to perform personal acts of heroism. As numerous Bosnian Serb paramilitary units (the so-called 'Chetniks') cut a swath through the Bosnian countryside emptying towns and villages of their Muslim inhabitants, other Bosnian Serbs chose to help their Muslim neighbors by keeping them hidden from the roving Chetnik death squads. In besieged Sarajevo, Serb residents that stayed in the city took up arms and fought alongside their Muslim brethren against the well-armed Chetniks that surrounded the city. In Sarajevo's Kosevo hospital, the few remaining doctors worked non-stop 48-hour shifts under appalling conditions in order to treat the never-ending line of sick and wounded. As Peter Maas wrote in his tome on the Bosnian War, "Love They

perspective eventually takes him to Bosnia-Hercegovina six years later, where he is a hired mercenary working for the Bosnian Serbs. At first, Guy has no qualms gunning down civilians, even children, as he views all Muslims with disdain, especially in light of his best friend's (Stellan Skarsgard of "Ronin") recent death, killed by a Muslim girl's grenade. However, he soon begins to understand the repercussions of the hateful path that he is on when he helps a fellow Serb soldier, Goran (Sergej Trifunovic), with a prisoner exchange during a brief cease-fire. They come into custody of Vera (Natasa Ninkovic), a Serbian woman who was impregnated by a Muslim captor. Despite all that she has been through, Goran shows nothing but scorn for her plight, blaming her for 'allowing' herself to be raped. As they drive Vera back to her parents' home, Goran decides to teach Vera a lesson by dragging her out of the car and throwing her onto the ground. He then begins attacking her, determined to execute both her and her 'Muslim bastard child'. Despite being hardened by years of fighting and personal loss, Guy is unwilling to allow an innocent woman and child to be killed, and so he shoots Goran and ends up delivering the baby when Vera goes into premature labor.
 

new home-- a journey that will help Guy rediscover the humanity and compassion that have been long-buried by deep-seated hatred.
   
Scribe Robert Orr, who came up with the screenplay while working in Bosnia-Hercegovina as a photographer's assistant, was inspired by the real-life exploits of an ex-Foreign legion sniper. In the hands of long-time Serbian director Peter Antonijevic, "Savior" is an uncompromising and inspiring film that makes its point without becoming overly melodramatic or heavy-handed. At the heart of the story is a simple concept, the emotional reawakening of its protagonist, and it is executed in an earnest yet effective manner. The cathartic pilgrimage that both Guy and Vera undertake is a difficult one, and the script never loses sight of this. Instead of spinning the story into a less-than-satisfying melodramatic or romantic direction, the screenplay stays the course, providing an honest, yet solemn, resolution.
 
The film's simple-yet-powerful approach is further supported with strong performances given by Quaid and Ninkovic, performances that arguably carry the film. Both actors handle their characters' transformational arcs with a great deal of skill and believability, as they do the uneasy relationship between their two characters. Of particular note, there are several scenes in which Quaid manages to convey the emotional turmoil of his character with only a mere facial expression that speaks volumes. It is hard to imagine another actor in Quaid's place that would be able to bring such austerity and dignity to the role.

Overall, "Savior" is an inspiring film of redemption in a most unlikely part of the world. While it shows us that mankind is capable of great evil, it also shows us the potential within all of us to resist it. On the one hand, it is certainly disturbing, as several scenes provide a brutally honest and personal perspective of the never-ending cycle of violence in the Balkans. However, "Savior" also provides a glimmer of hope in its protagonist Guy, a man who manages to overcome his own antipathy and apathy with a simple act of kindness.

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