VojkanR
Joined Oct 2012
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VojkanR's rating
Despite having some masterful performances (Micanovic, Bandovic, Jasna Djuricic) and few fairly dramatic moments (even to those who've lived through the actual events of the show) - to show doesn't pack a punch is absolutely had to, and by the end of a very short series that feels rather rushed for the scope of the events it tries to portray - goes out with a whimper.
Not only do we have very basic 'get it over with' rendering of some of the most dramatic events in modern Serbian (even European) history and especially in the context of the show's title, but half way through the show we have considerably less believable and infinitely less dramatic fictional events taking over the show instead of actual, even fiction worthy stuff that indeed happened.
Fictional characters, amalgamated ones, were supposed the more relatable bridge into the often intertwined but largely foreign worlds of politics, organised crime, police and secret service etc. Instead, by episode 5 they become the whole focus of the story and actual events fall into the barely noticeable background.
To make things worse, out of three protagonists two are irredeemable and third is absolutely dislikable, insufferable even so watching their stories unfold seems like a chore, the most exciting one - the mafia kid, is the shortest out of three.
It came from the intent not to make universally despised mafia nor the politicians the protagonist of the show - an odd choice considering what the show is about, but it turned out to be bad idea and ended up completely moving the show away from the actual title operation 'Sabre' and into some random and generic fictional conspiracy involving equally fictitious and rather unremarkable characters.
In turn it turns a potent show into a generic mediocre crime drama that is never too bold or unpredictable. Simply put - not what we came here for.
Not only do we have very basic 'get it over with' rendering of some of the most dramatic events in modern Serbian (even European) history and especially in the context of the show's title, but half way through the show we have considerably less believable and infinitely less dramatic fictional events taking over the show instead of actual, even fiction worthy stuff that indeed happened.
Fictional characters, amalgamated ones, were supposed the more relatable bridge into the often intertwined but largely foreign worlds of politics, organised crime, police and secret service etc. Instead, by episode 5 they become the whole focus of the story and actual events fall into the barely noticeable background.
To make things worse, out of three protagonists two are irredeemable and third is absolutely dislikable, insufferable even so watching their stories unfold seems like a chore, the most exciting one - the mafia kid, is the shortest out of three.
It came from the intent not to make universally despised mafia nor the politicians the protagonist of the show - an odd choice considering what the show is about, but it turned out to be bad idea and ended up completely moving the show away from the actual title operation 'Sabre' and into some random and generic fictional conspiracy involving equally fictitious and rather unremarkable characters.
In turn it turns a potent show into a generic mediocre crime drama that is never too bold or unpredictable. Simply put - not what we came here for.
It is often said that TV now produces much higher quality content than cinema, and while I don't fully agree, this show definitely makes me realise why the argument is being made.
It's a show that doesn't rely on flashy effects, over-the-top drama, pandering to whomever, CGI (a welcomed departure from most Serbian TV shows), enormous stakes etc. Instead, Children of Evil (Deca zla) stands out with its well crafter storyline, wonderful photography, moody atmosphere and layered characters. Now the last one is something we really don't get to see too often these days and it is something I was perhaps the most impressed by.
From the opening scenes "Children of Evil " struck me with its beautiful, moody photography. I can tell someone was a fan of the latest Batman film. The camera work is top-notch, not always consistent with the overall aesthetics, but still top notch for a TV show. The way they use lighting adds a lot to the show's atmosphere and mood. It's a dark show. That atmosphere gives us all the details left out of the dialogue, and for someone like me it is the key component reminding me of the golden age of creative, moody, neo-noir like Serbian cinema - the 90's.
I can not, of course, get into too much detail about the story itself, but it was very clever, grounded in reality with some very realistic motives. It kept us on edge, guessing, and just as you think you have it all figured out, something happens that makes you go back and reinterpret your theory. What a quality crime drama is supposed to do. It's a complex narrative with lots of twists and turns, but those never felt like complexity for complexity's sake. It's not rushed, what is more, there were a couple of episodes around the middle when it could've picked up the pace a bit, but nothing too bad. They take their time to develop the plot, and the characters. The writing shows a deep understanding of human psychology and relationships, making it both intellectually stimulating and emotionally touching. It certainly helps that court/crime drama is written by an actual judge and one that is among the rare uncorrupt ones on top of that.
Characters are perhaps the best part of this show, they are all refreshingly imperfect. Everyone has some moral flaws, character imperfections, weaknesses but also some redeeming qualities and justifiable motives. Relatable even. Now that isn't new, but does seem to be often forgotten in modern filmmaking. There is no moral high ground, no Mary Sues, no preachiness. They're not your typical heroes and villains. Instead, they're real people with flaws and personal, even relatable struggles. Each character, both the 'villains' and the 'good guys' are well-developed with their own backstories and motivations whether you like them or agree with them or not.
Which brings me to the actors themselves. The choice for the pompous, yet moral, but deeply flawed and vulnerable protagonist was a great one. Apart from him, the veterans of Serbian cinema and theatre certainly stand out (my personal favourite - the alcoholic Uncle) but no one as much as the heartbreakingly troubled, haunted Branko, what a performance! Though the younger characters do very well, there's a noticeable gap in quality and consistence of their performance. One side character absolutely blew me away - the corrupt, sociopath of a 'Minister', but I'll come back to that bit later. The only main character that over-acted a bit was the state persecutor Basta. She did have a complex character but the performance was a bit overly dramatic, theatre like at times. But all actors' ability to convey a wide range of emotions is really impressive and adds to the overall quality of the show.
Last but not least, the hidden commentary, and I stress hidden, because that subtle art is definitely lost today. This is not just entertainment; it's a thought-provoking experience. While the main plot is emotionally impactful leaving us with a strong moral dilemma, it is the subplots that dive deep into the almost unsalvageable, corrupt state of Serbian legal or even political system as a whole. The eeriest part of this show aren't the crimes, or the crimes that beget crimes, it is the fact that while the story itself is fiction, none of the things that happen in the show are. All of this is happening in Serbia as we speak - the corrupt judicial system under the control of a one party State, the corrupt police, the utter immorality of entirely tabloidised media also under the control of the State, the cooperation between mafia and the State, the rare windmill Crusaders and the unresolved past...I appreciate that the show was subtle enough about it and it allows those not familiar with the country to write it off as (probably exaggerated piece of ) fiction. It isn't intrusive. But for those who are familiar, the eerie similarities between the character of the Minsiter and current Serbian president, the demagogy, the MO, the violence and aggression behind the veneer of peace and tolerance...it's is too real at time.
I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates quality television. And I hope we get to see more from this writer and this team.
It's a show that doesn't rely on flashy effects, over-the-top drama, pandering to whomever, CGI (a welcomed departure from most Serbian TV shows), enormous stakes etc. Instead, Children of Evil (Deca zla) stands out with its well crafter storyline, wonderful photography, moody atmosphere and layered characters. Now the last one is something we really don't get to see too often these days and it is something I was perhaps the most impressed by.
From the opening scenes "Children of Evil " struck me with its beautiful, moody photography. I can tell someone was a fan of the latest Batman film. The camera work is top-notch, not always consistent with the overall aesthetics, but still top notch for a TV show. The way they use lighting adds a lot to the show's atmosphere and mood. It's a dark show. That atmosphere gives us all the details left out of the dialogue, and for someone like me it is the key component reminding me of the golden age of creative, moody, neo-noir like Serbian cinema - the 90's.
I can not, of course, get into too much detail about the story itself, but it was very clever, grounded in reality with some very realistic motives. It kept us on edge, guessing, and just as you think you have it all figured out, something happens that makes you go back and reinterpret your theory. What a quality crime drama is supposed to do. It's a complex narrative with lots of twists and turns, but those never felt like complexity for complexity's sake. It's not rushed, what is more, there were a couple of episodes around the middle when it could've picked up the pace a bit, but nothing too bad. They take their time to develop the plot, and the characters. The writing shows a deep understanding of human psychology and relationships, making it both intellectually stimulating and emotionally touching. It certainly helps that court/crime drama is written by an actual judge and one that is among the rare uncorrupt ones on top of that.
Characters are perhaps the best part of this show, they are all refreshingly imperfect. Everyone has some moral flaws, character imperfections, weaknesses but also some redeeming qualities and justifiable motives. Relatable even. Now that isn't new, but does seem to be often forgotten in modern filmmaking. There is no moral high ground, no Mary Sues, no preachiness. They're not your typical heroes and villains. Instead, they're real people with flaws and personal, even relatable struggles. Each character, both the 'villains' and the 'good guys' are well-developed with their own backstories and motivations whether you like them or agree with them or not.
Which brings me to the actors themselves. The choice for the pompous, yet moral, but deeply flawed and vulnerable protagonist was a great one. Apart from him, the veterans of Serbian cinema and theatre certainly stand out (my personal favourite - the alcoholic Uncle) but no one as much as the heartbreakingly troubled, haunted Branko, what a performance! Though the younger characters do very well, there's a noticeable gap in quality and consistence of their performance. One side character absolutely blew me away - the corrupt, sociopath of a 'Minister', but I'll come back to that bit later. The only main character that over-acted a bit was the state persecutor Basta. She did have a complex character but the performance was a bit overly dramatic, theatre like at times. But all actors' ability to convey a wide range of emotions is really impressive and adds to the overall quality of the show.
Last but not least, the hidden commentary, and I stress hidden, because that subtle art is definitely lost today. This is not just entertainment; it's a thought-provoking experience. While the main plot is emotionally impactful leaving us with a strong moral dilemma, it is the subplots that dive deep into the almost unsalvageable, corrupt state of Serbian legal or even political system as a whole. The eeriest part of this show aren't the crimes, or the crimes that beget crimes, it is the fact that while the story itself is fiction, none of the things that happen in the show are. All of this is happening in Serbia as we speak - the corrupt judicial system under the control of a one party State, the corrupt police, the utter immorality of entirely tabloidised media also under the control of the State, the cooperation between mafia and the State, the rare windmill Crusaders and the unresolved past...I appreciate that the show was subtle enough about it and it allows those not familiar with the country to write it off as (probably exaggerated piece of ) fiction. It isn't intrusive. But for those who are familiar, the eerie similarities between the character of the Minsiter and current Serbian president, the demagogy, the MO, the violence and aggression behind the veneer of peace and tolerance...it's is too real at time.
I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates quality television. And I hope we get to see more from this writer and this team.
A 2019 war film was not something I had high hopes for. Ever since we entered digital era coupled with Marvel spectacle era, war films have lost their authenticity and impact, turning more into surreal action oriented spectacles than gritty, dusty, horror filled human dramas. And while this one sadly isn't entirely devoid of these tropes and 'sins' of modern filmmaking it did manage to be old school just enough to both surprise me and make me invested in it. However, towards the end, it sort of caved in, and unlike the soldiers it portrayed, surrendered to 21st century CGI infested, action film tropes.
I knew nothing about the Aussie/NZ participation in Vietnam war. I didn't need to to enjoy this one. Reading the other reviews - I also don't think every film has a moral obligation to lecture us on deeper ethical, political or whatever context. It's been done to death, and I don't think it was ever that necessary.
Having said that, if you do the classic war film, with a plot as simple as this, you have to do an immaculate job.
There are some stories which are simply stories about groups of people in a situation. Good enough for me. We don't need epic spectacles, large picture-ing and Hollywood style moralising in each of these, especially not in 2020's. Long ago Kubrick made a politically and morally ambiguous masterpiece - FMJ, focused solely on soldier's experience in this hellish environment, the loss of child like innocence and the burden of surviving it all, and it was the best Vietnam war film to date. Almost no political context and absolutely no 'The message' or 'educating the audience'.
Unfortunately for this one, it doesn't quite reach those heights, but I welcome its effort.
It's a straightforward story of a group of soldiers trapped in a desperate battle against a numerically superior and equally relentless enemy while relying on few experienced NCOs and conflicted leadership of questionable competence. Sure, its somewhat predictable and follows a beaten path, but so do burger and fries and I don't see many complaining. In the age of politicised pretentiousness everywhere, this approach is refreshing even.
The movie does a good job of outlining the situation, the Aussie platoons' positions, the conflicting orders and logistical difficulties. It is also one of the few films that made an effort to accurately portray the chain of command and the decision making process in the field. It also does a good job of portraying the sudden-ness of death on the battlefield, the seconds in which situations changes, the abruptness of 'all hell breaking loose' and adaptability of soldiers etc. I also appreciate that we didn't get any 'enemy' perspective in this, keeping them illusive and mysterious.
It also looks good at times, costume department did the best job, especially with protagonists. The look isn't consistent though, and some scenes look more TV movie like than others.
Speaking of flaws, the more I think of it the more they pop up. Some understandable, some completely unnecessary, some just stylistic choices I simply couldn't agree with.
The action, despite being often fast paced and easily followed, with some surprisingly good practical effects, is ironically enough, also what disappointed me the most. Even though good enough at times, it went into CGI/Marvel/Chinese WWII films territory way too often for my taste. We don't need to follow a CGI shell, we don't need to see where every bullet hit the enemy, not every close CGI hit needs to be 5 cm from the feet, and ultra-slowmo is just...wrong. Shooting in films is by definition less shocking and impactful, and if you put it on screen too often you'll just make a cartoon out of it. This film unfortunately did exactly that. Seemed like a video game at times. The enemy's lack of tactic and only occasional nod to Viet Cong, which I applaud anyhow, made the protagonist's last stand seem more like the Vietnamese's utter incompetence than Aussie undeniable heroism.
The worst or the most disappointing part of the film, however, is the climax. The drama of the last stand was just not dramatic enough. It was melodramatic, but that's not what it supposed to be. Riddled with nonsense slow motion and Bollywood like melodrama, it is utterly disappointing. The initial ambush was way more desperate and much better done overall.
One last thing, a praise, goes to the fact each character was based on the real person, yet it looked very organic, not at all forced. I didn't get into the soldiers' actual experiences and situations on that day, but each soldier had its own qualities, personality etc. Something you'd expect from a miniseries.
It could've been much better, and it probably would've been, if made 30 years ago, but I like where it went, most of the time, and I would like to see more war films follow a similar approach, preferably avoiding some of its flaws.
I knew nothing about the Aussie/NZ participation in Vietnam war. I didn't need to to enjoy this one. Reading the other reviews - I also don't think every film has a moral obligation to lecture us on deeper ethical, political or whatever context. It's been done to death, and I don't think it was ever that necessary.
Having said that, if you do the classic war film, with a plot as simple as this, you have to do an immaculate job.
There are some stories which are simply stories about groups of people in a situation. Good enough for me. We don't need epic spectacles, large picture-ing and Hollywood style moralising in each of these, especially not in 2020's. Long ago Kubrick made a politically and morally ambiguous masterpiece - FMJ, focused solely on soldier's experience in this hellish environment, the loss of child like innocence and the burden of surviving it all, and it was the best Vietnam war film to date. Almost no political context and absolutely no 'The message' or 'educating the audience'.
Unfortunately for this one, it doesn't quite reach those heights, but I welcome its effort.
It's a straightforward story of a group of soldiers trapped in a desperate battle against a numerically superior and equally relentless enemy while relying on few experienced NCOs and conflicted leadership of questionable competence. Sure, its somewhat predictable and follows a beaten path, but so do burger and fries and I don't see many complaining. In the age of politicised pretentiousness everywhere, this approach is refreshing even.
The movie does a good job of outlining the situation, the Aussie platoons' positions, the conflicting orders and logistical difficulties. It is also one of the few films that made an effort to accurately portray the chain of command and the decision making process in the field. It also does a good job of portraying the sudden-ness of death on the battlefield, the seconds in which situations changes, the abruptness of 'all hell breaking loose' and adaptability of soldiers etc. I also appreciate that we didn't get any 'enemy' perspective in this, keeping them illusive and mysterious.
It also looks good at times, costume department did the best job, especially with protagonists. The look isn't consistent though, and some scenes look more TV movie like than others.
Speaking of flaws, the more I think of it the more they pop up. Some understandable, some completely unnecessary, some just stylistic choices I simply couldn't agree with.
The action, despite being often fast paced and easily followed, with some surprisingly good practical effects, is ironically enough, also what disappointed me the most. Even though good enough at times, it went into CGI/Marvel/Chinese WWII films territory way too often for my taste. We don't need to follow a CGI shell, we don't need to see where every bullet hit the enemy, not every close CGI hit needs to be 5 cm from the feet, and ultra-slowmo is just...wrong. Shooting in films is by definition less shocking and impactful, and if you put it on screen too often you'll just make a cartoon out of it. This film unfortunately did exactly that. Seemed like a video game at times. The enemy's lack of tactic and only occasional nod to Viet Cong, which I applaud anyhow, made the protagonist's last stand seem more like the Vietnamese's utter incompetence than Aussie undeniable heroism.
The worst or the most disappointing part of the film, however, is the climax. The drama of the last stand was just not dramatic enough. It was melodramatic, but that's not what it supposed to be. Riddled with nonsense slow motion and Bollywood like melodrama, it is utterly disappointing. The initial ambush was way more desperate and much better done overall.
One last thing, a praise, goes to the fact each character was based on the real person, yet it looked very organic, not at all forced. I didn't get into the soldiers' actual experiences and situations on that day, but each soldier had its own qualities, personality etc. Something you'd expect from a miniseries.
It could've been much better, and it probably would've been, if made 30 years ago, but I like where it went, most of the time, and I would like to see more war films follow a similar approach, preferably avoiding some of its flaws.