Trench warfare is never the most engaging type of combat to watch, but Dvēseļu putenis does its best to work with the hand that historical accuracy tends to deal with this kind of story. Through clever cinematography, the focus is taken entirely off of tactics and warfare and instead given to the uncomfortableness of war. The cold, wet, fear, hunger, and isolation of individual moments are brought to the forefront, creating a bleak portrayal that, in some cases, is as breathtaking as it is harrowingly accurate, all the while accompanied by a gorgeous sweeping soundtrack. However, where the film struggles to find its feet and stay genuine is its more intimate moments, where some amateurish acting and clumsy direction choices fall short of the rest of the production. Additionally, as an important film regarding Latvian history, I was pretty disappointed to see the latter stages of the film almost entirely gloss over the actual revolution, instead rushing through the initial stages before cutting to the outcome with a time skip. There was too much focus on Artur's personal & familial motivations and not his nationalistic ones. Regardless, the one intimate moment the film manages to nail is the most important one - the climax. It's a powerful & poignant ending, and one that I feel will genuinely leave me with a lasting impression.

Based on the book by the same name, Blizzard of Souls, is an insight into Latvia's tragic wartime past.

Set during WWI, Blizzard of Souls, offers an un-glamorous insight into the horror of war. The obsessive militarism and nationalism of the period, fail to mitigate wars reality. That is, the loss of innocent life.

The emotional deadening of the individual, exacted by war, compounds again and again, with each successive personal loss experienced by the main character, Arturs. By the end of the film, war has consumed Arturs life, becoming all defines him and in a sad irony, the lives of young recruits, he leads into battle.

War is hell, war is dehumanising, war is the death of the self. More than that, it does not matter which political ideology you fight for, the outcome is the same.

In terms of treatment this film is big on lavish settings and cinematic flair. There's real immersion here into the world of Artur's. From family settings to battle scenes, this is a visually impressive work. Well crafted sequences arise that have a dream like quality. In this respect, this is a remarkable film.

What is not so remarkable is character development. You never really get to see much more than small emotional portions, of each character. This treatment tends to leave the film feeling unemotional. A vibe that is somewhat at odds, with its inherently humanistic context. Perhaps this is done on purpose, to express further the impersonal nature of war? How it robs people of meaningful emotion bonds and development? If so, its a little overdone and more character development, would really have benefited the emotional impact, of this film.


In summary, visually remarkable, immersive but does not quite live up to the humanistic ambitions, it sets for itself. The emotional impact of films like All Quiet on the Western Front, is not quite achieved. Nonetheless this well rendered film remains yet another, damning statement, on the cruelty and horror, of war.