tfn65125

Epic high octane film, with a relentless pace and outrageous black humour. Lots of alternative narrative techniques to tell the story from animation to "breaking the fourth wall" (look it up!) which is reminiscent of the UK TV series Lovejoy for instance. I suspect film students would enjoy studying this film, it has a unique feel.

Dark, witty humour, but drama too, sometimes quite painful but offset by the humour. Some fabulous characters, some lovable rogues and some not so lovable! It's a Rom-Com too but mainly it's about male angst, excessive testosterone trying to fit into a changing society, and failing spectacularly! Some of the scenes and dialogue are quite risqué to put it mildly, and that was after cuts were forced on the film.

It will upset some people and that I suspect is the reason for some of the low ratings, in a nutshell the film is 'offensive' by the standards of 2025, and some will see it as a bit 'Andrew Tate', but I don't think it is. The main character is a man who loves women, i.e his long suffering wife. He does not hate women at all, he just finds it hard to relate or express himself. As a follower of 'lower league football' myself I see lots of reality in the football scenes although that kind of hooliganism is very rare now, although I don't doubt it still exists and I can see the types, obsessive people perhaps more hooked on the away travel, drinking and whatever else than the actual football itself!

In summary, how not to live your life, but a fascinating study of people living the only life they know with few inhibitions or restraint. Great film, could be watched more than once, it will go under the radar at the cinema because of the cinema demographic but may be become a classic or even a cult film in the future. Lots of younger males may relate to aspects of the film but they won't go to the cinema to see it. Once it streams it will find a bigger and more appreciative audience...

OK, one or two flaws and some slightly dated 1970's production values, but look beyond these and you'll see the Gem, the lost Classic that this film is. What makes it so? The dialogue, the interaction of the characters as the power play unfolds in the last valley (the last unspoilt valley in the Hell of the Thirty Years War depicted in the film). It's a good representation of the little filmed Thirty Years War period (1618 - 48), the 'Rule of the Fist' as some German's called it where brutality and mayhem reigned for a generation and one third of Europe's population was murdered or died of disease and starvation. The soundtrack too, haunting, it lingers with you like the film..... Enjoy.