A love triangle set against the backdrop of the Armenian genocide in Turkey should deliver an intense experience, but 'The Promise' can't let go of its agenda as a propaganda exercise, which dilutes the dramatic effect. The lovers are Mickael, Chris and Ana - an Armenian medical student, an American journalist and a Franco-Armenian dance teacher, and the trio soon develop a tangled relationship. Their paths cross in Istanbul as Turkey enters the 1st World War, and the two males with crucial professions start competing for the favors of the party-loving Parisian.
The story skims over both political and amorous aspects as the action zigzags across Turkey. The screenplay consistently portrays the Armenians as noble and courageous, while the Turks are mostly depicted as bullies and murderers. It addresses the issues behind the genocide only superficially when a Turkish official dismisses the Armenian community as a cancer within the nation. The romantic intrigues are given similarly shallow treatment, as Ana flits from one man to the other and back again, shedding a few tears on the way. The Armenian holocaust and the suffering of its victims deserve something far better than this lightweight melodrama.
The story skims over both political and amorous aspects as the action zigzags across Turkey. The screenplay consistently portrays the Armenians as noble and courageous, while the Turks are mostly depicted as bullies and murderers. It addresses the issues behind the genocide only superficially when a Turkish official dismisses the Armenian community as a cancer within the nation. The romantic intrigues are given similarly shallow treatment, as Ana flits from one man to the other and back again, shedding a few tears on the way. The Armenian holocaust and the suffering of its victims deserve something far better than this lightweight melodrama.