Operation Leopard

A grim, documentary-like war procedural that grinds through chaos and dread with little relief.

Directed by

Raoul Coutard

Genres

War

Starring

Bruno Cremer, Mimsy Farmer, Jacques Perrin

Overview

In May 1978, the mining town of Kolwezi in Katanga, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo, the former Belgian Congo) is under attack from a group of communist guerillas coming from nearby Angola. The Europeans who work for the Belgian mining company and the Blacks who live in the town are taken as hostages by the invaders, who start a blood bath, shooting Europeans as well as Africans. Many of the Europeans being French, the French decide to organize a counter-attack, and to send a Regiment of Paratroopers from the Foreign Legion. The movie follows the stories of Delbart, a former non-commissioned officer, who was about to go back to France with his African wife and his child, Damrémont, who was Delbart's replacement, Bia, a Zairian doctor, and Annie, an American married to a Belgian engineer as well as Non com Legion officer Federico and the French Ambassador and the Military Attaché.

How it feels

Tense, dark, earnest and bleak. Measured and needs your attention.

About

War, survival, violence, isolation

Content

Strong violence. Mild gore, sexual content and language.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Watch the trailer on YouTube (opens in a new tab)