Paths of Hate

Four years ago, Platige Image (link below) teased the world with a brief, but cleverly composed, trailer of an upcoming animated feature. I don't consider myself any degree of an animation fanatic, but this was not a work I could ignore. Though its title is an allusion to the trails left by fighter planes as they streak through their airborne battleground, a quick look at the trailer yields the inevitable conclusion that the film is more of an exploration of the human soul. Charting a course on an endeavor of creating a war-based feature, it's far too easy to stray into the common path of portraying the brutality of its blood-filled battles, but Damian Nenow managed to take a different direction. 

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with captured the possibility for beauty that lies within such brutal acts. I am truly a huge fan of such dramas, even those that border on the realm of documentaries. Now that I think about it, I am actually a huge supporter of the documentary-style productions and the ability of those in the motion picture industry to reenact a true story while adding a touch of their own artistic styling. However, there is something about the power of a feature that chooses to focus on the complexity and demons of the human soul itself. They manage to dive into the human psyche in ways that truly can captivate an audience. They allow us an opportunity to attempt to understand the state of mind of individuals and characters we have never met. They allow us to step inside their mind and walk the metaphorical mile in their shoes. There is no greater puzzle that the human mind, and we jump at the opportunity to understand and possibly relate to that of others, especially the characters to whom we attach some level of mystique. 

This is just one of those cases, and, being an animated feature, I feel it can emphasize and exaggerate emotions and actions in ways most movies couldn't dream. Filming the scene doesn't have to be physically feasible or even economically logical. It doesn't matter if there is no way to get that position for the camera or to make that event occur. It doesn't even matter if the action or emotion would be tough to force even the best actor to duplicate. All it takes is a dedicated artist with a pen (or a graphics tablet) and a vision, and I can't help but admire their work. This self-proclaimed "dynamic tale about [sic] hatred" which draws the audience "into the middle of the fight, of [sic] unknown origins" as an absolutely beautiful exploration of human nature.The movie allows us to feel what such fighter pilots might have felt without having to strap on those goggles and trade shots with silhouettes in the distance. We don't have to feel the pressure of having bullets whistle past our ears, and we get to go home safely after the credits roll.

Well, though almost four years have passed from its originally intended release date (spring 2007), the Polish design studio has finally thrown its name out there again and hit the world with two trailers. The first was a thirty second teaser (link below), but the second was a full-length version (video above). After seeing these previews, I think the wait will prove itself as having been worthwhile, and I can guarantee that I will make every effort to watch it on the big screen, even if that involves a drive to Los Angeles. Though I recommend watching the trailer to make an informed decision, I recommend it to anyone reading, especially anyone who likes war movies, dramas or animation. You may notice this is the first post with an embedded video, and I thought it justified to dedicate such an experiment to "Paths of Hate".

Links:

Platige Image: Website

Paths of Hate: Short Trailer