One more "Boy Meets Girl" story? Just another Rom-Com? Not really. First things first, you will never prevent boys from meeting girls and the reverse, so there will always be love stories and thank heaven for them when they manage to rise above the clichés and the cheesiness too many of them bathe in. A defect mercifully avoided by this particular affair of the heart. A mere look at the title ("Les Combattants" - literally "The Fighters" -) is an obvious guarantee that you will be spared the stale old exasperating Cha Ba Da Ba Da tale. Actually, neither the characters nor the situation are conventional or predictable. Take our young Romeo for example: Arnaud is a young carpenter who does not show any real passion for his trade. Docile, mild-mannered and easy-going, he takes life as it comes; in other words he still has to find himself. For her part Madeleine, the girl he meets, has little in common with the frail, sensitive Juliet. Three adjectives best qualify her: brusque, burly and nihilistic. Completely out of this world, the horsey lady has an obsession: mastering survival skills in order to... get through the end of the world! As you can see, not the standard Rom-Com, all the more as the stereotypical gender roles are reversed: Miss Headstrong is the dominant one while Mr. Least Line of Resistance yields and follows... at least for a time.For all the rhetoric, though, this is a love story. Even if it looks just the opposite. Even if it is set in a more and more unusual context as the minutes pass. And it is precisely the odd settings and the crazy story developments that prevent boredom. Unique in its kind "Les combattants' has romance bloom... within the framework of a training session for wannabee paratroopers and, a little later, in the middle of a survival experience in the grip of untamed nature!Nothing wishy-washy to fear as you can see. On the contrary in the end you will have been told the touchingly serious story of two creatures who attract each other but have to struggle to find who they really are and to make out how they can relate to each other satisfyingly. Another quality of Thomas Cailley and Claude Le Pape's screenplay, lies in the fact the two characters, a bit caricatural at the beginning, evolve in the course of the action and gain in depth. The last added value is the film's interesting examination of what it is like to be young in today's France, a country once prosperous and proud of itself which now seems to have lost its bearings. Both Madeleine and Arnaud, each in their manner, are disoriented and do not know where they are going. A statement that, by extension, can be applied to a big share of French youth and brings the movie a rich sociological touch.Always where you least expect him, Thomas Cailley succeeds in combining several genres (documentary, comedy, romance, psychological study, army movie, disaster movie) without ever sinking into confusion. So much so that "Les combattants" appears as a unique example of its kind. Well-served by its actors (delusively bland Kevin Azaïs and always under pressure Adèle Haenel), it will surprise and amuse you while giving you - Thank God in a casual way - food for thought.

I enjoyed this film. I'm not a French speaker, but much preferred the original title to the translation which comes across as trite 'Love at First Fight', when it is a much more subtle film.The film begins in an off-beat manner, but its loose structure works well & the two leads are engaging. It's a romantic drama without being sentimental. I liked how the gender roles were reversed: Arnaud, a young carpenter, is sensitive & physically slight in contrast to the muscular, taciturn Madeleine, who frequently lashes out when frustrated. It reminded me of 'Betty Blue' about two very different people falling in love.Arnaud appears 'weak', timid & a conformist. The film begins with him working for the family business, following his father's death. The suggestion is that he is only too aware of his circumstances & not through choice (doing one's duty, being responsible, living day by day) in contrast to Madeleine who has dropped out of college.The two are brought together by the fight, & Arnaud's clear fascination for the oddball Madeleine.Ironically, it is Arnaud who prospers at the military boot camp (Second Act), where his quiet strength, caring nature & ability to work with others wins the confidence of the officers. Madeleine's brusque superiority & macho attitude alienates others instead. The army is, in fact, a substitute family unit & family sometimes means putting others before oneself.The major turning point in the film occurs when Madeleine lashes out at Arnaud during an orientation exercise (symbolic perhaps as she is losing her bearings) & he storms off & does not retaliate (unlike their first encounter).Lost in the forest, Arnaud reveals himself to be a bit of a quiet rebel , someone who masks his desperation. He has his own life philosophy (contrasting with Madeleine's doom-laden theories) which enables him to survive: that rebelling is pointless because sometimes there is nothing you can do (the coffin he built for his father & bureaucracy, the opening scene). This revelation breaks the ice between Madeleine & him so that she can lower her guard & reveal her emotional side.The off-beat nature of this film is frequently provided by the eccentric behaviour of the anti-heroine Madeleine, like the bizarre present she brings to Arnaud's mother.I liked how the end of the film (like a sci-fi film) drew together themes (Madeleine's belief in an impending Armageddon). It was original & believable.Excellent performances, Kevin Azais (reminiscent of Kevin McKidd in looks) captures both his quiet strength & vulnerability whilst Adele Haenel perhaps has a more challenging role. Madeleine appears 'one-note' but has to reveal inner confusion & insecurity. I thought the final scene was excellent. Madeleine is the one who appears 'shy', her posture says it all, the self-conscious way she stands as if no longer in control of what is happening to her: which is what being in love is. about.

There seems to be some confusion regarding the genre of this film. Both Wikipedia and the film's official website claim it to be a romantic comedy. While there is a faint streak of romance in here, comedy only peeks inside a couple times from the far window.In this coming-of-age story about two wanderers, played exceptionally by Haenel and Azais, the point made is that of survival. Sampling metaphor in its most basic form, the lead characters explore the idea of survival in a world which is ever inching closer to extinction. At least that's what one of them thinks. That living life by not doing anything specific is what survival means, remarks the other, eventually giving rise to a romantic connexion.The story is well-written and is driven forward with brilliant use of electronic music and an even pace. However, the story turns flat towards the end, making the whole setup look like it was all about letting the characters fall in love, which in the Hollywood happens just after two pints of beer.I might have chuckled a couple times, but that's it. So people who are expecting to laugh out should check their options. Otherwise, it is a delightful drama which will most probably bring a smile on your face. The depiction of nature is also enchanting.BOTTOM LINE: Love at First Fight will be an enjoyable ride to those who seek pleasure in nature, small things, and blooming romance.GRADE: C+. A good afternoon watch.Can be watched with a typical Indian family? NONudity/Sex: Medium

Arnaud is going to spend his summer working in the family business of making high quality sheds. Then they get a gig at the house of Madeleine's parents and he sort of falls for her.She is a feisty young woman who is waiting for the apocalypse and just wants to be ready to survive. This also involves her wanting to join the French Army and do all that gruelling training stuff that quite frankly would have me running the other way. The question for Arnaud is how far is he willing to go to win her – apparently ice cold – heart.This is a sort of comedy, as it has a few comedic moments, but what it really is, is an unconventional love story – as Morrissey wrote 'this one is different because it's us' – and as such it should be hard to empathise with them – yet by dint of chemistry it is quite the opposite. There is a vibrancy to the whole thing that sweeps you along with it.This is a warm, amusing film, with great direction and acting and you may even learn a few tips on survival – all in all a recommended watch.