Reflection

It would be a bracing, haunting work even if it weren’t so timely.

Writer-director Valentyn Vasyanovych (“Atlantis,” “Black Level”) uses irony, horror and a sober-minded, unspoken acceptance of “this is the way our lives are now” to tell a quiet, harrowing story of one extended family’s experiences of the war.

Reflection is a great war drama for those who like slow cinema. It is also a contemplative experience for those who love a deep and multi-layered cinematic experience. It does not bombard the audience with anti-war propaganda; neither does it drive to a conclusion. It just paints a picture of the war and lets the audience reflect on it.

This is a poignant and poetic film, where the strife just outside the characters’ little bubbles is ever-present and always visible.