Melchior the Apothecary

I had a chance to see this movie in theaters when it first came out, I've since had a lot of time to think about it. The first few minutes really leave you in awe, and have you at the edge of your seat, the story is set up very well. Things like the cinematography are very impressive, and the casting is also quite decent. About half an hour in, the story gets convoluted, you're more confused than really interested in the story. Character names are easy to forget, plot points from the beginning are completely useless by the second half. Individual scenes work great without context, but put all together it's an incoherent mess. The movie also felt the need to shove in a pointless hetero romance that had no real impact on the story so I don't see the point of that. I like parts of this movie a lot, and I can see how much passion and hard work was put into it, but actually watching it is a bore.

Visually stunning medieval movie with a frustrating and boring story.

I was much looking forward to this hyped-up "new milestone of Estonian film-making" that this film was supposed to be... sadly, was also much disappointed. This film is trying to be an all-in-one - a crime story, a historical film, a gory horror story and also a love story... but, sadly, fails to be any of these. I admit, it is visually stunning - the views of Old Tallinn are breathtaking and, to every last detail, seem to be historically accurate (at least to an average Estonian viewer that I am, with limited historical knowledge). As it was shot in actual city locations around Estonia, a lot of effort went into turning the streets into a medieval setting. My favorite shot is a moonlight view of a street in Old Tallinn... that is a gem indeed. So, this film is a success as a historical depiction of Old Tallinn, that is its greatest achievement.

Some acting performances were also solid, e.g. A loud and rowdy mayor Marko Matvere in a supporting role of Spanheim and also Maarja Johanna Mägi as Keterlyn (amazing green eyes). Leading role, Melchior Wakenstede, played by Märten Metsaviir was quite one-dimensional, however (the book character is much more interesting).

This is where my positive comments end, sadly. The crime story is not something that would keep any modern viewer at the edge of their seats... yawn... it isn't intricate or exquisite or mystical as it is in the book, it's a clumsy wobbling through random lucky strikes, I don't see a cunningly clever detective, but just a random bloke stumbling upon clues.

As far as trying to be a romance, this is an epic failure. Sorry, but I don't understand what this relationship between Melchior and Katerlyn is supposed to be - the viewer is left puzzled about what did or didn't happen between them. There is no believable chemistry, no romantic connection happening, no development of a real love story... it looks like a "friends with benefits" situation at best... convenient enough since she already kind of lives with him... why not take advantage... no pursuit at all... lame and boring... double yawn... An abrupt turn of the female leading character at the end of the film, where, out a modest helper boy who's trying one's best at blending into the background she suddenly turns into a diva - sorry, but it wasn't believable in any way.

As for gore... yes, the viewer gets a share of bloody scenes with severed heads, flies buzzing around corpses and even a truly realistically depicted leper, but that is it.. just the visual effects, but no real tension building up to those scenes or following them... I just didn't buy the horror story or mystery thriller or whatever it was they were trying to aim at. Triple yawn...

The soundtrack... nothing stands out if I try to think back to the music... just background music, nothing special. All in all... I guess I was maybe mildly entertained, and if I hadn't had any high expectations, perhaps this would have been a slightly better experience.

You get what you get in first 10 minutes or so; from then on it's just mediaeval locations and some lukewarm attempts at excitement or comedy. The story never really goes anywhere and doesn't involve the viewer. I found myself thinking other stuff during the screening.

Melchior the Apothecary is the first film in a series, directed by Elmo Nüganen and based on books by Indrek Hargla. It looks great, with real-looking old buildings, dark streets, and colourful costumes that make the setting feel real and alive. It's a big step forward for Estonian filmmaking in terms of quality.

Märten Metsaviir plays Melchior, a smart apothecary who solves crimes. His acting is calm and serious. Other actors, like Maarja Johanna Mägi as Keterlyn and Marko Matvere as the loud mayor, bring more energy and interest to the screen. The film has a strong mood and even adds some dark humour to its serious story.

However, the story is a bit too predictable and uses many familiar ideas we've seen before. For instance, the helper who turns into a love interest feels overused, and some characters don't feel fully developed or believable. The mystery starts off well but soon becomes less exciting, as Melchior finds clues too easily without much real detective work.

The film tries to mix different styles-historical drama, love story, crime, and horror-but doesn't go deep into any of them. Even though the scary and bloody scenes look good, they don't create much real suspense. The romance between Melchior and Keterlyn also feels weak and confusing.

Even with these flaws, Melchior the Apothecary is a good start to the trilogy. It's an interesting film for people who enjoy historical mysteries or want to see medieval Tallinn on screen. Just don't expect a lot of surprises.

8 points as it is an Estonian production.

Detective story in the medieval Tallinn - interesting plot, surprising twists, logical conclusions, tense moments. A mysterious beauty I hope to know more in the next movie.

The screening of Indrek Hargla's book deserves Your attention.