Vendetta

A topic with great potential and excellent actors in the main roles. Outstanding camerawork and production design. But the end product flounders. The dad who wants to kill the three bastards that raped and killed his daughter doesn’t hesitate to pay big money for peace of mind. Understandably. Surprisingly, it’s like several key scenes that events seem to be heading toward are missing; it’s like they’ve been cut. In this respect, I don’t understand the director’s aim. A couple of lapses in logic remain, which seems to indicate that scenes were cut.  Ondruš has the technical know-how, but has to grow in terms of storytelling. However, for a Czech movie, this is absolutely awesome, on a level with overseas films. (16/07/2020)

What can I say? "MacGuffin" stretched out in the introduction for an hour, so when there's finally a twist, there's nothing left to do for the other half an hour. The fact that the characters run from place to place, exchanging unconnected catchphrases (which they often repeat), Vetchý cries, Justin Bieber runs through the woods, Mozart booms, and the whole thing culminates in a high school naïve point, and Jan Skácel... WTF? The characters have the psychology of a First Republic dream-book (with the exception of Chmela they are mostly apathetic or crying), the plot is illogical at key moments and interlaced with purposeful "roughness" (which, however, makes one laugh given its bower acting performance). A thriller is simply not done by explaining everything to the viewer at the beginning and then desperately trying to add something else. Why can't anyone reveal a single bit of the plot? Because Vendetta is so poorly constructed that a single clue tears down the entire structure. Try retelling the whole story. You can do it in one sentence, and it's going to be more than surreal. No, this is where genre films like Kajínek, Darkness or Nudity for Sale end up. Vendetta is the same case as Visible World - including the fact that Štrba's camera saves what it can (I didn't give it a Boo! rating just because of that)... P.S.: The young Hrubešová was good. She acts as well as Markéta, and if she turns toward the camera the next time she takes her clothes off, everything will be okay. (05/11/2011)

I like the trend that has been emerging in recent years. It is the trend of thrillers and even horror films. Their quality is one thing, but the fact that they are being made at all is incredibly positive. "Normal" is a film that started this trend a bit, although the excitement from the trailer didn't fully materialize. In the case of the film "Labyrinth," which came out in January... Well, let's not even talk about it. And the anticipated "Final Scream" with Iva Bartošová? Well, okay. That trend doesn't look good at all, but I thought the film "Vendetta" could change that. On one hand... but only on one hand. The beginning is incredibly harsh. Three boys just want one girl, so they mess with her, take her to a place where no one can see her, and where no one can hear her scream. The film is very intense, it might even make you retreat into yourself, because the boys' actions are captured quite realistically. However, don't expect brutality and naturalism. Apparently, we are not ready for that here. But the film continues. The rape happens and a father with Ondřej Vetchý's face wants revenge. Ondřej is a great actor and he proves it here. In the confrontation with Chmela and Taclík, they put on a small concert, a little tinged with an American style, but it's good. The thriller is still suspenseful. Will he get his revenge? Will he not? Again, don't expect any naturalism. Then the vengeful father suddenly wakes up in a field, knowing nothing, and Oldřich Kaiser comes into play. And everything goes to hell. Not because of Kaiser, who is also good, although he doesn't have much space. The film goes to hell because it tries to be something it's not. A strong thriller suddenly wants to be an art film with some deeper meaning. Everything is killed, the atmosphere is shattered into pieces, and the final impression is... weak. The film is too contradictory in its quality. It's a shame, because there was tremendous potential here, but even in such a small space, it ran out of breath. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/07/happy-feet-2-bobr-cislo-4-musketyri.html (23/02/2013)

Ugh. It would be tempting to say that Vendetta brings a fresh breeze to the somewhat stale meadows and groves of Czech cinema. But that wouldn't be true. Vendetta brings a real ruthless wind that smells of an approaching storm and a cloudburst. The direction of debutant Miroslav Ondruš is excellent and the cleverly narrated script makes the film look very dynamic from the first to the last minute (it seemed to me that the film lasted an hour), Ondřej Vetchý is incredible, Oldřich Kaiser is perfect, Petr Ostrouchov's "Morricone" music was a delight, and several scenes were very chilling... I would like to say more, but I can't at the moment. (10/12/2011)