Avis des critiques

Rather than make a grandiose statement about how he would personally remedy these issues, [Diaz] presents us with a dilemma and allows us to let it wade in our minds, constantly changing how we, as an audience, would progress. That in itself is what makes "The Halt" a unique and essential experience.

“The Halt” is a dark vision of the future whose consistency has to be noted, while it also suffers from a repetitious nature and redundancy. Supported by a strong cast and interesting links to our reality, this again is Lav Diaz’ version of a story (or rather a possible future) for people unable to learn the lessons of history.

Over its course, the emotion of The Halt is never less than bracing, but most of the film’s strands and anecdotes nevertheless are not as compelling as some of the stories contained in Diaz’s other recent films. Yet it is impossible to look away from such a direct missive of despair and yearning from inside one of today’s most appalling regimes. It is vital that such movies can be made and seen.

A claustrophobic and exceptionally bleak lament over the Philippines’ current political reality... Most powerful of all is the ambience that Diaz conjures and maintains throughout. And this is also what gives purpose to "The Halt’s" extreme length.

"The Halt" never veers into shiny, ultramodern CGI-driven territory. Instead, Diaz’s latest outing recalls his understated, black-and-white period dramas of yore. There are fewer long takes this time round, perhaps, and the story flits between its multitude of characters at a noticeably quicker pace... "The Halt" ranks as Diaz’s most straightforward and politically charged film to date, with his script spelling out everything he wanted to say in the clearest of terms.

"The Halt" may not be an absolute high point in [Diaz's] prolific output, but it certainly stands out in its ambition and, indeed, its political rage... Come the final shot... we’ve been on a filmic journey of the kind you only get when Diaz is at the helm – and a journey more overtly fuelled by political protest than in any of his recent films.