Oasis

Oasis is a very contradictory film. Among the many positives are the strong cast and the commitment of the actors, who gave their maximum in demanding conditions and with the awareness that they were contributing to a truly exceptional work. The desert environment is naturally attractive, and above all, the story takes place in a taboo environment with taboo heroes. To say that Oasis is a forgotten film is grossly inaccurate because this film never really had a chance in distribution for understandable reasons. The austere filming conditions and the remoteness of the location contributed to a high sense of authenticity. It is not, and considering the limited budget, it could not be a big war movie, but rather an intimate psychological drama of a few soldiers from two enemy armies who are forced to face thirst and a sense of isolation in an extremely difficult environment. However, the weak point of the film is the uneven screenplay. The film gives the impression of being unfinished, as if the money ran out during filming or rather, that there was a ban from higher authorities. At the end, ten minutes of the story are simply missing. At the same time, it is necessary to point out that Zbyněk Brynych was not among the best Czech directors, and there are places where it shows in the film. A typical example is the scenes where exhausted, thirsty soldiers rest exposed to the effects of the sun's rays, while they could have hidden in the shade of nearby ruins... Overall impression: 60%. (01/08/2008)

This is desperately monotonous and unbelievably drawn-out story about people wandering in the desert. I forgive it for the lack of a stronger plot, but on the other hand I reject the dysfunctional characters, gibberish dialogue, and moments that lack a single bit of common sense. The actors suffered through the filming and, unfortunately, so did I when watching it. (03/02/2013)

One of the best Czech war films. Of course, there's not much to choose from, but Oasis definitely deserves to be better known. It's not as gripping as The Assassination or Riders of the Sky, it's not as cinematically playful as Dark Blue World or Tobruk, and it's not as monumental as films from Otakar Vávra... BUT: It impressively (of course, thanks to the sensational actors, led by Radoslav Brzobohatý and Rudolf Hrušínský) shows what people are capable of in tense situations, it analyses the psychology of desperate thirsty soldiers to the last thread of their brains, and the results of all this are served to us quite mercilessly and somehow even indifferently in the style of "Viewer, deal with it." I'm truly satisfied. The only flaw is that the Germans speak Czech. (13/04/2010)