Hrana zlomu

I’m thrilled that a film like this has been made here, and I very much hope that its creators will continue in this direction. And since I don't want to insult it by making it feel overrated ("because it's a Czech film"), better a proper three than a heartless four. Repulse is truly impressive for most of its runtime, but there are moments when it stumbles a little. For me, it's mostly when the film, given what's happening on the screen, could use some frantic dynamics, but the filmmakers go for a more artful, detached tone with longer, often static scenes and little verbiage. Unfortunately, it didn't strike me as a creative choice, but as the rational choice of a novice team that doesn't want to get into some editing dynamic wilderness, because it would probably turn out badly. There were also moments when the music, or rather the sound design, was a distraction, for instance, in the hospital. Also, from such a puzzlingly put together film, you would expect a twist at the end that reveals previously unsuspected connections ... and then, no big deal, the final piece is placed about half an hour before the end, and there's no big reveal. In any case, I enjoyed those 86 minutes and I'm glad I caught a screening in Prague, there aren't many of them. (2021.11.11)

Viktor lives with his mother in a dilapidated cottage, Kateřina with her husband and daughter in a luxurious villa. They don't know each other and their lives have nothing in common. But in an instant, they come together, and it will have cruel consequences. Emil Křižka delivers a small but damn impressive psycho-thriller, relying on an interesting way of storytelling, where you can never be sure who to actually root for in this mess. A psychologically crushing and physically very uncomfortable film that you'll be thinking about for a long time. (2021.11.09)

Emil Křížka crucified, tortured and burned a Phoenix at the stake! The Czechs are trying to do something different, but we can see how absolutely unable they are. Better go back to comedies and fairy tales, because this is a disgrace and an embarrassment. Everything is so wrong here that I threw up five times while watching it. There’s almost no talking, nothing makes sense, the narrator mixes plot lines as he pleases (probably according to the shot he just had), it's boring as shit, the characters are unlikeable and the only thing to watch here were the tits of Pavla Gajdosikova. I wished for the ending like I haven't in a long time. I haven't anything worse this year. 1 Star for mercy. (2023.05.03)

Well, this was...interesting. I don't know Emil Křižka, but his mental processes are odd, to say the least. So was this movie, to whose genres I would add psychological and horror. Seriously, this was such a weird film for Czech standards that I am still a bit taken aback. The atmosphere was great from the first seconds, and after a while, I got used to the unconventional storytelling with all the cunning time jumps. The screenwriter shrewdly avoided being accused of writing poor dialogue by hardly writing any. And despite the lack of verbal communication (or maybe because of it), the cast delivered performances I am not accustomed to in Czech movies. Štěpán Kozub and Pavla Gajdošíková were perfect, and the rest of the cast tried their best to keep up with them. I was sometimes even enthusiastic, and when I wasn't, I was at least satisfied. Satisfied and slightly disgusted, which was probably the goal of the director-screenwriter duo. Unconventional, unexpected, and excellent. / Lesson learned: Even knitting can be life-threatening. 4*+ (2023.04.29)