At once an ambitious tale of love and a tragic story of romantic Map of the Human Heart (1993) is the kind of film that only a visionary would make. The film directed by Vincent Ward opens in the Arctic with young Avik an Eskimo boy who is living with his people but is taken away by a British mapmaker (Patrick Bergen) to heal from tuberculosis.

In Canada he is taken to a hosptial / Catholic school where he meets and becomes friends with a French Indian girl name Albertine. They both form a bond partly because they are both outcasts but also because they are troubmakers who get into trouble with the head nun (Jean Moreau).

Years pass and Avik (Jason Scott Lee) leaves home again to become a bomber for the Allies. Albertine (Anne Parillaud) meanwhile is a map reader in Canada and Avik begins to communicate with here through the airial photos that he takes. Using these maps as letters and instructions they meet in various places across Europe and begin to fall in love. But there is a problem. First, Albertine is living with the British mapmaker who is a jealous guy. Second, the war keeps them apart. Third, Avik believes that he brings bad luck to people since as a young man he was forced to leave his people for being 'too white." Plus Albertine doesn't fancy having any half-breed children.

Story aside the film is really well shot and edited. The overall scope of the film has bigger things on it's mind than a simple love story.

The acting is very good across the board but the one quibble I have with the film is that most of it is dubbed and it's noticeable to the point that it takes something away from the overall effect. Still the story is a good one and this is easily Vincent Ward's (who did What Dreams May Come) best film.

Video:
The film is presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1 is 16 x 9 compatible and looks really good. The cinematography is of the highest quality and the footage from the arctic to the bomber shots all looks great.

Audio:
The film is presented in Dolby Digital surround. Everything from the musical score to the fighting sequences to the dialogue sounds very good.

Extras:
There are 4 deleted scenes (about 10 minute worth) all of which add a bit to the development of the relationship between the two lovers. Other than that there is only a trailer.

Final Thoughts:
Map of the Human Heart is a very good film that has a lot of ambition. Both romantic and tragic the film is about the possibility and difficulty of love during World War II and between two people from different backgrounds. The DVD looks and sounds great but has only modest extras.