A mostly worthy art house release that has moments bordering on melodrama with dialog that’s a bit flowery to seem genuine. But a game cast of mostly British actors rise to the occasion in an otherwise slow-moving period drama.

Set In a Belgian village during the early days of World War I, a family of farmers find themselves unwillingly shoved into the conflict.

Leonard Lambert (Iain Glen), a devoted husband and father, struggles to protect his family as a smallish troop of German soldiers cut across their village to get to France.  They do so in the cruelest way-pillaging and killing some civilians without a hint of guilt or a worry of committing war crimes.

Amidst the war, a tender love story blossoms between Adrien Lambert, Leonard’s son, and Louise Janssen, a local villager. Their relationship serves as a brief bright light of hope in the midst of terror.

From there, it’s a slow-moving chase, as the Lamberts and their fellow villagers try to stay a step ahead of the German soldiers.

The director deliberately sought to make a film set in World War I without the usual trenches and mud and lengthy battle scenes. That’s a great idea that sets The Last Front apart from the genre. And the golden and green fields of Belgium make for a welcome contrast to the usual overcast skies and fog of so many other films of the era.

But be in the frame of mind for a deliberately-paced period piece and you’ll enjoy it all the more.

The Last Front is now in theaters.