2016 ( Spain | USA ) ( Drama, History )
DIRECTOR: Terry George
STARRING: Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, Christian Bale
The Promise is a large-scale historical drama about the Armenian Genocide when more than a million Armenians in Turkey were wiped out during the First World War in an atrocity that Turkey refuses to officially acknowledge to this day. Set in the early years of World War I, it stars Oscar Isaac as Mikael, a humble but smart Armenian apothecary who yearns to become a doctor. He marries a nice village girl whose dowry enables him to study medicine in distant Istanbul, but there he falls in love with a sexy ballet teacher, Ana (Charlotte Le Bon), who in turn is being courted by Chris, a hot-headed American photo-journalist (Christian Bale). As Mikael and Ana get closer, war breaks out and the three find themselves in the middle of a terrifying situation.
The Promise is handsome, accessible and illuminating. it’s a solid and sobering reminder of the atrocities of war, bolstered by strong performances from Isaac and Bale, two of the best actors of their generation.
(2hr 13min)