The Fence Film Review: A Bleak Tale

Isaac de Bankolé and Matt Dillion give hypnotic performances in The Fence (Le Cri des Gardes) despite a sometimes static script.

The two work on a site concealed from the outside world, guarded by armed officers in towers, fenced in, like a prison. The Fence (Le Cri des Gardes) unravels over one long, bleak night as Horn prepares for his wife to finally arrive. What he didn’t account for was an unexpected guest to parade the outside of the enclosure, demanding his brother’s body be delivered to him before daylight.

The unforeseen visitor is Alboury (Isaach de Bankolé, of The Brutalist), brother of a worker killed in an accident earlier in the day. It’s passed off as simply a mishap by Horn, but deep down he knows this isn’t the case; it’s more complicated than that. What’s really effective in all of Alboury’s scenes is that he’s never let into the compound; he’s always obstructed by the fence. Bankolé’s performance, especially in his almost monologue type script reads, is the most intriguing part of the film. He lurks, but never raises his voice; he’s just a shadowy figure in the night. He claims he will not leave until the body is returned, so he waits until Horn can hand over the body, and give him an honest answer about what happened. 

Very little about Leone and Horn’s relationship is given away, apart from that they met in London and feelings grew fast. It was enough for Leone to move halfway around the world and leave her luxury of the city behind to live in the middle of nowhere, in a cabin with a slow trickle of water for a shower, and only a sheer piece of material for a curtain. Cal alludes to Leone only wanting to be with Horn for his money, which consists mainly of a large insurance payout that occurred after an injury, but it seems that she is fond of him regardless. 

Leone walks around the site in a lacey red night dress, waiting for Horn to join her for dinner. McKenna-Bruce’s role is minor, but important to the story. Everything shifts when she arrives, Alboury too, like the compound isn’t used to guests, and shouldn’t have them either. Her own line about feeling insignificant like a grain of sand rings true. Maybe this isn’t where she’s meant to be. It’s not a permanent move, as Horn has sold the site to Chinese buyers, but the entrance of two visitors is enough to unearth the secrets laid beneath the dirt. 

“Black Battles with Dogs”, the original screenplay by Bernard Marie Koltès that Claire Denis has adapted for The Fence, reveals the complexities of race and fear in a West African construction site. Whilst the two ring true to some extent here, it’s not explored to the heights in which Denis could have, leaving the film to fall flat. There’s mystery to these characters, and it’s clear the white workers think they’re superior, but it doesn’t translate as well on screen as maybe a two and a half hour theatre production of it would. The longing stares and glimpses of shadows are successful in creating something a little chilling, but there are too many moments of silence; even if there are long moments of dialogue, it just doesn’t feel enough. 

Bankolé, Dillon and Blyth are all very talented, and Alboury and Horn’s continuous tête-à-têtes are the most hypnotic scenes of the film. But with a sometimes tedious script, even this great trio of actors can’t do anymore to get the ball really rolling to make it as engaging as it should be.

The Fence will be screened at the BFI London Film Festival on 18-19 October, 2025.