Kontroll

A fun bizzare romp set in the Budapest metro that offers a glimpse of the work of the ticket inspectors. I found the film very funny in places, there are some good lines, the main characters are good and the film is unexpectedly gritty at times. Definitely a thankless job. Interesting, weird and unconventional, but I liked it. 75%. (11/09/2018)

An early peak of Antal's career, which imaginatively combines absurd black humour with the sometimes almost horrific atmosphere of the "weird" underground world. It's distinctly cartoonish in every way, from the typical overbearing boss to the lifeless workers to the negatively portrayed Gestapo officers, so paradoxically, I'd say the black figure of the killer doesn't really suit the mood of the narrative, even with its ironic tone, but otherwise there's not much to complain about. The actors are fine, the setting is incredibly depressing and bleak (even without the killer) and the direction is really clever and inventive, working skilfully with the space, the dim lighting, and especially the music, which adds tremendous juice to the scenes. There are moments that I would even compare to Cuarón's or Haneke's masterful timing with their sudden rush of shock and surprise, while others amuse in a way that would be hard to laugh at in any other film. Creative piece of work, the worst imaginable advertisement ever for the metro and the ticket inspectors... :)) (02/11/2016)

A very atmospheric spectacle, which draws on the closed spaces of the metro, rather than the elaborate plot structure, from the dark and inspiring motif of the world on the periphery of our sight. The somewhat loose narrative material is carried by great actors and pointed out situations from the lives of Hungarian auditors, and in the end it is satisfactorily moved by the completion of the symbolic level. The story of the "renegade" Bulcs, who is in exile from the outside world in the darkness of the metro, is sometimes permeated by Lynch-style balancing on the edge of dream and reality, on the edge of reality and fantasy. It is more so allusive, but as a result very important for the atmosphere of Kontroll. A strange, original and supremely modern film (an excellent combination of music and image!), which our harmonious Menzel-Svěrávkov cinemas noticeably lack. (20/01/2007)

This is quite a good trip, or how to make an interesting film out of a relatively uninteresting topic. Although it's true that auditors can be portrayed in various ways, you still don't expect what you get in the Hungarian rendition. It's an interesting, quirky ride, it's gritty, it's MTV-esque, but it all comes together to make a good whole. (26/04/2017)

A mysterious thriller from the underground world of the subway which looks strikingly similar to Prague’s metro. The atmosphere of deserted stations is perfect and it also has a healthy dose of humor. But then it is all the more disappointing that, in the end, it all seems to trail off into nothing and, although the creators’ idol is clearly David Lynch, this movie has very little to do with “mysticism". Even so, it can’t be denied that Control is slowly (but surely) becoming a cult classic. Only time will tell if this is a deserved status. (29/01/2005)