Kontroll
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Movie Reviews of Kontroll
Movie Review: Kontroll
Summary: 5 Stars
Heres a movie that blindsided me a few years ago when I caught it on Showtime and rewatched it when it ran three hours later. Kontroll is one of those movies I recommend to anyone adventurous enough not to be turned off by subtitles, a hybrid of police procedurals set in the underground tunnels of Budahpest's subway system. Its the debut film of Nimrod Antal, the talented director who in my opinion has made mediocre Hollywood films but this is one that keeps me hoping that He'll make another film this great.
I described it in terms of police procedural though that hardly really matters. Despite the killings commited by a hoody wearing killer the movies real concern is focusing on this ragtag group of ticket collectors, lead by Bulscu, a man who's quietly unravelling living underground. Theres a rival team of takers who been given top honors of a new uniform, an angry stupid chief to yell at Bulscu, and a strung out Controller who's apt to sna fro the tension of the job. Then theres the intriguing woman Szofi wandering around the metro in bear suit riding the train driven by her father, Bela. With all thats going on its little wonder the film opens with a statement from a spokesperson from the transit authority reading a statement before the titles roll.
The movie shouldn't really be described plotwise and probably can't in a way as it mixes so many genre like comedy, horror, and thriller. The real reason to see the movie is Antal's direction which makes the movie an odd and surreal experience but mostly grounded never really spinning the plot out of direction. The movie itself was made for little money shooting on real locations and taking advantage of Antal's ability to turn real world enviroments into totally alien landscapes the characters wander around. He apparently also shoots for the moment as a famous scene involving Bulscu and foe racing on the rails after a train was shot with a real train.
The acting is good, the music great, and the movie is a entertaining film. And now for the problem; if you've read reviews for the DVD you know its complete utter crap. I bought the movie for itself but the image is non-amorphic and blurry. The sound is loud and hollow which dampens everythingg. Truthfully I bought into the notion that somehow the movie was recorded off of a videotape. Its that bad. And don't even wish for an extra (a commentary would be excellent). Hopefully seeing as the disc is out of print, hopefully we'll get a Blu-Ray soon to fix all the DVD's problems. As a fan of the movie I hope so.
Movie Review: Not Your Typical Hollywood Krap; The Hungarian Metro System As Metaphor
Summary: 5 Stars
THE PREMISE: The protagonist Bulscu (played by Sándor Csányi who reminded me of Chris Noth -- "Mr. Big" in Sex In The City) is an attractive, yet conflicted young man working as a conductor in the Budapest subway system. As with many European transit systems, entry is on the honor system -- each passenger is supposed to buy a proper ticket, but there are no entrance gates or barriers. Bulscu is a member of an enforcement team who rides the rails and spot checks that passengers hold proper tickets or are otherwise entitled to ride. In spite of having had a successful career up on the surface, Bulscu hides from something -- living, leeping,remaining underground.
THE FILM: Shot completely in the Budapest subway system, the film depicts Bulscu's community -- people who travel, work, eat, rest, party and even have sex underground -- and his own private hell: Russian mobsters, gang members, co-workers ranging from macho-idiot rivals to narcoleptics, plus other assorted madness and mayhem. Hopefully, this is a hyperbolic commentary on the social upheaval endured by rapidly-changing Eastern block countries.
THE AMBIGUITIES: "Kontroll" presents a fast-moving and occasionally-humorous, eerie twilight world of endless tunnels and light-deprivation, where one can't be entirely sure who are the good guys and the bad guys. Unlike Hollywood's simplistic story formulas, "Kontroll" leaves lots of ambiguity: is there a psychotic murderer pushing victims onto the tracks? is there an inner demon turning Bulscu into a push-happy murderer? is death making a phantom appearance forcing our protagonist to face his own mortality? will his love interest tempt Bulscu to venture back up and out into the light and life? I won't ruin the "ending," but if this were typical Hollywood crap, there are enough loose ends to make for "Kontroll 2," Return To Kontroll," "Revisiting Kontroll" and so on.
THE NET: I enjoyed it immensely on a number of levels -- artistic, social commentary, visuals, and pure entertainment -- and suggest you will too. It's certainly worth a rental at least.
Movie Review: There's a world going on Underground
Summary: 5 Stars
Somewhere along the line between black comedy, dark thriller and surreal drama lies this unique, incredibly original film from Hungary. First feature film for 30 year old writer/director Nimród Antal, Kontroll spans comedy, tragedy, suspense and romance, but both the surreal story about a series of random murders in the Budapest Undergroung, and the unreal, dreamy love story take second place to atmosphere, style and symbolisms, all of which this film has by the barrelful. It's not that there's a lack of plot - there's actually a remarkable amount of it, and of characters - but the plot isn't really the main issue. It's quite unclear, actually, what parts of the story are real, what is part of the protagonist's rambling imagination and what is entirely symbolic; and frankly, it doesn't really matter.
The protagonist is Bulcsú (Sándor Csányi), a Subway controller who had lost his connection with reality and with the real world in the dark, timeless reality of the underground tunnels underneath Budapest. It's appropriately claustrophobic and distressing, with bleak, dark cinematography and hard, throbbing semi-electronic music to match. And while the film feels sometimes like a Danny Boyle, sometimes a Guy Ritchie and sometimes a David Fincher, it isn't by any means inconsistent or uneven. It's a film that keeps you off-balance, at times incredibly funny, at others deeply depressing, scary or touching, and with its surreal atmosphere it draws the viewer in completely. It's low-budget and low-key, and to the very end you'll never stop wondering what exactly the director is trying to tell you, to make you think or feel; and that's the beauty of it. Kontroll is a fantastic piece of cinema that deserved more than the recognition it got in the US.
Movie Review: One of the Best Movies I've Seen This Year
Summary: 5 Stars
I know it was released in 2004, but I didn't have a chance to see it in theaters until this year, and I have to say it was my third favorite of the year so far, behind only Batman Begins and Sin City.
I thought the location and cinematography was excellent. The whole movie takes place in the metro (or subway) stations. It has a definitive noir style to it. Very dark and filtered lighting.
It doesn't follow an exact plot so much as it just follows the main characters through their daily lives on the job. They are the ticket inspectors, and they are split up into teams.. and while some of the teams get along, others are less then subtle about their dislike for each other.
While there is not necessarily a main plotline, within the story the main characters (Bulcsú's team) deal with a young prankster named Bootsie, a fellow inspector who takes a turn to the psychotic, an anxiously competitive leader of another team, and (mainly) mysterious occurances of people jumping, or being pushed rather, in front of the subway cars. All the while the main character, Bulcsú becomes fascinated with a young woman dressed in a bear outfit.
The soundtrack is spectacular and I love the way it was used in the movie, it is definitely the euro-sounding trance/techno. The acting was exceptional, but not phenominal. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and would reccomend it to anyone who enjoys foreign films, film-noir, or dark comedies.
Movie Review: Subterranean
Summary: 5 Stars
I will now tell you about the most awesome movie to hit the current world cinema scene: "Kontroll."
The basic plot involves Bulcsu, who leads a rag-tag team of ticket-checkers. Having dropped-out of his successful above-ground life, he wanders underground in search of redemption and a way back into the light. His bosses are shady interrogators who try to strong-arm their employees into discipline. Things go haywire when a mysterious entity compels people to jump onto the tracks in front of the high-speed trains--or is the figure pushing them?
Having been in Budapest and traveled on its subway system, the film had special meaning for me. Yet, this movie is visually-stunning. The light from everday life streaming down the subway escalators is unforgettable. The chase sequences are amazingly well done. The whole movie can be interpreted as symbolic escape from communism and Hungary's quest for self-determination and identity, with lots of contempt for authoritative interrogation and an emphasis on murky existential subterranean wanderings. Lots of symbolism, like the serial killer and the angel, and superb acting.
It has an electrifying soundtrack, and if you're into screenplay, you'll recognize this film as masterful work--check out some of the production photos!