Teret

It's a shame this movie has only 12 reviews. There's little apparent action, yet at the same time a great deal is going on. Small sounds and momentary views say everything. There's not a single smile in the movie, and I don't recommend it if you're sad. But its quiet bleakness is devastating, a mix of the true horror of war and the pain of everyday life.

Best part of "The Load" is the realistic overall feel and the sets, which are real locations. I'm a fan of acting and there's no complaint on that score - all concerned are competent and contribute to the aforementioned realism of the production.

But "The Load" quickly becomes the "Movie Where Nothing Happens" and we are left waiting for a little action; a tense scene, a confrontation, maybe a fight. But I'm afraid there's none of that to be found here. As stated, a great realistic feel and good acting performances but not compelling enough for a higher rating.

***** 5/10 - Website no longer prints my star rating.

I saw the film in Rotterdam at the IFFR. I was very impressed by this movie. Quiet and very controlled you will be taken into the story you will not soon forget. Well done.

At the very beginning the story shows us how the region looks and it shows us a scrap of the folks' everyday life. Vlada, a man of few words, got a temporary job as a truck driver and he's struggling to find his way to Belgrade as the bridge on the main road is blocked. There are some small talks which reveal the personality of Vlada but I failed to find some deeper meaning to it since nothing really happens. The first 50-60 minutes of the movie are great, at least something happens and I had the feeling that the story is leading me to some point... but nope. If this was some ouverture to something deeper it is great, if left as is it's an unfinished story.

Vlada is a solitary truck driver in war torn Kosovo of 1999. Because jobs are few and far between, he happily accepts an assignment to haul locked and hidden cargo to Belgrade. Once you make a decision, Vlada figures, things get easier as you go along. He is so wrong in this assumption. In the next 24 hours Vlada will experience repeated shocks as the cruelties of war are impressed upon him even by seemingly innocuous things such as a lighter, pen, hitchiker and marble.

Vlada's encounters reveal how easy it is for the average person to get entangled in something sinister and beyond their comprehension. It is an intriguing yet somber reflection on war and the scars it inflicts on people. Leon Lucev won awards for his stoic and unassuming portrayal of Vlada. The film is a bit predictable. Critically acclaimed at Cannes and seen at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.