominated for an Oscar this year that focuses on the ongoing Syrian Civil War, with "For Sama" being the other. And while it's no secret that I absolutely adored the latter for its intimate and personal approach to the tragedies happening on a daily basis there, I sadly cannot say the same about "The Cave", which throws its focus on a group of female doctors trying to do their job in a country torn by both war and sexism. The reason I couldn't get into it at all was because most of it didn't feel genuine, and even at times appeared to be manipulative. The focus never truly felt aimed at the ramifications of the terrible war or the struggles faced by these brave doctors, but rather on what the filmmaker wanted us to see or hear. It felt much more scripted than genuine, and boy did the lines fed feel cheesy and out of place in a lot of moments. I felt like I was watching a bad, fictional war film instead of a documentary, and as a result couldn't emotionally connect to any of it whatsoever, which is a shame considering the topic at hand.
Comparing "The Cave" to "For Sama" feels a little unfair, but necessary to highlight my lack of investment in the former. Unlike the other, it felt made for mainstream audiences rather than the people who are genuinely interested to know what's happening there. So if you're hoping to get an intimate and real look at the Syrian conflict that caused the death and exile of millions of innocent people, check out "For Sama". But if you want to know about the existence of unsung heroes fighting to save as many lives as possible, then I'd still recommend watching both documentaries.
FINAL GRADE: 4/10
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