A tragic period in the lives of three brothers is shown by director Romain Gavras using magnificent cinematography, a melancholy music, and flawless camerawork. After their youngest brother tragically dies in mysterious circumstances, the lives of the three siblings are turned upside down.

The placement of the camera at all times was what made it so engaging. As they experience this war, each character has a unique point of view. This was distinctive because of the tracking views that showed each individual entering a conflict or looking for a loved one.

Gavras has a clear sense of direction, and his collaboration with photographer Mathias Boucard completely immerses you in the world they built. It’s fast-paced and has a strong emotional story to connect to. Gavras draws you in from the very beginning of this film as he sets the tone early on with one molotov cocktail being thrown during a gathering with police.

Athena places the viewer in the character’s shoes and each backstory is integrated properly to get a good sense of fluidity between them. It’s beautifully shot and has some tough moments between brothers in the third act that bring this story together. They all have different lives and the way this is edited fully explores who these characters are.

Abdel (Dali Benssalah), Karim (Sami Slimane), and Moktar (Ouassini Embarek) are in different communities all fighting to avenge their youngest brother. They have all chosen to navigate this fight differently and have been using their groups to get to one another. While the story is strong, the visuals elevate it to another level entirely. You almost get lost in what’s happening to surround the characters as everything collapses around them. It’s an impressive feature from Gavras because of how incredible the visual storytelling is.